The Death Penalty Is Not A Deterrent - 951 Words

Crying Over Spilled Milk The death penalty is a lot like the statement â€Å"crying over spilled milk† in the sense that it is pointless and makes no real difference with regards to the situation. The death penalty was created as a punishment for crimes committed, but even from the beginning crime was still a problem and the punishment was not a deterrent. The history concerning the death penalty is extensive and can be found documented all the way back to Ancient Babylon in 18th Century BC (Reggio). It was used as punishment for a variety of crimes varying from place to place and was, in some instances, used as the punishment for all crimes. In every one of the places and time spans where the death penalty was implemented crime was still present. Criminals were not deterred by the threat of death even then and today is no different. If someone wants to commit a crime badly enough, not even death can change their mind. The death penalty has evolved dramatically since it was fi rst created. When it began the death penalty was not executed in such a sterile and humane way. Criminals were paraded in front of the public, forced to commit suicide, crucified, impaled, buried alive, drowned at sea, hanged or beheaded (Reggio). Their deaths were not closed to the public but were in fact a spectacle that people would travel far distances to be present for. Though crime was still a problem during ancient times, violent crimes were remarkably less than in today’s society. As centuriesShow MoreRelatedIs the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent?1677 Words   |  7 PagesIs the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent? Annotated Bibliography PS 223 Forensic Psychology I Research Question: Is the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent? Honeyman, J. C., Ogloff, J. P. (1996). Capital punishment: Arguments for life and death. Canadian Journal Of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 28(1), 27-35. The main purpose of this article was to investigate the effects of the death penalty and theRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is An Effective Deterrent1359 Words   |  6 PagesOn the other hand, the anti-death penalty arguments claim that the death penalty is oppressive toward lower class and people of color, wasting the limited resources, and it often hurt innocent people. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) stated that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent because it is not applied consistently, as there is only a small fraction of first-degree murders who received death sentence, and even then they do not represent the worst cases of murders. Most of theRead MoreIs The Death Penalty A Crime Deterrent?2871 Words   |  12 PagesIS THE DEATH PENALTY A CRIME DETERRENT? 13 Is the Death Penalty A Crime Deterrent? Research Proposal Submitted by Pierrechrist Ekue-Hettah GPA 8070, Hamline University Anita Larson, Instructor 20, April 2016 Abstract The death penalty has been one of the most debatable and contentious issues facing the American public for many years. This paper proposes a study that analyzes the theory which holds that the death penalty will prevent people from committing heinous crimes. Two hypothesesRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Not And Never Will Be Deterrent1111 Words   |  5 Pagesindividuals when the guilty are rarely found guilty and sentenced to death. This, however, leads to a situation where innocent individual without enough financial resources are at a much higher risk of getting the death penalty while the guilty rich individuals with good lawyers easily avoid it. It would be easier to eliminate the ultimate penalty and incarcerate the guilty for life. The cost of incarceration is less than it is for death penalty appeals drawn out not for years but for decades. The criminalRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Truly A Crime Deterrent1975 Words   |  8 PagesAbstract The death penalty has been one of the most debatable and contentious issues facing the American public for many years. This paper proposes a study that analyzes the theory which holds that the death penalty will prevent people from committing heinous crimes. Two hypotheses oversee this study: 1) States that have a death penalty law will have lower rates of crimes punishable by death than states without death penalty laws, and 2) States that have the most executions will have fewer crimesRead MoreThe Death Penalty is NOT an Effective Deterrent Essay2050 Words   |  9 Pages The issue of the death penalty has been of great concern and debate for a number of years now. Prior to 1976, the death penalty was banned in the United States. In 1976, though, the ban was lifted, and many states adopted the death penalty in their constitutions. Currently, there are 38 states that use the death penalty, and only 12 states that do not. The states that have the death penalty use a number of ways to go about executing the defendant. Thirty-two states use lethal injection, 10 useRead More The Death Penalty is a Necessary Deterrent to Crime Essay1712 Words   |  7 PagesThe Death Penalty is a Necessary Deterrent to Crime    Murder and rape are serious crimes, although they arent the only crimes that could be considered serious. Others that might be considered are stealing, which has numerous categories under it such as grand theft auto, etc†¦ The following story is the true account of a young female named Donna. This story tells of Donnas rape and then her murder by a man named McCorquodale and his friend Leroy. The author is telling this story in order to createRead MoreIs the Death Penalty a Deterrent of Heinous Crimes to Society?981 Words   |  4 PagesIs the death penalty a deterrent of heinous crimes to society? Putting people to death that have been judged by their peers to have committed certain extremely heinous crimes is a practice of ancient standing, but in the United States in the last part of the twentieth century, it has become a very controversial issue. Changing views on this difficult issue and the many legal challenges to capital punishment working their way through the courts resulted in halting all executions in the United StatesRead MoreDeath Penalty As A Deterrent And Effect On Reducing Crime2024 Words   |  9 Pagesadvocate death penalty for everybody. A person, who stole bread from a grocery store, definitely does not deserve death penalty. However, a serial killer, who kills people for fun or for his personal gain, definitely deserves death penalty. Death penalty should continue in order to eliminate the garbage of our society. Not everybody deserves to die, but some people definitely do. I support death penalty because of several reasons. Firstly, I believe that death penalty serves as a deterrent and helpsRead MoreThe Death Penalty Essay examples859 Words   |  4 Pages The death penalty continues to be an issue of controversy and is an issue that will be debated in the United States for many years to come. According to Hugo A. Bedau, the writer of â€Å"The Death Penalty in America†, capital punishment is the lawful infliction of the death penalty. The death penalty has been used since ancient times for a variety of offenses. The Bible says that death should be done to anyone who commits murder, larceny, rapes, and burglary. It appears that public debate on the death

Flaws of the Death Penalty Essay Example For Students

Flaws of the Death Penalty Essay Capital Punishment has been part of the criminal justice system since the earliest of times. The Babylonian Hammurabi Code(ca. 1700 B.C.) decreed death for crimes as minor as the fraudulent sale of beer(Flanders 3). Egyptians could be put to death for disclosing the location of sacred burial sites(Flanders 3). However, in recent times opponents have shown the death penalty to be racist, barbaric, and in violation with the United States Constitution as cruel and unusual punishment. In this country,although laws governing the application of the death penalty have undergone many changes since biblical times, the punishment endures, and controversy has never been greater. A prisoners death wish cannot grant a right not otherwise possessed. Abolitionists maintain that the state has no right to kill anyone. The right to reject life imprisonment and choose death should be respected, but it changes nothing for those who oppose the death at The death penalty is irrational- a fact that should carry considerable weight with rationalists. As Albert Camus pointed out, Capital punishment.has always been a religious punishment and is reconcilable with humanism. In other words, society has long since left behind the archaic and barbous customs from the cruel eye for an eye anti-human caves of religion- another factor that should raise immediate misgivings for freethinkers. State killings are morally bankrupt. Why do governments kill people to show other people that killing people is wrong? Humanity becomes associated with murderers when it replicate their deeds. Would society allow rape as the penalty for rape or the burning of arsonists homes as the penalty for arson? The state should never have the power to murder its subjects. To give the state this power eliminates the individuals most effective shield against tyranny of the majority and is inconsistent Family and friends of murder victims are further victimized by state killings. Quite a few leaders in the abolishment mo vement became involved specially because someone they loved was murdered. Family of victims repeatedly stated they wanted the murderer to die. One of the main reasons- in addition to justice- was they wanted all the publicity to be over. Yet. if it wasnt for the sensationalism surrounding an execution, the media exposure would not have occurred in the first place. Murderers would be quietly and safely put away for life with absolutely no possibility for parole. The death penalty violates constitutional prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. The grotesque killing of Robert Harris by the state of California on April 21,1992, and similar reports of witnesses to hangings and lethal injections should leave doubt that the dying process can be- and often is-grossly inhumane, regardless of The death penalty is often used for political gain. During his presidential gain, President Clinton rushed home for the Arkansas execution of Rickey Ray Rector, a mentally retarded, indigent b lack man. Clinton couldnt take the chance of being seen by voters as soft on crime. Political Analysts believe that when the death penalty becomes an issue in a campaign, the candidate favoring capital punishment almost inevitably will benefit. Capital punishment discriminates against the poor. Although murderers come from all classes, those on death row are almost without exception poor and were living in poverty at the they were arrested. The majority of death-row inmates were or are represented by court-appointed public defenders- and the state is not obligated to provide an attorney at all for appeals beyond the state level. The application of capital punishment is racist. About 40 percent of death-row inmates are black, whereas only 8 percent of the population as a whole are black(Flanders 25). In cases with white victims, black defendants were four to six times more likely to receive death sentences than white defendants who had similar criminal histories. Studies show that t he chance for a death sentence is up to five to ten times greater in cases with white victims than black victims(Flanders 25). In the criminal justice system, the life of a white person is worth more than the life of a black person. The mentally retarded are victimized by the death penalty. Since 1989, when the Supreme Court upheld killing of the mentally retarded, at least four such executions .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .postImageUrl , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:hover , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:visited , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:active { border:0!important; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:active , .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ub77bc8d77f156d8e038c2910f3c6d75a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Promoting the Erie Canal Essay

Icarus Essays - Greek Mythology, Icarus, Daedalus, Bird Flight

Icarus Miller ...Daedalus, hating Crete and his long exile, and longing to see his native land, was shut in by the sea. Though he may block escape by land and water, he said, yet the sky is open, and by that way I will go. Though Minos rules over all, he does not rule the air. So saying, he sets his mind at work upon unknown arts, and changes the laws of nature. For he lays feathers in order, beginning at the smallest, short next to long, so you would think they had grown on a slope. Just so the old-fashioned rustic pan-pipes with their unequal reeds rise one above another.Then he fastened the feathers together with twine and wax at the middle and bottom; and, thus arranged, he bent them with a gentle curve, so that they looked like real birds' wings. His son, Icarus, was standing by and, little knowing that he was handling his own peril, with gleeful face would now catch at the feathers which some passing breeze had blown about, now mold the yellow wax with his thumb, and by his sport would hinder his father's wonderful task. When now the finishing touches had been put upon the work, the master workman himself balanced his body on two wings and hung poised on the beaten air. He taught his son also and said: I warn you, Icarus, to fly in a middle course, lest, if you go too low, the water may weight your wings; if you go too high, the fire may burn them. Fly between the two. And I bid you not to shape your course like Bootes or Helice or the drawn sword of Orion, but fly where I shall lead. At the same time he tells him the rules of flight and fits the strange wings on his boy's shoulders. While he works and talks the old man's cheeks are wet with tears, and his fatherly hands tremble. He kisses his son, which he was destined neve r again to do, and rising on his wings, he flew on ahead, fearing for his companion, just like a bird which has led forth her fledglings from the high nest into the unsubstantial air. He encourages the boy to follow, instructs him in the fatal art of flight, himself flapping his wings and looking back on his son. Now some fisherman spies them, angling for fish with his flexible rod, or a shepherd, leaning upon his crook, or a plowman, on his plow-handles--spies them and stands stupefied, and believes them to be gods that they could fly through the air. And now Juno's sacred Samos had been passed on the left, and Delos and Paros; Lebinthos was on the right and Calymne, rich in honey, when the boy began to rejoice in his bold flight and, deserting his leader, led by a desire for the open sky, directed his course to a greater height. The scorching rays of the nearer sun softened the fragrant wax which held his wings. The wax melted; his arms were bare as he beat them up and down, but, lacking wings, they took no hold on the air. His lips, calling to the last upon his father's name, were drowned in the dark blue sea, which took its name from him. But the unhappy father, now no longer father, called: Icarus, Icarus, where are you? In what place shall I seek you? Icarus, he called again; and then he spied the wings floating on the deep, and cursed his skill. He buried the boy in a tomb, and the land was called for the buried boy. Mythology Essays

Should You Really Be A Creative Writing Major

Should You Really Be A Creative Writing Major SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you’re thinking about majoring in creative writing! Completing an undergraduate creative writing program can be a great way to explore your love of fiction or poetry and hone your craft. As edifyingas a creative writing major can be, it may not be what you expect.Dedicated creative writing majors are also quite uncommon, so if you're committed to getting your degree in that subject, you'll have a narrower pool of possible colleges. Thispost will help you decide whether acreative writing major is right for you. Feature Image: Nilufer Gadgieva/Flickr Many Great Schools (with Awesome Writing Classes) Don't Have a Creative Writing Major As I mentioned above, creative writing is a relatively rare major, so if you're solely focused on schools with a dedicated creative writing degree, you might miss out on schools that could be a great fit for you. Keep in mind that a lot of school that don’t offer specific majors still have great opportunities to pursue creative writing, whether by completing a minor, contributing to the campus literary journal, or simply taking classes. Even if you know you want to study creative writing, tryresearching the opportunities available at differentschools with an open mind. You might be surprised by what you find! You're Going to Have to Read- A Lot I once had a friend who loved writingbut hated reading- especially if he had to analyze the text. If you tend toagree with him, and would rather be submerged in a vat of ants than write a paper about Virginia Woolf's use of symbolism to comment onWorld War I inThe Waves, this course of study isn't right for you. Most creative writing majors are run by the English department, and, in fact, many are special tracks within the English major. As such,they involve a lot of reading of all kinds, including fiction, plays, poetry, and literary theory. I was an English major in undergrad, and we were expected to read a roughly book a week in each class. Some were long (I had one professor assign the longest single volume novel in the English language) and some were short, but it added up to a lot of books! You’ll also have to write critical essays analyzing theseworks of literature- if you really only want to write your own fiction or poetry, consider majoring in something else and taking creative writing classes as electives. (Martin/Flickr) You Don't Need a Specific Major to Be a Writer Writing isn't like engineering: you don't need a specific degree to pursue it professionally. The only thing that you need to do to be a writer is to write. Most writing jobs, whether in publishing, journalism or teaching, don’t require or even expect you to have majoredin creative writing. For the few positions that do require a writing degree, which are almost exclusively in academia,you'll actually need a graduate degree (generally an MFA). Studying writing in school is a great way to motivate you to work on your writing andto get constructive feedback(more on this below), but it’s not the only way. A lot of great writers studied something totally unrelated to writing or didn’t go to college at all. You Can Learn A Lot From Really Focusing on Writing So far I've focused mostly on reasons you might not want or need to major in creative writing, but there's one very good reason to do so: you'll spend a lot of time writing,talking about writing, and reading your peers' writing. One of the key features of any creative writing major is the workshop- a small class where students closely read and dissect each other’s work. Workshops can be very productive, since they offer the opportunity for lots of revision and rewriting. However, they also involve a lot of criticism and can be challenging for very sensitive people. Considerhow you'll react to someone not liking your writing or suggesting ways to improve it. Many creative writing majors also require a capstone project or creative BA thesis, whichrequires you to complete a substantive piece of work that's at or near publication ready. For studentswho are genuinely committed to publishing their writing, this project is an invaluable stepping stone. Some Schools Have Special Opportunities for Creative Writing Majors At schools with particularly strong writing programs, majors may have the opportunity to attend special readings or meetings with authors that aren't open to non-majors. They may also have priority for activities like working at the literary journal or university press. These kinds of perks are completely dependent on the school, however, so make sure to research the specific programs that you're interested in. Bestselling author Emma Donoghue reads from her novel "Room" (London Public Library/Flickr) Final Thoughts Creative writing majors offer a unique opportunity to focus on the craft of writing, but they aren't right for everyone. If the following statements apply to you, a creative writing major could be a great fit: You love to read and write. You take criticism well and don't mind other people reading your work. You want to pursue writing outside of the classroom as well as in it. More RecommendedReading Convinced you want to be a creative writing major? Check out our list of the best undergrad writing programs. Creative writing majors go on to a wide range of jobs. If you're exploring different career ideas, check out our guides on how to become a lawyer and how to become a teacher. If you're looking at colleges, also check out our guide on how to pick the best school for you and our list of the best college search websites. For those of you interested in particularly selective schools, we haveaguide to getting into Ivy League schools written bya Harvard grad. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Ethical Theories Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Theories Paper - Essay Example determined solely by its resulting consequent, though there is still a debate over the extent of consideration that should be offered to intended consequences, foreseen consequences and actual consequences. Utilitarianism can be said to be a reductionist and a quantitative approach to ethics, as well as a form of naturalism (Zilioli, 2007). It is the opposite of deontological ethics, virtue ethics, ethical egoism, and pragmatic ethics. This is an absolutist and deontological approach. It is based on the fact that individuals should believe in doing things because it is the right thing to do meaning and the duty of an individual to perform a certain act, which can be regarded as right. It does not believe that each act should be done because it results in happiness but should be done because it is the appropriate thing to do. Kant’s ethics are based on A Priori reasoning while Mill’s and Bentham’s are based on A Posteriori logic (Zilioli, 2007). This is a theory which was developed in anthropological research as axiomatic in the few initial decades of 20th century by Franz Boas and popularized later by his students (Peoples & Bailey, 2012). Boas did not coin the term. Cultural relativism involves certain methodological and epistemological claims. It is still debated whether these claims necessitate a particular ethical stance or not. This principle should be carefully distinguished from moral relativism. This is a principle of truth based on the statement "if one believes something it is true." The outcome of individual relativism results in two obvious absurdities, and consequently one nail-in-the-coffin objection. To begin with, the most obvious absurdity that is a consequent of individual relativism is if everybodys beliefs are true, then there would not be any false belief. This means everybody is always right, and their beliefs are true and cannot be false. The second relatively obvious absurdity is if there are no false beliefs, then no one will ever

Children With Oppositional Defiant Disorder Term Paper

Children With Oppositional Defiant Disorder - Term Paper Example It is related to ADD and ADHD, and often, a diagnosis of ADHD leads to a diagnosis of ODD. About 30 to 50 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD also may have ODD (Lindstrom, Tuckwiller, and Hallahan 2008). ODD is considered a psychiatric disorder, and ADHD is considered a development disorder (Arzubi 2008). Oppositional defiant disorder is usually diagnosed in preadolescent children, and is sometimes lumped under other conduct disorders. Robb and Reber (2007) state a diagnosis stems from a pattern of defiant behavior continuing for at least six months and the behaviors must interfere with the child’s home life and school life. Frequency of the behavior set is the main clue. For a separate or singular diagnosis of ODD, these behaviors must not arise from a psychotic or a mood disorder. Van Acker (2007) adds that peer group variables such as bullying and isolation are also a factor, and community transformation such as influx of immigrants or concentrated poverty also have a role. In addition, there may be a genetic component or a biochemical factor (although this has not been determined by structured studies, only anecdotal evidence) and there most certainly are environmental factors at work in the child with ODD. Adopted children are twice as likely as non-adopted children to be diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (Keyes, 2008). A Minnesota study looked at 540 adolescents who were not adopted and a similar-age group of 692 adolescents who were adopted in Minnesota. The adoptee group included 514 foreign children and 178 domestic adoptions. The study found that adolescents who were adopted as infants were significantly likely to be diagnosed with ODD in their teen years; twice as likely, in fact. The rates were 7 percent for adoptees and 3.5 percent diagnosis rate for non-adoptees. Another small study (155 subjects) conducted in obese

The Exploration of Womanhood in All About My Mother Essay Example for Free

The Exploration of Womanhood in All About My Mother Essay In his critically acclaimed 1999 character-driven drama film All About My Mother (1999); writer-director Pedro Almodovar cements his reputation as an expert on the complexities and intricacies of womanhood. The film features several complex and multi-layered female characters that are portrayed with great emotional depth. Throughout the course of the film, these characters are forced to struggle with impediments such as loss, betrayal and societal prejudice. Yet, in the end, they triumph over these obstacles and take control of their lives. The protagonist of the film, Manuela, suffers the loss of her son, Esteban, early in the film and is prompted to go on a journey to Barcelona, where she meets other women who are dealing with their own issues in life. Through the events that take place in Manuela’s life and the relationships she forms with these other female characters following Esteban’s sudden and tragic death, the film explores the trials and tribulations women universally face and the various ways in which they cope and deal with these ordeals. The film also pays homage to two of the most influential representations of female characters in cinematic history: All About Eve (1950) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). The plot structure of the film serves to outline the various stages that take place in Manuela’s life at the wake of Esteban’s death, and, by extension, exposes the anatomy of how one in general deals with loss and tragedy. The film follows a linear plot structure that begins right before the death of Esteban and ends a few years later, when Manuela manages to overcome the tragedy. During the exposition, the character of Esteban and his relationship with his mother are introduced and built up. This contributes to the great shock and sympathy the audience feels when he unexpectedly dies in a car accident immediately after. The exposition also addresses the issue of suffering the loss of a loved one through sequences involving the reactions of the family members of recently demised individuals. Manuela’s subsequent journey to Barcelona signifies her immediate reaction to delve into the past and inability to move on in her life. Her goal is to locate Esteban’ s father and inform him of his death. However, upon reaching there, she appears to begin the process of forgetting her sorrows and beginning a new life. When she returns on the same train to Madrid, her priorities shift to her new adopted son, also named Esteban. In the concluding segments of the film, frequent jumps in time are used to display how life begins to move faster once Manuela is no longer holding on to her loss. In the closing sequence, when Manuela visits Barcelona again, all the characters are shown to have overcome the struggles of their past and moved on in life. The structure of the narrative is quite unconventional and serves to explore the intricacies of the characters rather than present much action. Initially, the plot seems to be goal-driven and based on uncovering Manuela’s quest to find Lola – Esteban’s father. From the beginning of the movie, suspense is created about the father, when Esteban repeatedly inquires about him. However, as Manuela reaches Barcelona and her life gets intertwined with other women who are trying to cope with their own problems, the plot loses a sense of purpose a nd no longer has a clear direction. This lack of focus parallels Manuela’s state of mind. Manuela is in a period of self-discovery and does not have a specific goal in life at this point in the narrative. It also allows the film to freely explore the lives of these different women and achieve a level of emotional depth into their characters, and the issues they face. The audience, however, is gradually made aware of Manuela’s past and her relationship with Lola. In addition, she does end up meeting Lola, even though her priorities have changed by this point. Manuela’s past is revealed to be full of betrayal and loss, which puts her struggle to overcome it during the course of the movie into context. It is the struggles and triumphs of the characters in the film, led by the protagonist Manuela, that drive the narrative and keep the audience engaged. The film employs a first-person point of view, as we witness the events of the plot through the eyes of Manuela. This provides an emotional connect between the audience and Manuela while she faces the loss of her son and endeavors to recover from it. During her train journeys between Madrid and Barcelona, Manuela’s inner thoughts are revealed though voice-over narrations. Each time she boards the train, she is at a different stage in her recovery process and her thoughts drastically change over time. The voice-overs help to reveal details from her past to the audience as well as her plans for the future. Although Manuela acts as the protagonist of the narrative, there are several peripheral characters in the film that help to move it forward. Upon reaching Barcelona, Manuela’s life is intertwined with many different female characters that are struggling with their own problems. As Manuela gets progressively more involved in the lives of these characters, she begins to leave her own sorrows behind. These characters also represent the different kinds of problems women face. Manuela, Agrado and Sister Rosa are linked by the fact that the same man, Lola, has adversely affected all three of their lives. Manuela also gets entangled in the lives of Huma and Nina, when she becomes their secretary. The wide variety of problems these women face includes betrayal, neglect, societal prejudice and drug addiction. The ways in which they each deal with these problems also differs. They also end up helping each other in different ways to get over their troubles. These characters represent every woman. They play the roles of mothers, sisters, lovers and friends. They also come from different backgrounds; a prostitute, a nun and an actress. With Manuela at the center, the relationships that develop and grow between these female characters changes the nature of the plot from a search for Esteban’s father to a celebration of womanhood. It also provides hope for the future, through the solidarity of their friendship. At one point, the plot becomes increasingly complex, with Manuela acting as a nurse to Sister Rosa, secretary to Huma and trying to get over her son’s loss all at the same time. Yet, the manner in which these inter-relationships are presented is seamless. The script includes several recurring motifs and cultural allusions that reinstate the challenges faced historically by women and suggest different mechanisms that they have used to cope with these hardships. It is often said that life and art have a reciprocal relationship; while art is usually based on life, life is in turn often influenced by art as well. This idea is highlighted throughout the script of All About My Mother (1999). In particular, two cinematic classics that deal with gender issues; All About Eve (1950) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), are strongly woven into the narrative of the film. In fact, the title of the film is a reference to the title All About Eve (1950). Moreover, Almodovar draws numerous parallels between his narrative and the plots of these two films. Manuela is forced to depend on the â€Å"kindness of strangers† on many occasions, just like Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). In addition, she acts as an understudy for the role of S tella, usually played by Nina, and ends up giving a stellar performance; similar to the way Eve steals the role of her idol Margo in All About Eve (1950). Long sequences with scenes from a television broadcast of All About Eve (1950) and enactments of A Streetcar Named Desire also make their way into the script. These works, through the characters of Eve Harrington, Blanche DuBois and Stella Kowalski, represent three diametrically opposite ways of dealing with the injustices faced by women. While Eve displays a ruthless ambition and drive to overcome the traditional prejudices of the theatre establishment against women actors, Blanche distorts her view of the world as a means of escape and Stella displays a submissive acceptance to the status quo tries to adapt with the harsh realities of traditional gender roles. The female characters of All About My Mother, and especially its protagonist Manuela, adopt all three of these different stances at different periods of time in the film. Sister Rosa, much like Stella, accepts her fate without questioning when when she contracts HIV. In contrast, Agrado shows great Eve-like courage when she attempts to take control of her life through plastic surgery and when she remains unaffected by the physical and psychological violence of her clients. Yet, there is a part of each of these fictional icons and their ideologies in all of these characters, and in every woman in general. Art in various forms, such as theatre and cinema, also acts as a structuring motif in the film. The concept of art and storytelling are touched upon through Esteban’s ambitions of becoming a writer, Manuela’s past as an actor and the productions of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Nina and Huma. The role of art as a source of inspiration for women and its power to influence their lives is encapsulated by Huma’s confession, â€Å"I started smoking because of Bette Davis†. Moreover, the potential of art to be used as a means of escapism is exhibited through Manuela’s repeated viewings of A Streetcar Named Desire after the death of Esteban. The idea of escapism as a means to cope with the harsh realities of life is further exemplified through Nina’s heroin addiction. One of the most important motifs presented by the script is the train that Manuela takes to travel between Madrid and Barcelona. Each time she travels in the train, she enters a new phase of her life. The train symbolizes her ability to leave the past behind and move on. Through All About My Mother (1999), Almodovar pays tribute to the female gender and its cultural icons. The film is a celebration of all that it means to be a woman. It is also reminiscent of the strong and influential female characters in film history. In fact, he expressly conveys these sentiments in the acknowledgments at the closing of the film, â€Å"To Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, Romy Schneider. To all actresses who have played actresses, to all women who act, to men who act and become women, to all people who want to become mothers. To my mother.† By closely blending a unique plot structure, strong character building and the use of cultural allusions, Almodovar creates a film that is unconventional, yet , simple.