Waging Living

Waging a living is an intriguing documentary that follows up the lives of poor but hard-working Americans. Low wages hardly meet the basic requirements of Americans. Around four out of ten Americans work in low wage jobs. This essay seeks to analyze reasons why earning a living in America is christened a ‘warfare.' In addition, the essay will carry out a structural functional perspective based on the analysis of some characters in the documentary.

 Structural functional perspective

This is a framework that perceives the society as an intricate system whose various parts coordinate together to sponsor harmony and steadiness. The theorists who proposed the theory were Herbert Spencer and Robert Merton, the main contributors to this point of view. The theory encompasses vital ideas namely, functionalism, social arrangement, social utilities, manifest roles and latent functionalities (Waging a Living, 2005). Hence, the documentary covered all aspects of the concepts. According to the perspective of the theory, social systems dictate the directions of our lives and behavioral reactions tied to the tangible social structures found in the community.

Survival for the fittest seems to be the mantra as people strive to arch out a living (Waging a Living, 2005). The film documents the struggles, frustrations, and fights of four people in the quest to earn a living. For instance, Miss Brooks's young son, out of the five children experiences health challenges. She visits a health center, and a care provider charges her $195.

On the other hand, she works at a juvenile detention institution. Although her income increases to $450, government benefits eat into her salary (Waging a Living, 2005). Miss Brooks claims that although she works hard, her efforts are futile because the system shoots her down. In other words, it is a tag of war between the system and the individual, and as usual, the system always wins. It is important to note that Miss Brooks is the only character with a hopeful future, unlike the rest.

            Immediately after divorcing her husband, Miss Venittelli's woes start. She falls from the middle class into the fangs of poverty. In addition, she is a single mother of three children. When Mary enters the job market, she finds a waitress job and earns $2.13 per hour. Other responsibilities such as babysitting and basic requirements eat into her monthly income. She seeks financial help from friends (Waging a Living, 2005). At the near end of the documentary, Mary finds a new man who shoulders some of her financial burdens. It is evident that Mary Venittelli war is between her needs and securing a financially stable future that would afford her a more humane life. Mary's situations exemplify the uncertainty of life and the need to be independent financially despite present status.

 Out of the four characters portrayed in the film, there is one male but one thing remains, most of them concur with the structural functionalist perspective. It seems as if all the character works but the returns are too low to meet their needs. Mary Vitelli’s situation indeed points out to the fact that anyone can fall victim and there are no safety nets. For example, she belongs to a union, pays $530 as his monthly rent, but still earns $1.25 per hour. Hence, financial constraints can show up door. In other words, her character directly reflects the structural functionalist principles.

 According to the definition of poverty is the lack of access to material things but according to the documentary film, people can have access to income but still grow poor due to meagre earnings (Waging a Living, 2005). More so, social structures put in place ensure the people suffer based on a continuous circle. All character in the book are financially unable to afford some basics compared to people with more income. Social mobility is low and the chances that one of the characters will move up the economic ladder is minimal or close to none.

Analysis

            From a general point of view, all of the above characters stay within the society's guidelines but get bad results. The documentary paints a bleak picture of victims who work hard, adhere to the rules, but cannot support their own families. Although people take for granted security guards and other low wage jobs, the lives of the people that facilitate the duties are not easy (Waging a Living, 2005). Furthermore, the characters have one thing in common, their income do not match their needs and does not even meet it halfway.

The rate of unemployment can increase the probability of one landing a low-income job. This is statement illustrates the manner in which Mary and Mr. Longoria find themselves working low jobs (Waging a Living, 2005). The vice versa is also true, low rate of unemployment decreases chances of landing into a low paying work place.

In summary, the documentary offers solutions regarding shifting location and moving into an affordable neighborhood. American society has a routine of placing the blame on laziness and other negative factors revolving around a person's life. However, the film disapproves the notion and unveils poverty as a part of a system and a failing economy.

Reference

Waging a Living (2005). Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIXFyLXSBuo

 Prohibition ‘A Nation of Scafflaws’

1. Briefly describe what the film is about by identifying the people, places, events, or aspects of society that are the focus of this film. Describe and clarify the significance of each.

Episode two of a nation of Scofflaws examines the problems of enforcement of the 18^th amendment to the constitution as millions of Americans that were law abiding became instant criminals (Lipscombe, 2017). While a substantial percentage of the people in the state were enthusiastic to acclimate to the new regulation, there were others that were stunned at how unreliable the Volstead Act was and were not willing to abide by it for instance George Remus. The film follows the events that followed after the prohibition act was put into place, citing the weaknesses in the law and its effects on the society (Lipscombe, 2017). The film looks at the life of Remus in the alcohol business after the enactment of the prohibition law and the way that the justice system handled the whole prohibition situation.

2. List at least four facts described in the film that impressed or surprised you and explain how each fact relates to the film’s premise or theme. Describe any aspect of the film that showed you something you hadn’t seen before, caused you to think in a new way, or helped you understand something more thoroughly than before.

• Not all the federations supported prohibition and this is what motivated the increased defiance against the law
• Drug stores were used to sell alcohol as ‘medication’ which great encouraged the use alcohol as people just needed to get a weekly prescription
• Churches sold alcohol and many people joined churches to get access to alcohol and it increased alcohol intake and affected the implementation of the law
• Many people died from drinking contaminated alcohol because most of the alcohol that was secretly produced was not up to standards further complicating the implementation of the law

The film brought out the corrupt administrative system that exists in United States, alcoholism was an issue that could have been dealt with effectively if the government was truly willing to back the prohibition law without any biasness (Lipscombe, 2017). This was however not the case, the same people that were effecting the law were the same people that were busy breaking it and so they did not take the issue seriously. This led the law to be weak which gave millions of people to find ways of exploiting it. A good instance is one insightful lawyer, George Remus who took the chance and purchased many of the local distillers and made a lot of money on weekly basis by reproducing the bonded liquor in his stores. In Seattle Roy Olmstead who was a former police officer with a reputation for vending top class alcohol became the major employer within the city. Gangs started engaging in open beer wars in the Chicago city streets and most of them relied on bribery in order to help them stay in business (Lipscombe, 2017). Everything was corrupted from the lowest rank that is the local police to the president’s cabinet.

3. What were some of the weaknesses in Prohibition laws and enforcement? What were some of the ways people got around Prohibition to produce, supply, and consume alcohol?

Prohibition was a federal law but there was no enough funding for its enforcement, the local governments did not bother to back the funding for this enforcement. The assistant general Mabel Walker that was in charge of prohibition cases declared the law puerile which made even the police force reluctant in using its manpower to enforce the law (Lipscombe, 2017). The exceptions and loopholes that were in the law made a mockery of it and many people went around the law to continue making and drinking alcohol. Clubs were allowed to keep any alcoholic drinks that they already had before the amendment and so the wealthy made sure to stock up their drinks such that most of them stocked up enough alcohol to last them more than ten years. It was allowed for a family to make wine at home for personal use so many people made their own wine at homes and secretly sold it to their friends and neighbours (Lipscombe, 2017). The makers of medicines that include alcohol were allowed to stay in business and this led many people to acquire alcohol through prescription. There was also an allowance of sacramental wine from a rabbi any person that claimed to be a rabbi could sell or buy ‘sacramental’ wine and so the church populations increased just so that they could get a chance to access alcohol.

4. How did Prohibition affect violent crime? Why did it have this effect?

The prohibition law that was supposed to keep the country safe led to its insecurity because the people that were supposed to ensure its implementation did not do their work well. Crime increased and many honest police men were killed while on their jobs, many drinkers died from the contaminated alcohol and many obsessive state agents desecrated civil rights just to make money from the illegal alcohol businesses (Lipscombe, 2017). Alcoholism increased as even women began drinking further increasing the demand for alcohol. With the increasing dissatisfaction with prohibition and its costs, not very many people were willing to speak against it for fear of its powerful protectors, the Anti-Saloon League.

5. What were some of the social divisions (religion, region, race and ethnicity) that were made evident in the fight over Prohibition? Which social groups supported and opposed Prohibition?

            Various social groups were created during the prohibition including; the group that supported prohibition that is the ‘Dry groups included women and protestants’; The Anti-Saloon League and the American Temperance Society (Lipscombe, 2017). The ones against that is the ‘wet groups’; include the Al Capone gang, men and the Catholics (Lipscombe, 2017).

6. What is the most important thing this documentary teaches us about criminology in general and criminal justice in the United States specifically?

This film is a mirror of the criminal justice within United States where matters of corruption and biasness are prevalent. The same legislatures that are expected to amend and implement laws are the same people that break them for their own personal gain. These leaders take advantage of their positions as lawmakers and amenders to go against these same laws to make more profits at the expense of the common public.

1. Outcasts: Surviving the Culture of Rejection
2. Briefly describe what the film is about by identifying the people, places, events, or aspects of society that are the focus of this film. Describe and clarify the significance of each.

The video examines the history and causes for the high rate of recidivism in Tennessee. It is estimated that more than 50% of prisoners that are released end up going back to jails in the course of three years (Just me, 2016). The film cites example stories of several convicts that have had first-hand experience with issue as victims. The film also cites the advice given by specialists who deal with convicts to illustrate the seriousness of this issue, illustrating the way that incarceration facilities have become a source for cheap labour for most businesses today (Just me, 2016). Once an individual has been convicted of a felony crime, the chances of them living a normal life after serving their terms are very slim. The only way that these people are able to survive is only if they have family support, the felony record basically condemns these people to live their lives as outcasts with no one to turn to.

2. List at least four facts described in the film that impressed or surprised you and explain how each fact relates to the film’s premise or theme. Describe any aspect of the film that showed you something you hadn’t seen before, caused you to think in a new way, or helped you understand something more thoroughly than before.

• The convicts are people willing to change their behaviours once they are released
• These felons make an effort to change by looking for jobs and trying to follow the parole rules
• The society shuns them out without giving them a chance to prove that they learnt something that changed their lives during their incarceration.
• The justice system is not fair and it exploits the felons.

This film has brought out an understanding of how the justice system works and how it affects the lives of the felons once they are released. Most of the crimes that lead people to prison are petty matters that do not necessarily need one to be imprisoned but rather to get one medical help for instance matters of drug and substance use (Just me, 2016). When such people are convicted, they get worse because they get more access to these substances in prison and the pressure and stress in there makes them use the substances more. This film has brought out the need for the justice system to be restructured in order to accommodate the needs of the felons while they are in prison and when they are released in order to help reduce the issue of re-offense.

3. What are some the ways prisoners are exploited for profit by private industries? What are some of the problems with for-profit imprisonment?

Private trades have taken over the prisons and exploit them for profit benefits (Just me, 2016). These businesses increase their revenues by acquiring cheap labour from the prisoners and the businesses work hand in hand with the justice system to have extended sentences and more convictions so that there is increased cheap labour and hence increased revenues.

4. What are some of the ways former prisoners are excluded from participating in conventional society after re-entry?

After they have completed their sentences, felons are denied jobs even though they were involved in various jobs while in prison (Just me, 2016). These people have no friends and they do not have any one to relate with because the society is so biased and only relates them with criminal activities. Even though some of them are educated, their education becomes useless because of their records and they are not recognized in any institution as fit members of the society. When an individual gets branded as a felon, they get denied public housing and food stamps which is very unfair.

5. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of faith-based re-entry programs?

Faith based re-entry programs are important and they greatly help the felons to recover and regain their faith in society. These programs help give them hope of a better tomorrow, it encourages them to go back to school and engage in activities that help them improve their lives (Just me, 2016). The faith based programs help the felons to work on their internal issues that play a great role in their criminal activities.

6. What are the most important thing this documentary teaches us about criminology in general and criminal justice in the United States specifically?

This film is a lesson of how the justice system works, it is unfair and corrupt. The incarceration system is meant to help people change their criminal ways, but it has now become a business opportunity where the felons are exploited for cheap labour. Petty crimes are used to convict people even though the system is already over populated leading to inappropriate living conditions within the prisons. The same people and systems that are supposed to practice justice are the same ones that are unfair and exploitive.

References

Just me (2016). ‘Outcasts: Surviving the Culture of Rejection’. Retrieved from:

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwNsm7u6DX0

Lipscombe, D. (2017). ‘PBS Prohibition 2 of 3 A Nation of Scofflaws 2011’

            Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pCQ9uVim8

The Insider

  The Insider is an American film that gives an account of a true story. Jeffrey Wigand, a consultant in the Brown & Williamson Tobacco company blew the whistle and revealed the secrets of the tobacco industry in a 60 minutes interview including the dangerous addictive properties, the dangers of smoking, nicotine spiking, major tobacco companies, tobacco-related illness and other potential health risks (Salter Chuck, 2002). This film reveals the corruption of big business in the U.S and the role of media in protecting the public when the criminal justice system fails.  After breaching the confidentiality agreement, Wigand is fired and the Big Tobacco corporations threats Wigand and his family. 

  The Insider film portrays corporate America in a negative light. The screenwriter's view of corporate America is that the big corporations focus on maximizing profit without valuing the social well-being.  In other words, large corporations have dominated in the developed nations and the majority of these big businesses are interested in production, operations, demand, supply and higher profits (Monks, 2012).  The film also reveals that the big businesses have created a capitalist market economy where many of the business are owned by individuals or groups and are less regulated and accountable. The executives in these businesses have hierarchical powers and the higher power influences the government. Despite the fact that these create a higher income growth, economic and political freedom, their power influences the government and in turn, the government favors their operations allowing them to exploit the natural resources, global poverty, affects the small companies and destroys the environment (Monks, 2012).   

 Another truth of the American corporations is that they have a higher financial power that controls the political field.  In other words, corporations and politics have mixed to an extent where CEOs are making the political contribution. Corporations have also expanded their lobbying power, powerful CEOs are above the law, the government has failed to regulate and to tax the corporations, there are no set of obligations that corporations should follow and the government has failed to hold corporations accountable (Kennedy, 2017). The film tends to reveal the reality of modern corporate America and all these problems occur since the corporate governance has failed to monitor the corporations. Failure of the corporate governance to take its responsibility has made corporate America capture the democratic government. The economic power of the big corporates have turned out to be political power and this has brought disastrous effects to the American people (Kennedy, 2017).  The corporations have dominated the public institutions and this denies the government the power to control the corporations, to protect the American people and to address the important issue in America such as global warming and economic crisis.

The movie supports a conflict that exists between the corporate American and the media.  The media in the well-being of the society and it is also a platform in which the researchers understand the social trends, public health threats, and measures the well-being. On the other hand, the big corporations do not comply with the business laws and ethical standards while doing the business but they want to go beyond what is mandated by the legal and financial law (Monks, 2012). Since the corporations focus on profit maximization and ignore the corporate ethics, the media play a significant role in revealing the ethical issues of these corporations.  Media reaves the corporate standards and raises public awareness to prevent the public from health risks (Monks, 2012).  In the case of Wigand, there is a war between the media and the tobacco industry since the media wants to punish the industry and this leads to war and enmity. 

References

 Salter Chuck. (2002). Jeffrey Wigand: The Whistle-Blower.  Fast Company.  Retrieved from: https://www.fastcompany.com/65027/jeffrey-wigand-whistle-blower

  Kennedy Liz. (2017). Corporate Capture Threatens Democratic Government.  Center for American Progress. Retrieved from: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/news/2017/03/29/429442/corporate-capture-threatens-democratic-government/

 Monks Robert. (2012). The Corporate Capture of the United States.  Harvard Law School. Retrieved from https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2012/01/05/the-corporate-capture-of-the-united-states/

The “Black” Film

The film, "Out of the Past'" directed by Jacques Tourneur and released in 1946 is accounted to be among the best Film Noirs produced in the 20th century with an extraordinary definitive superior quality genre representation (Mayer 4). Film Noir discards the customary hero and villain storyline as the hero is not required to demonstrate extra commitment to acquire love and appreciation from the audience. Actually, the main characters within the story are occupied people with serious flaws and often choose the path that leads to their destruction knowingly. Throughout the story, as illustrated in the film there are no saint characters since they are not only flawed by also remorseful for an offense. The film, "Out of the Past" is an exemplary noir since al the practical features of Film Noir can be identified in the film. The domination of shadowing and lighting throughout the film offers a clear differentiation amid Jeff Bailey’s and Jess Marcum’s Worlds (Mayer 6). Pessimistic, unpleasant, philosophical and archetypal hero presentation throughout the film using Mitchum’s character displays masterful application of lighting and shadows that embraces an exceptional film noir.

            Film noir does not accept traditional hero versus villain storyline where the hero is not allowed to put more effort to be loved by the viewers. The characters are mainly men and women who are focused, and they well know the path towards their fate. All figures are not innocent, and they feel quilt of something. Out of the past movie directed Jacques Tourneu and released in the year 1947 is one of the most excellent film noirs. The movie is about a man who wants to forget about his past and his weakness and start a new life in a town with new things such as jobs and a woman. The movie began by Robert Mitchum whose eyes are weary, and his voice sounds violent, and this made him be a classic noir character. The film opens without viewers seeing him, and a man comes looking for him in the town that saw Robert working in a gas station. He experiences his old life, and it pulls him back to the old ways. Jeff Bailey wants very much to have a new life, Ann Miller personified his desire, and he is obsessed with his past which is represented by femme fatale Kathy Moffat. He wonders why he does not forget his past and Kathie. Kathie causes trouble to Bailey life (Fujiwara, 61).

            The essence of the film Noir genre and the specimen in the out of the past film is when Bailey talks about his destiny. A practical person may try to get over the pictures and the frames, but Bailey kept the memories. He thinks it is good to stay in the frames reason being Kathie. Kathie’s affected the behavior of Bailey’s throughout the film. However, Bailey always takes the riskier path ever regardless of the bad things it will bring to him. His choices are an indicator that his self-destructive is very active, this is because he could pause or stop anything to go with Ann (Luhr, 34).

            Femme fatale film noir is vital because her appearance in the movie shows the relation between postwar historical issues. When displaying a femme fatale, the movie is full of explosive and dark atmosphere.  This illustrates the views of American atmosphere during the postwar period. During the postwar men were fighting their enemies while women were motivated to work.  After the postwar, men came back home and found that that gender roles have interchanged and women have been working and thus independent.  This caused the growth of distrust and dissatisfaction. With the appearance of Kathie in the movie men have fear and anxiety towards changes in the gender role. Men refer women as evil, dangerous and they seduce men to get what they want. In such kind of film, women are punished thus giving the men power that they are more superior to women. For instance, Whit slapped Kathie when he noted that she has been telling him lies.

             In the Out of the Past, is femme fatale who is a woman who can kill without caring to get what she wants. She always shows a serene expression on her face when others are in the mood of panic. Due to serenity viewers and Bailey can know her acts are caused by something deep. Her actions are not random instead well calculated, and she believes no way she can make mistakes and therefore she acts accordingly. Also, Film noir have is characterized by smoking. (Luhr, 12).Both the modern and the traditional film noir have smoking scene, for example, Mitchum and Douglas were seen smoking together. Also, there is another aspect of film noir in the film which is lightning technique. Low lighting is used which has a proper focus. The method is used in scenes with high tension, mirroring styles which were used in German in the 20s. For example, when Fisher was killed by Kathie, the viewer’s show her being surrounded by her shadow. This is to give the situation much focus. Also, the characters personality is shown according to the lit of the character (Gifford, 112).

Out of the Past is a tentative flashback film centered on the sensational disaster of the Film noir genre. The narrative mainly integrates a mixture of flashback and undeviating approaches to introduce the protagonist Bailey. For the first leading scene, Bailey is an ex-private detective who traveled from New York to explore his love for Kathie a lady that he had been paid to trace by an authoritative business entrepreneur named Whit Sterling (Mayer 4). The entrepreneur held that Kathie had stolen his cash after shooting him, but narrative’s hero does not pay attention to the guilty aspects of Kathie as he is overwhelmed by her attractions. They both escape driven by love but later separates. Jeff has started a new life in a small town where he is involved in gas pump management and currently trying to move on. Ann is not only good for him but also cares continuously about Jeff but she knows nothing regarding his past. Unfortunately, his past catches with him after another entrepreneur arrived in town leading to him meeting the unexpected employer whom he had betrayed (Fujiwara 143).

Bailey desires to comfort all that is in his past to acquire peace but this led to a rather unfortunate fate which ensures that his desire would not be achieved. He is torn amid having a fresh life with Ann Miller and his fascination with his past embodied by Kathie Moffat. Even though he clearly understands that Kathie offers nothing by harm he is unable to fully forget about his past (Grossman 20). For instance, in the scene where he narrates to his drives of how he sees himself in frame best illustrates that he understands that his life with Kathie is disastrous as it would not end well but he still pushes. Kathie acts as a romantic attraction tool as well as a sensual charm for Jeff and Douglas. Through the characterization, the film mainly explores different sets of themes such as corruption, fatalism, betrayal, and morals are incorporated and entwined in a puzzling and intricate shadowed plot that utilizes a combination of linear narrative and flashback (Fujiwara 143). Ultimately all the three characters meet with their inescapable disastrous ends.

Mitchum, Kathie, and Douglas play the main roles that can be utilized as the fundamental examples of Noir characterization. Jeff as the protagonist is the most fated character but despite his flaws, the audience is highly attracted to him as a form of hero. From the beginning of the film, it is rather evident that he will not obtain success despite the few illustration of success that he experiences. He consistently attempts to rise from the dark world but regardless of his efforts to get away from the dark world but he catches with him.  Kathie is the Noir’s Femme Fatale (Grossman 21). This is because she has the ability to lure any individual with her attraction but the only thing that interests her is to ensure that she secures herself from any form of harm. She becomes the downfall of both men without any regret. This is evident when she acknowledged to Jeff that she had actually Shot Whit but she was not sorry for what she did. At the final scene when Jeff has already fallen to the unfortunate fate, he is able to finally comprehend Kathie and her negative intention. He states that Kathie is like a form of leaf that blown from one ditch to the next. However, this realization comes rather late as he had already realized that some of his best moments had already been consumed by Kathie and the solution was to ensure that he brought himself down to avoid suffering (Grossman 24). On the other hand, Whit is the crime leader who utilizes threats and charms but does not care about anyone else because he is able to betray given that he will acquire some benefits.

In the Out of the Past, there is contrast amid the small town of New York City as both worlds are different. Jeff had already begun the mission to acquire a new life and leave the fascination of the past that was destroying him but Stephanos came to the gas station and retrieved himself from the noir world and ensured that he got Jeff into it once more. The contrasting of both words directly contributes to the differing atmosphere particularly the darker work that is dominant throughout the story. The Out of the Past best illustrates the elements of the Noir film based on the fact that it focuses on the aspects of heroes and villain (Mayer 16). In that, all the characters in the narrative are characterized by a number of flaws in general but this does not prevent them from playing part in the tragic narrative. The protagonist Jeff makes less effort to be considered as a hero based on the fact that his weakness is Kathie who seems to be destroying him thus affecting the possibility of changing his life (Fujiwara 143). Jeff similar to the leading characters in Noir clearly understands that he is faulted but tend to rely on his past which leads to the inescapable fate.

In conclusion, the film’s masterful application of lighting, shadowing through a narrative flashback best illustrate the contrast between both words through Jeff. The availability of spoilers in the film helps in understanding the genre better as the film explores on the issues of betrayal and tragic fate through the characters who appear to be knowing that their fates are rather misfortunate. The characters are generally flawed but this helps in connecting better with the audience although they choose the paths that lead to their destruction, therefore, falling out of the hero classification. The film is an exceptional Noir as it illustrates the elements thoroughly.

Works Cited

Fujiwara, Chris. Jacques Tourneur: The Cinema of Nightfall. , 2011. Internet resource.

Grossman, Julie. "Film Noir's “Femme Fatales” Hard-Boiled Women: Moving Beyond Gender Fantasies." Quarterly Review of Film and Video 24.1 (2007): 19-30.

Luhr, William. Film Noir. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Internet resource.

Mayer, Geoff, and Brian McDonnell. Encyclopedia of film noir. ABC-CLIO, 2007.

Gifford Barry. Out of the past: Adventures in film noir. Jackson, Miss: Univ. Press of Mississippi. 2001.

Luhr, William. Film Noir. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. 2012.

 The Gleaners and I

Introduction

            The Gleaners and I film was released in the year 2000, and it was directed by Agnes Varda. She tends to emphasize filmmaking and to set up of arts that focus on documentary realism, social commentary and feminist matters using filmmaking styles. The gleaners were picking potatoes which were leftovers after the harvest and Varda showed the world how recycled items could be used to create art. The Gleaners and I movie show how big things such as art can be made through garbage which many views as worthless. The film is presented poetically and in of forms of documentary, and the movie is categorized as a political and stylish.   

            In the gleaners and l film, both the camera and the gleaning were reflected in the movie. The film shows how the gleaning process has made significant changes over the year. During the 19th century, gleaning was seen by people as a way of harvesting where women would combine and glean in the land. Today things have changed, and those who go checking and picking the leftovers are poor and homeless individuals, and it has become unacceptable in France. Also, it has come to the point where the artist who wants to make arts from leftovers must go out and search to be able to create such arts. Ms.Varda was interested, skeptical and caring observer. The film is both a diary and also an essay that shows scarcity, thrift and strange places of many parts of the France history and culture. The patrons of a provision bar showed that there was a significant difference between picking and gleaning (Varda, 2000)

            The Gleaners and l movie shows Agnes using a handheld digital camera to capture images thus benefiting the film to be valuable and also her sentiment. With the new tool, it made work easy and she was able to film herself and even at the same time she was involved as a filmmaker. On the highway where the trucks were passing, Ms.Vadar used a thumb and forefinger to capture the images before they move. When she was filming a project about a children’s art education which involved turning garbage into art, she wondered when will the play end and when art will start (Varda, 2000). The gleaner and I was the first movie Vadar shot using a digital camera. Using a digital camera made her work easier and quicker. In the film, Vadar is seen praising her mini DV camera saying it is incredible and her shooting work was of good quality. The camera eliminated the barriers between the observer and the movie. The camera was introduced at the start of the movie thus treating it as one of her subjects considering that she used it as co-gleaner which captures pictures for the film.   

            In conclusion, in the film, we see various kinds of gleaning such as artistic gleaning where individual pick ideas, images, and emotion from different people and then create a movie from it. The Gleaners and I film have shown how the gleaning process has made progress over the years.  Ms.Varda sees herself as a gleaner in her ways, and she could capture images and stories from the world surrounding her. She views that the things or lives that people find worthless are valuable and beautiful.

References

Varda, A. Gleaners and I. (2000). IMD. Retrived from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247380/

 Film Critique Movie List

Movie 1: Finding Nemo

    Finding Nemo film was released in year the 2003 and it was directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich. The movie is all about Marlin the father who was searching his son called Nemo. The father loved and cared for his son so much and this made him so protective of the child. Marlin fears come true when his son was taken by the driver and whipped off in the fish tank to live there. The movie teaches the human the need for the big important ideas like the bond between fathers and sons, memories, friendship, fear, and trust (Stanton & Unkrich, 2003).

Movie 2:  American Beauty film

    American beauty film is a drama film which was released in the year 1999 and it was directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The movie is about the man who never wanted to grow old or he feared the old age. Due to his circumstances, he lost the hope or the meaning of a true love and he felt bad because he was not respected by those who knew him better. The American beauty film is about craving after youth, be given respect by the people around you, having power and beauty (Mendes, 1999).

Movie 3: crash film

    The crash film was released in 2004 and it was written and directed by Paul Haggis. The film tries to show what goes in the world today based on racism and stereotypes. He tries to suggest how societies see themselves and other people based on their ethnicities. It shows different people lives, their races and the different types of their beliefs. The film also shows how individuals respond to actual life situations and how to react to racial injustice. The society is affected by stereotypes which are caused by custom breakdown which goes against civil and the human rights (Haggis, 2004).

References

Haggis, P. Crash. (2004). IMD. Retrieved from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375679/

Mendes, S. American Beauty. (1999). IMD. Retrieved from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/

Stanton, A, Unkrich L. Finding Nemo. (2003). IMD.Retrieved from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543/

 ETHICAL STANDARDS OF HUMAN PROFESSIONAL

INTRODUCTION

 Human service workers do various types of jobs in their organizations in which they work hard to help to meet client’s needs and improve their lives. Human service professionals work with individuals, families, communities by helping them to improve their lives, meet their basic needs and help them in solving problems. Their work is to protect and motivates other people. For example, they help individuals who are at risk and motivate and strength their skills necessary to better their future. Because of the nature of the job they perform, human service professionals have code ethics that protects their rights. Also, this code ethics protect the dignity of human service workers, their clients and the community as a whole, and to institute principles of their everyday work routine (Kanel, & Mallers, 2015).

This report will focus on analysing the character of Dr. Cawley portrayed in the film Shutter Island as a human services worker while applying Ethical Standards of Human Professional.  Dr. Cawley is a psychiatrist at ashecliffe hospital. He believed that mental illness patients should be treated with psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy, instead of surgery or anti-psychotic drugs. He is an intelligent man and he believed he has all the power and answers when it comes to declaring a patient sane or not.

            Dr. Cawley together with other medical professionals in that hospital upheld integrity and ethics by protecting patient’s integrity, safety and security of their records.  Records or information of patients is either kept in written form or electronic form that is shared with other medical professionals. Doctors should only share patient’s information when they are legally obligated or permitted to share such information. When technology is used as a mode of capturing and transferring data of a client, precaution should be considered to ensure and maintain privacy or confidentiality of the patient. Laws and requirement needed for storing data, transmitting and retrieving data should be complied with (Woodside, 2014). Doctors should alert their patients to any leakage of their information and how technology might affect them positively or negatively.   Teddy was not allowed by the hospital to access personnel records of a patient who he believed would break the case wide open and he was limited to enter ward c of the hospital.

            Dr. Cawley protects the patient right to privacy and confidentiality. If suspected that danger may harm the patient or other people around him or her, doctors should take precautions to protect them by seeking consultations, supervision or breaking the privacy of the patient (Knapp, 2015).  Dr. Cawley and other medical professional had a major difference on what therapy are good to treat the patients. This is portrayed when Teddy Chuck arrived at the hospital and they meet Cawley who showed them around and explained a bit about the hospital and psychiatry. He told them that there are some doctors who believe in surgical techniques like lobotomies to treat patients, while other doctors insist on psychotropic drugs. Dr. Cawley believed that just listening to the patient and making their life comfortable is one of the ways of treating the patient. Dr. Cawley together with other professionals should have actively collaborated and coordinate in helping their patients. Also, they should continually seek out new technologies which are effective for treating mentally ill patients. When using technology which is very new, they should inform the patient of the technology and the risks which might be involved (Woodside, 2016).

References

Kanel, K., & Mallers, M. H. (2015). An overview of the human services.

Knapp, H. (2015). Therapeutic communication: Developing professional skills.

Woodside, M. (2014). An introduction to human services.

Woodside, M. (2016). The human services internship experience: Helping students find their way.

Babies Behind Bars

            This is a film that discusses pregnancies and births in prisons. It gives details of what pregnant women in prison go through. This film focused on one prison in Indianapolis and what pregnant inmates were undergoing in the course of pregnancy. Due to an increase in pregnancy cases for inmate women, this film focuses on how to work out in order to find ways of helping inmates deliver their babies in prison. This prison consists of about 60 born babies every year and around 40 pregnant women at a time. A pregnant woman in prison is not treated far different from other inmates; however, they are given pre-natal care that a pregnant woman needs.  Pregnant women just like other women live in the same conditions (Swollen bellies, 2014).

            When these women have delivered their babies, they are stripped from their newborn babies after 24 hours of birth. Many at times the baby can be given to the father or any member of the family who might be willing to take care of the baby. If there is no one to take care of the baby, then the baby is taken from the mother and this destroys the formation of bond between the mother and the baby. This is the reason why the Indiana women’s prison decided to institute a program to help women and their children in such a condition. The film focuses on six different inmates at Indiana prison giving the story of how they got into there and how they are fixing to ensure that they are able to live a better life including the future welfare of their babies even by the time they would have left the prison (Swollen bellies, 2014).

References

Swollen bellies, (2014). Babies Behind Bars. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nErmW89_hr0

Film Assignment

Trade Trash

Introduction

Trade trash is when garbage is traded amongst countries and this helps to reduce on the amount of garbage in a place. This short essay will present the effect of restricting trade trash, the importance of trash, and how it can be maintained using “harms test” and “reversibility test”.

            After watching “trash trade”, we can see how trading on garbage helps to reduce on the amount of garbage in a given place. The problem that can be identified is, restricting trade trash (Garbage Dreams Theatrical Trailer, 2009). This can lead to an increase in the costs of disposing garbage. Implying, there will be an increase of garbage in the environment which can pollute it in various ways.

            By applying “harms test”, trash trade is important because it minimizes on the dangers of pollution. If trash is exported to elsewhere, it reduces environmental pollution that would come from the landfills. It also reduces the cost of disposing waste. However, reversibly, trash may also be important. Trash can be recycled into new materials that can be used for various purposes. Recycling is important because it helps to conserve natural resources that would be used as raw materials. It also reduces the cost of disposing the waste to the landfills. It also helps in saving energy. Thus it is a challenge to engineers to carry out recycling following these steps; the first step is collecting and processing the wastes. The second step is, manufacturing of products out of the processed wastes. Lastly, products manufactured will be ready for sale (Morgan & World Wildlife Fund, 2009). Recycling is therefore important in the economy because it creates employment opportunities for many people, as many people will be required to work in recycling companies. These people can be in position to earn wages that can help them maintain their families. Recycling is also helpful in preventing wastage of fresh materials, thus minimizing the rate of energy usage and all forms of pollution. This has been a challenge for engineers to control trade trash such that, waste is recycled and used in place of fresh raw materials (Morgan & World Wildlife Fund, 2009). The existing trade trash has been a limiting factor for engineers to practice recycling. This is because, trash is freely transported to other countries and those countries benefit from it.

Conclusion

Therefore, by applying “harms test” and “reversibility test”, we are able to analyze the importance and the detriments of trade trash. Trade trash is important for a country because it minimizes the cost of disposing waste. However, in understanding the importance of trash, it is necessary to do away with trade trash. The waste can be recycled and be used for various purposes in the manufacturing industry. And this will create job opportunities for very many people, hence stabilizing their standard of living.

References

Garbage Dreams Theatrical Trailer, (2009). Trade Trash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b26dBL5tQPk

Morgan, S., & World Wildlife Fund (U.S.). (2009). Waste, recycling and reuse. London: Evans.

Sociology

Easy Rider (1969) is a ‘road film’ where Wyatt and Billy travel eastward. First, it is important to note that the film reflects the life of youth and some of the music in this film “Born to be Wild” clearly shows how young people were searching for freedom during that time (Thio & Taylor, 2012). Easy Rider played an important role as it reflected the live of American during this period.  However, the film contributed to long-term effects in that young people in modern societies find freedom through drug use. Cocaine and cannabis are common drugs used today.  In the movie, there are many scenes presenting drug use and how characters find liberating experiences (Thio & Taylor, 2012).

             An important point is that Easy Road film has influenced the drug culture in that first, the drug use in the movie generates absurdity, violence and brutality. Note that Easy Rider is a youth culture film that focuses on drug pleasure. Contemporary movies on drug use were influenced by this film and the elements that influenced are romantic alienation, position of drug and forceful realism (Manning, 2013). The film encourages the use of drug use in contemporary world due to the positive portrayal of drugs. Note that the characters use drug and continues with life activities such as eating, socializing, desiring sex and so on.

 In the contemporary world, Marijuana is a common drug used in U.S and the high rate of drug use rooted in the period of 1960s. In the movie, drug taking is presented as a way of creating social anxieties and humor. Though the authors used drug for contextual development, the act has influenced the use of drug as majority gains a positive experience on drug (Manning, 2013). In modern societies, drug use has become a norm since the film present the characters on everyday consumption to experience humor and laugher. In fact, many films do not show a negative outcome on drug use and majority experiences everyday reality (Manning, 2013).   

            According to sociological theories, ‘Easy Road’ film has highly influenced the drug culture in contemporary world. First, young people and adult in modernity develop deviant behaviors due to lack of social control. The social control theory asserts that   the weak social bonds creates path for deviance. In other words, the use of drug in the film is a norm   and this has shaped the popular perception on the drug use.  Note that young people learn the use of drug from sociocultural practices (Thio & Taylor, 2012). Through cultural aspects, they   learn the psychological effect of drug. Other theory that explains the role of film in influencing drug culture is self-control theory. The theory relates with social control theory in that it assert that people engage in drug use due to lack of control. Control may come from society or parental socialization. Note that self-control leads to social control and lack of the two in life would lead to deviance. The last theory which explains drug use is subcultural theory (Thio & Taylor, 2012). The theory affirms that people are influenced by a social group whose attitudes support the use of drug use. In other words, social group or social circles in a community encourage the use of drug through supplying, teaching on how to use and acting as a role model. In other words, the theories tend to show that drug use is a culture practice. This means that the use of drug is shaped by historical social context and social identities (Thio & Taylor, 2012).

Reference

Thio, A., & Taylor, J. D. (2012). Social problems. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Manning Paul. (2013). Drugs and Popular Culture. Routledge

To Live

Zhang Yimou is a very creative author, who is encouraged to write because of the past experiences in his life (Zhang & Chu, n.p). Zhang was interested in reading throughout his life, and in a country where literature material was not easily accessible, Zhang made sure he read stories whenever he got them. This exposed him to a lot of events, a move which made him to understand the communist system of ruling in China. Zhang was a dentist, but he later decided to quit the job, as he was disinterested with a job which paid less money, and it required a huge commitment. He found refuge in writing, where he would report to work at any time, and spend most of his time sleeping until mid-day (Michael, 2).  

The film, Zhang Yimou, is based on the actual happenings in China during his youth age period. As an author, Zhang has written which is based on Yu Hua’s novel To Live (Zhang & Chu, n.p). The film portrays a real picture of the Chinese government’s way of ruling, the way of life of the Chinese, and the general outlook of the Chinese society. In a country which communism was the main system of ruling, where the Chinese were forced to adapt to different types of life. The Chinese government was in total control of each and every activity, and it therefore meant that, employment was not a choice but it was mandatory. The government provided jobs for the Chinese, and no one had the authority of looking for a job (Michael, 4). In addition, the pay was very poor, since the classes of living were created by the government, a move which made it hard for one to easily move from one social class to the other. 

Zhang uses melodrama throughout the film, in a bid to explain how the events unfold. For instance, he uses Fugui, who is a gambler as a means of creating melodrama (Zhang & Chu, n.p). Fugui lives an extravagant type of life, through gambling, but when warned with his wife about warning, he does not stop but instead continues, a move which leads to loss of his own house to Er. During the revolution, the communist set ablaze Er’s house, which was earlier owned by Fugui and he is later executed (Rey, 8). Ironically, Fugui rejoices, as the house was owned by Er. Fugui’s life later changes from being an extravagant gambler to being a poor man who looks for other means of making money. This move lands him into prison, living his wife and two children behind, a move which makes his wife Jiazhen to end up working as a door to door supplier of water.

The film basically, provides insights on the type of government which ruled over China. The government was very incompetent, a move which led to constant revolutions which resulted in the loss of lives and property (Zhang & Chu, n.p). In addition, through this film, Zhang is able to provide a clear representation of the type of life which the Chinese led during this period, a life which was highly influenced by the Chinese government. Furthermore, the film provides an understanding of how different people in different social classes led their lives, and how their way of life affected that of other (Rey, 12). In general, the film was more than just an ordinary film, but it is a comic representation of a government which has decided to rule differently.

Reference

Rey Chow. We Endure, There We Are: Survival, Governance, and Zhang Yimou’s To Live

  Michael Standaert. Interview with Yu Hua: University of Lowa Writing Program. 30 Aug 2003. Print.

Zhang Yimou & Chu Fu Sheng. To Live 1994 Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB7HYhUpDz8

Miss Representation Synthesis of Ideas

Question 1

Miss Representation is a film that mainly explores the falsification of females in today’s society. From the film, I learn that an individual can never be something that they do not see. In that, it is the things that we observe that creates the perception and our personalities. The film explores the manner in which the prime streaming media contributes to the low depiction of females in different spheres in the society today. From the film, it is apparent that is the general representation of women particularly in music, films, and television is particularly low. In search of a positive reputation and identity as women, they are forced to engage in negative operations that do not only affect their esteem but as well as professional achievements (Hill, 2011). Women are generally put under increasing professional and cultural pressure to fit under certain gender based roles and measures which affect their general capability to be productive.

Question 2

I, my friends and family consume quite much media on daily basis ranging from television shows, music, and movies. Based on this Medias it is apparent that women are highly represented as sex and romantic objects. This is shown by the manner in which they are involved in toxic sex scenes. In addition, in most cases for these women acquiring certain positions requires them to pressure their abilities to get the male’s attention in a rather sexual way.

Question 3

It is true that women being miss represented within the media sector are constantly based on the use of hyper-sexualized visuals in the quest of selling certain brands. This misrepresentation mainly benefits men and the media owners. In that, the media companies acquire quite a significant amount of revenue from the acquired sales. On the other hand, main is perceived and portrayed as the dominant sex and therefore both parties work to the consistency of the trend. The responsibility is held by the media companies given that they have the authority of transforming the tendency. The film provided the saddest realities in regard to the female portal in media not only within the film industry but also how their political and leadership capabilities are described (Hill, 2011). The media is the major reason for the general lack of adequate women representation in leadership and reputable posts in the society today.

Question 4

It is particularly crucial to have women mentors and role models given that there are many from the male gender. It is rather apparent that equality can never be acquired without women being represented at the utmost position. Having women role models and mentors is not only significant in acquiring equality but it is additionally essential in ensuring that young girls are well guided and have people to observe and learn from. Mentorship is a form of inspiration to young females that the leadership and several other high positions can be achieved without applying more efforts than men (Renold, Ringrose, & Egan, 2015). It is essential to have mentors to guide and shape behaviors and thoughts of the young women as well.

Question 5

I am not directly related to feminism but I do not fight against equality. To me, feminism is the best approach in inspiring and shaping women’s thoughts, inspirations, and achievements in all the spheres of the contemporary society. Holding back their general gender and the quest for equality is promoting negativity and reduced growth. It is obvious that the combination of efforts from both males and females would lead to even high productivity given that everyone deserves to be acknowledged for their skills, thoughts, and proficiency (Renold, Ringrose, & Egan, 2015). Female’s contribution to development is undoubted. There is so much value in identifying with the feminist movement because this creates a form of unity and calls for behavior and attitude change for those that do not consider women as equal.

Question 6

Males are highly regarded to be the strongest and muscular persons when equated to females. It is, however, unfortunate that this perception is in most times based on speculations and misjudgments. From the media that I listen to, watch and read it is clear that masculinity is well represented. In that most of the major dominating roles and achievements are linked to male’s masculinity when for women they have to exist under this control. This images negatively affect the way that men view themselves and women. In that men perceive themselves as superior to women and therefore as inferior, they believe that they are better and should acquire respect for that (Renold, Ringrose, & Egan, 2015).

Question 7

Universally, men are emotionally constipated because they were taught to be (Renold, Ringrose, & Egan, 2015). In this context, the majority of them separate their emotions from reality. I do believe that men should not only have emotions but they should show them. The only thing that is at stake with showing the emotions is that they will lose their masculinity and therefore, they fear to be equal with women. Creating the world where men can comfortably express their emotions can only be created by changing individual’s perceptions in regard to gender roles and view everyone as equal.

References

Hill, N. (2011). Miss representation. Retrieved from http://www.feminisms.org/3922/miss-representation-a-critical-review/

Renold, E., Ringrose, J., & Egan, R. D. (2015). Children, sexuality and sexualization. Springer.