Business Law Cases Summary

Offer ( Topic 3) Is a proposal the acceptance of which establishes the existence of an agreement. It shows a promissory intent. In other words, it is a promise to do or refrain from doing something. – Usually upon condition that the other party agrees to do or refrain from doing something else in return. – Harvey v. Facey Harvey sent to Facey a telegram to buy Bumper Hall Pen. He asks Facey to telegram the lowest price. Facey telegram the lowest cash price ? 900. Harvey says agree to buy for ? 900.Principle: Offer is more than a mere supply of information – Offer must show promissory intent – Australian Wooden Mills v Commonwealth in where the government †offer† did not ask anything in the return – Offer is not Invitation to treat and must be distinguished from ITT Invitation to Treat Is an action by one party which may appear to be a contractual offer but which is actually inviting others to make an offer of their own. Invitation to tre at lacks of promissory intent 1. Boots Case (Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v. Boots Cash Chemists (Southern) Ltd) Self servicePS sued Boots cash for breach of pharmacy and poison act by selling certain poison not under supervision of registered pharmacist as boots cash is a pharmacy in a self service basis. However, there is one registered pharmacist in the cashier check out point. Principle: In the self service system, the offer is made by customer at the checkout point of sales while the acceptance is made by the cashier at the checkout point of sales as well. 2. Fisher v. Bell Shop Window Bell selling the flick knife which is showed in the window displayed. Bell was sued for offering the knife which is prohibited at that time by tatute. Principle: The display of an article with a price on it in a hop window is merely an invitation to treat. ITT can be an offer if: – Show promissory intent – Limited to who can accept – Limited to what can be accepted Offers to the World At Large Offers that are not directed to any specific person, but to anyone who becomes aware of them. 1. Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Carbolic smoke ball advertise promised reward to anyone who contracting influenza after using their product. To show the seriousness, they placed money ? 1000 in account. Mrs C used it and contracted influenza.Principle: An offer can be made to the world at large. The contract is made to limited portion of public, who perform the condition on the advertisement. And it show promissory intent. Offer must be communicated Offer becomes effectives if it is communicated and there is meeting in mind when they accept it. However, offeree must be aware of its existence and terms. 1. R. v. Clarke Reward for information about murder of 2 policemen. Clarke was arrested and to save himself, he gave the information. Principle: Offer must be accepted with the knowledge of the offer. Respon to Offer Accept – Clarify – Counter Off er – Reject – Do Nothing Counter Offer Rejection of the original offers which make the original offer to an end, and form a new offer. If the Counter Offer being rejected, the original offer will not revive, unless the offeror renew it. 1. Hyde v. Wrench Wrench made an offer to sell his farm to Hyde for ? 1000. Hyde says that he will pay ? 950. Wrench says no, and Hyde say want to pay ? 1000. Principle: Counter offer resulting the original offer to end. It is rejection of the first offer. Counter offer must be distinguished from mere inquiry . Stevenson Jacques v. McLean McLean made an offer to SJ to sell certain iron. In reply, SJ write â€Å"will accept 40 over 2 months†. As it is no reply, SJ write again to accept the 1st offer. Principle: Seeking clarification is not counter offer, but mere inquiry. Only the offeree who are directed to accept the offer by the offeror 1. Boulton v. Jones Jones places offer with old chum Brocklehurst. Boulton had taken over th e business and he filled the offer. Jones refused to pay. Principle: Only the person to whom the offer is directed can accept. Revocation by OfferorRevocation is not valid, unless it is communicated to the offeree. Revocation is valid before acceptance. Purported revocation after acceptance has been communicated is a breach. 1. Dickenson v. Dodds Dodds made an offer open until 9 am on the 12 June. On 11, Dodds sell the house to B, and B has told Dickinson. On 12 at 9 am, Dickinson comes bring the acceptance. Principle: The offer can be revoked indirect or via conduct. Acceptance (Topic 4) Is an absolute and unqualified assent to the terms of the offer, made in the manner specified or indicated by the offeror. 1. Master v. Cameron Masters want to buy Cameron farms.They make a document, signed by both party, indicating the future formal contract to buy the farms. Masters having financial difficulties to buy the farms and sued by Cameron. Principle: Agreement to agree later can’ t be force able. (Condition 3) Conditional Acceptance is not acceptance. Condition can be precedent or subsequent 1. Parties reach agreement but want terms to be written down 2. Parties reach agreement but performance subject to formal agreement 3. Parties didn’t intend to reach agreement subject to formal contract Subject to acceptance is not acceptance at all Manner of acceptance – Stipulation of the offeror Ought to be the same mode as the offer o If stipulated as the only mode, then must comply, otherwise should be equally or more advantageous. 1. Eliason v. Henshaw Eliason made an offer to buy flour from Henshaw and stated to reply by wagon. Henshaw is reply by post. Principle: if the method had been stipulated, it must comply otherwise, more advantageous. Postal Rule states that where acceptance by mail is contemplated, acceptance occurs immediately when the letter is posted RULES: Acceptance is complete when a properly addressed and stamped letter of acceptance is dropped in the mail box 1. Adam v. Lindsell nd Sept, Lindsell posts offer to sell wool, and requires acceptance â€Å"in the course of post†. On 5th Sept, the offer received by A, and posted it. On 8th Sept, L sold wool to X. On 9th Sept, A’s acceptance arrives. Principle: An acceptance is complete as soon as it is properly posted. Negating Postal Rule By using the term as â€Å"acceptance must be received by† or application close 1. Nunin Holdings v. Tullamarine Estates Nunin offered to buy a land from Tullamarine, via post. On May ’88 Nunin sends offer to purchase land. On June 16 Tullamarine sends a contract. On 5 September Nunin signs and mails back.On 12 September Tullamarine signs and sends back. On 13 September Tullamarine attempts to revoke before Nunin receives mail. Nunin had indicated at the start that the postal rule did not apply as it was stated in the mails on 5 September that the circumstance was receipt of the identical executed part, not its posting. Principle: The Postal Rule can be negated if this is made clear at the start of negotiations. Instantaneous Communication Postal rule didn’t apply in here. Acceptance By: Telex, Fax, E-mail, Web Form is not effective by simply sending it. The offeror must receive the acceptance then the contract can be formed. . Entores v. Miles Far East Co London co makes telex offer to Amsterdam co. Amsterdam Company accepts via telex. A contractual dispute arises. Principle: With instantaneous communication, the contract is complete as soon as the acceptance is received and at the place where it is received. Silence cannot be stipulated as the required manner of acceptance. 1. Felthouse v. Bindley F offers to buy a horse for ? 30/15/. â€Å"If I hear no more – I’ll consider the horse mine†. Principle: An offer cannot stipulate silence as a manner of acceptance, and acceptance requires positive mental assent.Acceptance can be communicated by conduct or words. 1. Brogden v. Metro Rail Written offer drawn up and sent. It never specifically accepted, but subsequent dealings were according to its terms. Principle: Acceptance can take the form of conduct. Intention (Topic 5A) The Presumption is with purely domestic, social, or voluntary arrangements it is presumed that the parties do not intend to create a legally enforceable agreement. Domestic 1. Balfour v. Balfour Husband agrees to pay monthly allowance ? 30 to wife while they are apart. Husband fails to pay & wife sues.Principle: A domestic arrangement is not intended to have legal effect. However the presumption can be easily rebuttable. 1. Wakeling v. Ripley Family give up job and move to live with wife’s brother. Brother promised to leave them his property. Dispute arises & Brother reneges on the promise. Sister & husband sue Brother for breach of contract. Principle: A definite agreement in serious circumstances will rebut the presumption. 2. McGregor v. McGregor Husband and wife issue assault charges against each other. They agree to settle the maintenance payment, living apart, etc. They are still legally married.Husband fails to pay maintenance. Principle: An agreement between husband & wife can be binding if they intend it to be a legally enforceable contract. Business & Commercial Such agreements are presumed to have the intention to be legally binds, however the presumption can’t be easily rebuttable. 1. Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Contents (Topic 6) [pic] The Parol Evidence Rule Where a contract is reduced to writing and appears to be entire, it is assumed that all the terms of the contract will be contained in it and No extrinsic evidence can add to or vary the written contract 1.Henderson v. Arthur Written lease of theatre with rent of ? 2,500 p. a â€Å"CASH†. T paid by cheque because the L had verbally stated â€Å"Don’t worry, a cheque is okay†. L sued for late rent payment. T said he paid by cheque but L now refused it. Principle: No extrinsic evidence can add to or vary the written contract. EXCEPTIONS: Partly written, partly oral contracts 1. Van Den Esschert v. Chappell Before Signing Contract To Purchase A House C Asks â€Å"Is The House Free Of White Ants (Termites)? † Van de Replied â€Å"Yes Of Course. If There Had Been Any I Would Have Taken Steps To Eradicate Them. Written Contract Makes No Mention Of â€Å"White Ants†. The House Turned Out To Have Termites Principle: Partly written and partly oral contracts don’t apply on Parol Evidence Rule. Sometimes A Verbal Term Can Be Included In The Contract, If It Doesn’t Contradict The Written Part. Nothing mentioned in the contract about the white ants Oral statement Representation or Term Representation Oral statement that is not intended to be bind Terms Oral or written statement that are intend to be bind Factor to decide it is term or representation – Time lapse before contracting – V erbal or Written Special knowledge or skill – Importance of the statement 1. Oscar Chess v. Williams W purchased a car from O, a registered dealer. He traded in his â€Å"1948† Morris (? 290). It turned out to be A 1939 Morris (? 175). The dealer sued for the difference in trade in values (? 115). Principle: The buyer does not have special skill or knowledge in car. Therefore, it is a representation as the dealer is supposes to know it better. 2. Dick Bentley v. Harold Smith Dealer wrongly stated that a vehicle â€Å"has done 20,000 miles† since the engine & gearbox was replaced. But it was more like 100,000 miles.Principle: The buyer relied on the special knowledge of the dealer. The dealer was in a position to know the true mileage. [pic] Condition Major Breach Going â€Å"To the Root of the Matter†. Non-breaching Party May: – Terminate The Contract. – Elect To Continue. – Sue for Damages. 1. Poussard v. Spiers P, an opera singer en gaged to perform from 28th Nov. P, falls ill & cannot attend until 4th Dec. Opening night is 28th. On 25th S&P hire another singer. Principle: Attending the night party is the root of the contract. Where a breach goes to the root of the matter, there is a breach of condition term.Warranties Minor Breach not going to the root of the matter. Non-breaching Party May: – Sue for Contractual Damages. – Not elect to terminate the contract. 1. Bettini v. Gye B, an opera singer contracts for 3 month season & to arrive for rehearsals 6 days before opening night. Due to illness B showed up only 2 days before. G terminates & sues for damages. Principle: A clause, not vital to the completion of an agreement is a warranty; (B was available for all performances). Innominate Term A term which is capable of either a major or minor breach. Major Breach => Can terminate the contract.Minor Breach => Payment of compensation. 1. L Schuler AG v Wickman Machine Tool Sales Ltd W contracts with S to sell S’s Machinery and to visit customers once a week. Contract describes the weekly customer visits as a â€Å"condition†. Machinery is sold but weekly visits do not happen. S terminates the contract & sues for damages. Principle: The weekly visit term was capable of major and (as in this case) minor breach, so it was innominate. The status of contractual terms is a matter of fact, not mere description. Effect of Signature Someone who signs a document is DEEMED to have read understood and agreed to its contents. . L’estrange v. Graucob L purchased vending machine signed but did not read contract. Machine defective but contract basically said â€Å"not responsible for defects†. Principle: If you sign something, then you have read, understood and agreed to it. There was no fraud or misrepresentation. L could not bring an action for breach of contract. Effect of Signature exception: 1. Misrepresentation. 2. Document does not appear contractual. 1. Cur tis v Chemical Cleaning & Dyeing Co C took a wedding dress to CCD for dry-cleaning. C asked to sign a receipt excluding CCD from damage to buttons & sequins.The receipt contained an exclusion from any liability whatsoever. The dress was returned stained & C sues. CCD tries to rely on the printed & signed receipt. Principle: Misrepresentations create an exception to the signature rule. Exclusion Clause Contract terms which excludes or limits the liability of one party. Where an exclusion clause in a â€Å"non-contractual† (not expected to contain terms of the contract e. g. voucher) a reasonable notice of the clause at that time of contracting will render if enforceable BASE RULE: If the exemption clause is in a signed document, it is binding. 1.Causer v. Browne Printed on a dry cleaning ticket: â€Å"NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE TO ARTICLES â€Å". C handed in frock which was returned damaged. C sues. Principle: The document was non-contractual in nature. A reasonable perso n would not expect to find contractual terms on it. 2. Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking Ltd T parked his car in an automatic car park & received a ticket. Sign at the entrance listed terms of use. One was â€Å"cars parked at owners’ risk†. Ticket referred to the terms of use. BUT notice was small and not conspicuous. T seriously injured when collecting his car & sues car park.Principle: T’s attention was not brought to the specific existence of the clause in a way that could be described as reasonable. Ticket was also issued when T could not revoke his offer. Furthermore, this was T’s first use of the car park. 3. Olley v Marlborough Court Ltd O booked in to hotel & paid for 1 week’s stay in advance. When O got to the room there was a sign on the wall disclaiming liability for loss of personal effects. O’s personal effects were stolen & O sued the hotel for the loss. Principle: A clause that is notified after the contract is formed is not part of the contract. Doctrine of Privity (Topic 7b)A person cannot incur obligations or gain rights under a contract to which they are not a party. Beneficiary can’t sue 1. Tweddle v. Atkinson On engagement, father & father-in-law agree to each pay the future husband ? 100. The father-in-law didn’t pay. Principle: â€Å"†¦ no stranger (to the contract) can take advantage of it, although made for his benefit†. Therefore, he can’t sue his father in law. Execption: Joint Promises 1. Coulls v. Bagots Executor Mr. Coulls made an agreement with O’Neil to quarry Coulls’s property, and to pay the royalty to him and to Mrs. Coulls. Not long after, Mr. Coulls dies.Principle: The contract must have been made with you as well as the other party even though the other party didn’t contribute any consideration, contract still exist. Mrs. C was not a joint promisee. If she is, then she can claim Property Law Act 1969 Where a contract expressly in it s terms purports to confer a benefit directly on a person, who is not named as a party to the contract, the contract Is†¦ Enforceable by that person in his own name but every person named as a party†¦ shall be joined to the action. Must have 2 Conditions: – Has be name beneficiaries in the contract – Join in the legal action 1.Westralian Farmers v. SMP Sale of stock from K to SMP. Contract requires SMP to pay commission to WF. Principle: S. 11 (2) PLA enables WF to sue if K is also named as co-defendant. It is also known as â€Å"joining†. Therefore WF entitled the commission. Termination (Topic 9) a. Discharge by performance Contract can be terminated when obligation (paying, transferring or other act of service etc. ) is performed: as agreed in the contract and within the time agreed. General Rule: Performance must be exact to be effective 1. Cutter v Powell Seaman signs on from Jamaica â€Å"†¦ To the port of Liverpool†¦ † He died a bout 3/4 of the way.The widow wants to claim the ? of his pay. Principle: The performance of a contract must be exact to be effectively discharged. It is an â€Å"entire† contract Exception: a. Where the contract is ‘divisible’ Divisible contract is a contract in where instead of doing for entire contract we can do it divisibly. b. The doctrine of substantial performance Pay full amount but subtract some amount to ratify the service. (Was treated as performed and payment was reduce for work not done) 1. Hoenig v. Isaac Contract is made for redecoration of flat for ? 750. Work was not done satisfactorily and cost ? 55 to repair.Principle: If contract is substantially performed then subtract the cost of fixing it. The contract is performed even it is partially defective. Therefore, ? 750-? 55 b. Discharge by Frustration Frustration = an intervening, dramatic situation rendering performance impossible or radically different from what the parties had in mind. A perso n was required to carry out their contract, no matter what 1. Paradine v. Jane P leased land to J. J was dispossessed by an invading prince. J refused to pay rent. Principle: Parties, who voluntarily enter into contracts, must perform all their obligations irrespective of what happens.They are â€Å"absolutely liable†. Therefore, J must pay the land, even though he is not occupy the land Because there are unfair things happen in Paradine v Jane case, therefore some exception in frustration is applied. It is apply because a. Contract is impossible to perform because of an event b. Nobody’s in the contract are fault c. Note ‘unforeseeable’ here means not provided for in the contract, not ‘impossible’ 1. Taylor v. Caldwell Fire burns down concert hall. The promoter does not have to continue to pay rent Principle: When, without fault of any party. The subject matter of the contract ceases to exist.The contract is discharged by ‘frustrationâ €™. Therefore, no more rent fees. 2. Krell v. Henry Contract was made to hire a flat for 1 day, to view the coronation procession of Edward VII. Coronation postponed. Principal: Where the entire basis of the contract does not occur the contract is discharged by frustration. Therefore, rent is not paid. 3. National carriers v. Panalpina LTD P leased a warehouse from N for 10 years. Road closed for 20 months. P refused to pay rent for those months. Principal: The purpose could still be substantially achieved, performance was not radically different.The contract was not frustrated. Therefore, the rent should be paid. Remedies 3 basic of remedies; 1. Discharge (for material breach) Contracts can be discharged if a breach is material. But – make sure it is actually a breach and not performance or frustration. 1. Green v Sommerville G contracts to sell land to S – settlement fails when S has no funds. Later G rents property to S in anticipation of settlement – 6 m onths later G rescinds the contract. Principle: the right to rescind not available. Conduct of G amounted to affirming the contract. The contract was enforceable against G by S. MATERIAL: Justifies election to terminate – MINOR: Substantial performance. Does NOT justify termination by the innocent party. 2. Damages (for material or minor breach) Is a monetary compensation for loss caused by the breach. Breach can be: – MATERIAL: Breach of Condition or major breach of innominate term. – MINOR: Breach of Warranty or minor breach of innominate term. Rules of Damages – Must not be too remote. – Are compensatory / quantum, (calculation), of damages. – Must be mitigated. – Can be pre-agreed a) Rule of Remoteness For damages to be recoverable the loss must: a) Arise naturally from the breach {be reasonably foreseeable} – given reasonable current standards†¦ or: (b) Have been contemplated as a probable result of the breach 1. Hadl ey v Baxendale A contract made for the transportation of a crankshaft. It was breached by delay. Mill shut down for longer than expected, production lost. Principle: the mill owner can’t claim the profit on the lost production. Where two parties have made a contract which one of them has broken, the damages which the other party ought to receive in respect of such breach of contract should be such as might fairly and reasonably be considered either: . arising naturally, that is, according to the usual course of things, from such breach of contract itself, or b. Such as may reasonably be supposed to have been in the contemplation of both parties at the time they made the contract, as the probable result of the breach of it. † Because the carrier did not know the machine was a vital part of the mill, he did not see it as probable that the mill would close down. Therefore he was not liable. 2. Victoria Laundry v. Newman Laundry buys boiler. Delivery required in June. Laund ry begins negotiating for lucrative new dyeing deal.But delivery delayed until November. Deal lost. Principle: ‘type’ of losses must be foreseen as a ‘serious possibility’. Therefore, the laundry can claim lost production, not lost new deal. Quantum of Damages Means the calculation of damages (Main Principle) The injured party is entitled to be placed in the same position that they would have been in if the contract had been performed†. *Damages compensate for loss suffer 1. Commonwealth v. Amann Aviation Contract was made for coastal surveillance. AA sets up, modifying planes, training staff etc, but wasn’t ready on time to start contract.C terminated, but being a breach of warranty only, C’s termination is not justified – placing C in breach. Principle: The injured party is entitled to be placed in the same position that they would have been in if the contract had been performed†. Therefore, the damages is awarded *Damages can be awarded for loss of a chance 1. Howe v. Teefy Lease of a racehorse for 3 years. Owner takes horse back after 3 months. Principle: Just because losses are â€Å"extremely difficult to quantify† doesn’t mean they won’t be ordered. This is â€Å"Loss of a Chance†. Therefore possible lost prizes can be claimed. Damages can’t be claim from loss of enjoyment or entertainment unless the fruit of the contract say so 2. Baltic v. Dillon Cruise liner sinks. Passenger sues for damages for disappointment & distress. Principle: While such damages are not usually given, this contract is to provide a relaxing holiday. This was the essence of the entire contract i. e. â€Å"†¦ The fruit of the contract is not provided†¦ † Therefore, the passenger can sue for disappointment and distress. *Damages must be mitigated Reasonable steps must be taken to minimise the loss. *Damages can be pre-agreedLiquidated damages arise from the parties agreeme nt to pay stated sum in the event of breach as long as it is a genuine pre-estimate and not a penalty 1. Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co Ltd. v New Garage & Motor Co. Ltd. D contracts with N to supply tires provided that N will sell them at D’s preferred price. Contract provides that damages will accrue to D in the amount of ? 5 per tire for each tire sold below D’s price. Principle: The amount stated was a genuine pre-estimate of the loss to D. therefore, the clause is not penalty. Equitable remedies SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE Court order to carry out some act (perform the contract).It is not available in many circumstances. 1. Green v Sommerville G contracts to sell land to S – settlement fails when S has no funds. Later G rents property to S in anticipation of settlement – 6 months later G rescinds the contract. Principle: No two pieces of land are identical. G affirmed the contract & it should be performed as agreed. Damages will not compensate adequately. INJUNCT ION Court order prohibiting some act (breaching the contract). Not available in many circumstances. RESTITUTION â€Å"Quantum meruit† – â€Å"as much as he has earned†. No-one should benefit from â€Å"unjust enrichment†. Not available to a party in breach.

UC Riverside Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

Located 50 miles east of Los Angeles, the University of California, Riverside is a public university with an acceptance rate of 51%. Students will generally need a strong application and good test scores to be admitted. As part of the application, students are required to write four short  personal insight essays. Since UC Riverside is a part of the  University of California system, students can easily apply to multiple schools in that system with one application. Business, social sciences, biological sciences, and engineering are the most popular undergraduate majors, and the universitys strengths in the liberal arts and sciences that have earned it a chapter of the prestigious  Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. In athletics, the UCR Highlanders compete in the NCAA Division I  Big West Conference. Considering applying to UC Riverside? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, UC Riverside had an acceptance rate of 51%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 51 students were admitted, making UC Riversides admissions process competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 49,079 Percent Admitted 51% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 18% SAT Scores and Requirements University of California, Riverside requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 92% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 560 650 Math 550 680 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that most of UC Riversides admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Riverside scored between 560 and 650, while 25% score below 560 and 25% scored above 650. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 550 and 680, while 25% scored below 550 and 25% scored above 680. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1330 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at UC Riverside. Requirements UC Riverside requires the SAT writing section. Note that UC Riverside considers the highest SAT with essay score from a single test date. Subject tests are not required, but are recommended for students with an interest in math or science. ACT Scores and Requirements University of California, Riverside requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 42% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 22 30 Math 22 28 Composite 23 29 This admissions data tells us that most of UC Riversides admitted students fall within the  top 31% nationally  on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to UC Riverside received a composite ACT score between 23 and 29, while 25% scored above 29 and 25% scored below 23. Requirements UC Riverside requires the ACT writing section. Note that UC Riverside does not superscore ACT results; your highest combined score from a single test administration will be considered. GPA In 2018, the middle 50% of University of California, Riversides incoming class had high school GPAs between 3.66 and 4.09. 25% had a GPA above 4.09 and 25% had a GPA below 3.66. These results suggest that most successful applicants to UC Riverside have primarily A and B grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph UC Riverside Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of California, Riverside. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances University of California, Riverside, which accepts approximately half of applicants, has a selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the schools average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. Keep in mind that California residents who apply must have a GPA of 3.0 or better with no grade lower than a C in 15 college preparatory  a-g courses. For non-residents, your GPA must be 3.4 or better. Local students from participating high schools may also qualify if they are in the top 9 percent of their class. See how to calculate your  UC Admissions Index. UC Riverside, like all of the University of California schools, has  holistic admissions, so the admissions officers are evaluating students based on more than numerical data. Students who show special talent or have a compelling story to tell will often get a close look even if their grades and test scores are a bit below the norm. Impressive  extracurricular activities  and  strong essays  are all important parts of a successful application to UCR. In the scattergram above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. The majority of students who got into UC Riverside had GPAs of 3.0 or higher, SAT scores (ERWM) of 950 or higher, and ACT scores of 18 or higher. Note that there is some red hidden behind the blue and green, Having grades and test scores that are on target for UC Riverside is not a guarantee of admission, especially if some application components dont compare favorably to the rest of the applicant pool. If You Like UC Riverside, You Might Consider These Other UC Schools Berkeley  |  Davis  |  Irvine  |  Los Angeles  |  Merced  |  San Diego  |  Santa Barbara  |  Santa Cruz All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and UC Riverside Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Walt Disney Company s Management Practices - 1742 Words

The Walt Disney Company’s Management Practices When most people think of Disney they picture all the rides and the famous character Mickey Mouse. The thought of being anything but an amusement park probably never even crosses the minds of most people. The Walt Disney Company is an extremely successful and lucrative business though and not just because of their fun amusement parks. Sure at the beginning of the business in 1923, it was all about the park and cartoon studio, but now almost one hundred years later Disney owns and manages much more than that. In addition to its parks and resorts, many people do not know that Disney owns four major filming companies, including Marvel and LucasFilm (the Star Wars franchise), numerous retail stores, quite a few music and productions companies, Hulu, and television networks such as ESPN, ABC, ABC Family, Lifetime, AE, and even the History Channel! 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Congress Most Influential Policy Blunder - 1822 Words

Aside from the decision to assign the project to the DOE in the first place, Congress’ most influential policy blunder was picking the Yucca Mountain site and leaving no back ups or alternatives through the NWPAA. It was done before the DOE had even finished evaluating all of its potential sites as Congress had tasked it through the original NWPA. This decision by Congress is what ultimately led to reports of falsified scientific documents as the DOE was essentially forced by the NWPAA to make due with any issues they found at Yucca or face losing the entire federal nuclear repository project. Had the DOE been both capable of and allowed to finish its own siting of the repository it would have likely kept the decision open until scientific†¦show more content†¦In reality what the EPA had done was set a site-specific performance standard, based on what qualifications they knew would be compatible with Yucca instead of setting a general performance standard based on saf ety and science (Ewing Hippel, 2009). This superficial performance standard was in part responsible for the shut down of Yucca Mountain as its authenticity and scientific accuracy came into question along with the report of falsified documents. The decision in the NWPAA to pick Yucca Mountain without any real selection process created one of the biggest altercations between groups and organizations interested in this policy. By picking a site in Nevada, a state with no nuclear reactors and a strong majority opinion against the construction of a repository, Congress pitted the entire state against the federal government and other states. Nevada residents are so opposed to the completion of the facility, polled at 76% in 2007 (Las Vegas Review-Journal), that it has become a requirement of anyone hoping to hold federal office in the state to feel the same sentiment. Because of this governors, senators, and representatives from Nevada all view the permanent closing of Yucca as a priori ty and adamantly oppose motions that would see the facility operational. Congressmen from Nevada try

Mrs. Dalloway Study Questions Free Essays

Discussion questions: 1. In the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† both Clarissa and Septimus repeat a line from Shakespeare, what is the line and what is its importance to the characters? 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Mrs. Dalloway Study Questions or any similar topic only for you Order Now In â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† Septimus is created as Clarissa’s double, why do you think Woolf did this? 3. How are Clarissa and Septimus alike and how are they different? 4. Woolf uses Clarissa to convey her idea of social class and women’s wole within it; how does she achieve this? 5. WWI is a major part throughout the story. What ways did Woolf show this? . At the end of the novel Clarissa is informed of Septimus’ death. How does she feel about this and why is it important? 7. Who are Sally Seton and Peter Walsh and how does their appearance in the novel help with the plot? 8. Woolf uses a lot of flash backs to move the plot along. Do these flash backs help or hurt the novel? 9. From Woolf’s use of flash backs can you infer what the characters were like before? 10. What was the point of view in the novel? Why do you think Woolf chose this? Excerpt: (pg. 11-14) She would not say of any one in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything; at the same time was outside, looking on. She had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day. Not that she thought herself clever, or much out of the ordinary. How she had got through life on the few twigs of knowledge Fraulein Daniels gave them she could not think. She knew nothing; no language, no history; she scarcely read a book now, except memoirs in bed; and yet to her it was absolutely absorbing; all this; the cabs passing; and she would not say of Peter, she would not say of herself, I am this, I am that. Her only gift was knowing people almost by instinct, she thought, walking on. If you put her in a room with someone, up went her back like a cat’s; or she purred. Devonshire House, Bath House, the house with the china cockatoo, she had seen them all lit up once; and remembered Sylvia, Fred, Sally Seton — such hosts of people; and dancing all night; and the waggons plodding past o market; and driving home across the Park. She remembered once throwing a shilling into the Serpentine. But every one remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then, she asked herself, walking towards Bond Street, did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely? ut that somehow in the streets of London, on the ebb and flow of things, here, there, she survived, Peter survived, lived in each other, she being part, she was positive, of the trees at home; of the house there, ugly, rambling all to bits and pieces as it was; part of people she had never met; being laid out like a mist between the people she knew best, who lifted her on their branches as she had seen the trees lift the mist, but it spread ever so far, her life, herself. But what was she dreaming as she looked into Hatchards’ shop window? What was she trying to recover? What image of white dawn in the country, as she read in the book spread open: Fear no more the heat o’ the sun Nor the furious winter’s rages. This late age of the world’s experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears. Tears and sorrows; courage and endurance; a perfectly upright and stoical bearing. Think, for example, of the woman she admired most, Lady Bexborough, opening the bazaar. There were Jorrocks’ Jaunts and Jollities; there were Soapy Sponge and Mrs. Asquith’s Memoirs and Big Game Shooting in Nigeria, all spread open. Ever so many books there were; but none that seemed exactly right to take to Evelyn Whitbread in her nursing home. Nothing that would serve to amuse her and make that indescribably dried-up little woman look, as Clarissa came in, just for a moment cordial; before they settled down for the usual interminable talk of women’s ailments. How much she wanted it — that people should look pleased as she came in, Clarissa thought and turned and walked back towards Bond Street, annoyed, because it was silly to have other reasons for doing things. Much rather would she have been one of those eople like Richard who did things for themselves, whereas, she thought, waiting to cross, half the time she did things not simply, not for themselves; but to make people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew (and now the policeman held up his hand) for no one was ever for a second taken in. Oh if she could have had her life over again! She thought, stepping on to the pavement, could have looked even differently! She would have been, in the first place, dark like Lady Bexborough, with a skin of crumpled leather and beautiful eyes. She would have been, like Lady Bexborough, slow and stately; rather large; interested in politics like a man; with a country house; very dignified, very sincere. Instead of which she had a narrow pea-stick figure; a ridiculous little face, beaked like a bird’s. That she held herself well was true; and had nice hands and feet; and dressed well, considering that she spent little. But often now this body she wore (she stopped to look at a Dutch picture), this body, with all its capacities, seemed nothing — nothing at all. She had the oddest sense of being herself invisible, unseen; unknown; there being no more marrying, no more having of children now, but only this astonishing and rather solemn progress with the rest of them, up Bond Street, this being Mrs. Dalloway; not even Clarissa anymore; this being Mrs. Richard Dalloway. Multiple choice questions for excerpt: 1. What is the attitude throughout the passage? a. Negative toward her future. b. Hopeful for her future. c. Positive toward her past. d. Resentful of the choices of her past. 2. Which of the following best describes the purpose of the passage? . To show Clarissa’s hopefulness for the future. b. To show Clarissa’s longing for acceptance and importance in high class society. c. To show how Clarissa wants to help the elderly. d. To show Clarissa’s admiration for Mrs. Bexborough. 3. Clarissa talks about Mrs. Bexborough to show: a. How she wants to be portrayed in society. b. How much she dislikes her. c. How they are alike . d. How they are different. 4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following qualities is most important to the speaker: a. Independence. b. Being man- like. . Dressing well. d. Respect. 5. In the passage what does Woolf mean by â€Å"did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely? † a. That life goes on after death. b. That she finds comfort in the fact that death stops all human problems, but resents the fact use lose the pleasures also. c. That she is scared of death. d. That none of the things she has done matter after death. Essay prompt for novel: Woolf’s writing style in Mrs. Dalloway is described as â€Å"stream of consciousness,† why do you think Woolf chose this writing style for the novel and would it be less effective if it were written in a different style? The Yellow Wallpaper by: Charlotte Perkins Gilman It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer. A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity–but that would be asking too much of fate! Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it. Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenanted? John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage. John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures. John is a physician, and perhaps–(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)–perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do? If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression–a slight hysterical tendency– what is one to do? My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. So I take phosphates or phosphites–whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to â€Å"work† until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do? I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal–having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus–but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house. The most beautiful place! It is quite alone standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people. There is a delicious garden! I never saw such a garden–large and shady, full of box-bordered paths, and lined with long grape-covered arbors with seats under them. There were greenhouses, too, but they are all broken now. There was some legal trouble, I believe, something about the heirs and coheirs; anyhow, the place has been empty for years. That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don’t care–there is something strange about the house–I can feel it. I even said so to John one moonlight evening but he said what I felt was a draught, and shut the window. I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes I’m sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself– before him, at least, and that makes me very tired. I don’t like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old-fashioned chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it. He said there was only one window and not room for two beds, and no near room for him if he took another. He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction. I have a schedule prescription for each hour in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more. He said we came here solely on my account, that I was to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. â€Å"Your exercise depends on your strength, my dear,† said he, â€Å"and your food somewhat on your appetite; but air you can absorb all the time. So we took the nursery at the top of the house. It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine galore. It was nursery first and then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls. The paint and paper look as if a boys’ school had used it. It is stripped offâ€⠀œthe paper in great patches all around the head of my bed, about as far as I can reach, and in a great place on the other side of the room low down. I never saw a worse paper in my life. One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide–plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight. It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others. No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long. There comes John, and I must put this away,–he hates to have me write a word. ———- We have been here two weeks, and I haven’t felt like writing before, since that first day. I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, and there is nothing to hinder my writing as much as I please, save lack of strength. John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious. I am glad my case is not serious! But these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him. Of course it is only nervousness. It does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way! I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already! Nobody would believe what an effort it is to do what little I am able,–to dress and entertain, and order things. It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby. Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous. I suppose John never was nervous in his life. He laughs at me so about this wall-paper! At first he meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that I was letting it get the better of me, and that nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies. He said that after the wall-paper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on. â€Å"You know the place is doing you good,† he said, â€Å"and really, dear, I don’t care to renovate the house just for a three months’ rental. â€Å"Then do let us go downstairs,† I said, â€Å"there are such pretty rooms there. † Then he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he would go down to the cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain. But he is right enough about the beds and windows and things. It is an airy and comfortable room as any one need wish, and, o f course, I would not be so silly as to make him uncomfortable just for a whim. I’m really getting quite fond of the big room, all but that horrid paper. Out of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deepshaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, nd that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try. I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and rest me. But I find I get pretty tired when I try. It is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work. When I get really well, John says we will ask Cousin Henry and Julia down for a long visit; but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now. I wish I could get well faster. But I must not think about that. This paper looks to me as if it knew what a vicious influence it had! There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down. I get positively angry with the impertinence of it and the everlastingness. Up and down and sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking eyes are everywhere There is one place where two breaths didn’t match, and the eyes go all up and down the line, one a little higher than the other. I never saw so much expression in an inanimate thing before, and we all know how much expression they have! I used to lie awake as a child and get more entertainment and terror out of blank walls and plain furniture than most children could find in a toy-store. I remember what a kindly wink the knobs of our big, old bureau used to have, and there was one chair that always seemed like a strong friend. I used to feel that if any of the other things looked too fierce I could always hop into that chair and be safe. The furniture in this room is no worse than inharmonious, however, for we had to bring it all from downstairs. I suppose when this was used as a playroom they had to take the nursery things out, and no wonder! I never saw such ravages as the children have made here. The wall-paper, as I said before, is torn off in spots, and it sticketh closer than a brother–they must have had perseverance as well as hatred. Then the floor is scratched and gouged and splintered, the plaster itself is dug out here and there, and this great heavy bed which is all we found in the room, looks as if it had been through the wars. But I don’t mind it a bit–only the paper. There comes John’s sister. Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful of me! I must not let her find me writing. She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession. I verily believe she thinks it is the writing which made me sick! But I can write when she is out, and see her a long way off from these windows. There is one that commands the road, a lovely shaded winding road, and one that just looks off over the country. A lovely country, too, full of great elms and velvet meadows. This wall-paper has a kind of sub-pattern in a, different shade, a particularly irritating one, for you can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then. But in the places where it isn’t faded and where the sun is just so–I can see a strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to skulk about behind that silly and conspicuous front design. There’s sister on the stairs! ———- Well, the Fourth of July is over! The people are all gone and I am tired out. John thought it might do me good to see a little company, so we just had mother and Nellie and the children down for a week. Of course I didn’t do a thing. Jennie sees to everything now. But it tired me all the same. John says if I don’t pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall. But I don’t want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he is just like John and my brother, only more so! Besides, it is such an undertaking to go so far. I don’t feel as if it was worth while to turn my hand over for anything, and I’m getting dreadfully fretful and querulous. I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time. Of course I don’t when John is here, or anybody else, but when I am alone. And I am alone a good deal just now. John is kept in town very often by serious cases, and Jennie is good and lets me alone when I want her to. So I walk a little in the garden or down that lovely lane, sit on the porch under the roses, and lie down up here a good deal. I’m getting really fond of the room in spite of the wall-paper. Perhaps because of the wall-paper. It dwells in my mind so! I lie here on this great immovable bed–it is nailed down, I believe–and follow that pattern about by the hour. It is as good as gymnastics, I assure you. I start, we’ll say, at the bottom, down in the corner over there where it has not been touched, and I determine for the thousandth time that I will follow that pointless pattern to some sort of a conclusion. I know a little of the principle of design, and I know this thing was not arranged on any laws of radiation, or alternation, or repetition, or symmetry, or anything else that I ever heard of. It is repeated, of course, by the breadths, but not otherwise. Looked at in one way each breadth stands alone, the bloated curves and flourishes–a kind of â€Å"debased Romanesque† with delirium tremens–go waddling up and down in isolated columns of fatuity. But, on the other hand, they connect diagonally, and the sprawling outlines run off in great slanting waves of optic horror, like a lot of wallowing seaweeds in full chase. The whole thing goes horizontally, too, at least it seems so, and I exhaust myself in trying to distinguish the order of its going in that direction. They have used a horizontal breadth for a frieze, and that adds wonderfully to the confusion. There is one end of the room where it is almost intact, and there, when the crosslights fade and the low sun shines directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation after all,–the interminable grotesques seem to form around a common centre and rush off in headlong plunges of equal distraction. It makes me tired to follow it. I will take a nap I guess. ———- I don’t know why I should write this. I don’t want to. I don’t feel able. And I know John would think it absurd. But I must say what I feel and think in some way–it is such a relief! But the effort is getting to be greater than the relief. Half the time now I am awfully lazy, and lie down ever so much. John says I mustn’t lose my strength, and has me take cod liver oil and lots of tonics and things, to say nothing of ale and wine and rare meat. Dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick. I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn’t able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there; and I did not make out a very good case for myself, for I was crying before I had finished . It is getting to be a great effort for me to think straight. Just this nervous weakness I suppose. And dear John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till it tired my head. He said I was his darling and his comfort and all he had, and that I must take care of myself for his sake, and keep well. He says no one but myself can help me out of it, that I must use my will and self-control and not let any silly fancies run away with me. There’s one comfort, the baby is well and happy, and does not have to occupy this nursery with the horrid wall-paper. If we had not used it, that blessed child would have! What a fortunate escape! Why, I wouldn’t have a child of mine, an impressionable little thing, live in such a room for worlds. I never thought of it before, but it is lucky that John kept me here after all, I can stand it so much easier than a baby, you see. Of course I never mention it to them any more–I am too wise,–but I keep watch of it all the same. There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will. Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day. It is always the same shape, only very numerous. And it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don’t like it a bit. I wonder–I begin to think–I wish John would take me away from here! ———- It is so hard to talk with John about my case, because he is so wise, and because he loves me so. But I tried it last night. It was moonlight. The moon shines in all around just as the sun does. I hate to see it sometimes, it creeps so slowly, and always comes in by one window or another. John was asleep and I hated to waken him, so I kept still and watched the moonlight on that undulating wall-paper till I felt creepy. The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out. I got up softly and went to feel and see if the paper did move, and when I came back John was awake. â€Å"What is it, little girl? he said. â€Å"Don’t go walking about like that–you’ll get cold. † I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away. â€Å"Why darling! † said he, â€Å"our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can’t see how to leave before. †Å"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. Of course if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know. You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better, I feel really much easier about you. â€Å"I don’t weigh a bit more,† said 1, â€Å"nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away! † â€Å"Bless her little heart! † said he with a big hug, â€Å"she shall be as sick as she pleases! But now let’s improve the shining hours by going to sleep, and talk about it in the morning! † â€Å"And you won’t go away? † I asked gloomily. â€Å"Why, how can 1, dear? It is only three weeks more and then we will take a nice little trip of a few days while Jennie is getting the house ready. Really dear you are better! â€Å"Better in body perhaps–† I began, and stopped short, for he sat up straight and looked at me with such a stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word. â€Å"My darling,† said he, â€Å"I beg of you, for my sake and for our child’s sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so? † So of course I said no more on that score, and we went to sleep before long. He thought I was asleep first, but I wasn’t, and lay there for hours trying to decide whether that front pattern and the back pattern really did move together or separately. ———- On a pattern like this, by daylight, there is a lack of sequence, a defiance of law, that is a constant irritant to a normal mind. The color is hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing. You think you have mastered it, but just as you get well underway in following, it turns a back somersault and there you are. It slaps you in the face, knocks you down, and tramples upon you. It is like a bad dream. The outside pattern is a florid arabesque, reminding one of a fungus. If you can imagine a toadstool in joints, an interminable string of toadstools, budding and sprouting in endless convolutions–why, that is something like it. That is, sometimes! There is one marked peculiarity about this paper, a thing nobody seems to notice but myself, and that is that it changes as the light changes. When the sun shoots in through the east window–I always watch for that first long, straight ray–it changes so quickly that I never can quite believe it. That is why I watch it always. By moonlight–the moon shines in all night when there is a moon–I wouldn’t know it was the same paper. At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside pattern I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be. I didn’t realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman. By daylight she is subdued, quiet. I fancy it is the pattern that keeps her so still. It is so puzzling. It keeps me quiet by the hour. I lie down ever so much now. John says it is good for me, and to sleep all I can. Indeed he started the habit by making me lie down for an hour after each meal. It is a very bad habit I am convinced, for you see I don’t sleep. And that cultivates deceit, for I don’t tell them I’m awake–O no! The fact is I am getting a little afraid of John. He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look. It strikes me occasionally, just as a scientific hypothesis,–that perhaps it is the paper! I have watched John when he did not know I was looking, and come into the room suddenly on the most innocent excuses, and I’ve caught him several times looking at the paper! And Jennie too. I caught Jennie with her hand on it once. She didn’t know I was in the room, and when I asked her in a quiet, a very quiet voice, with the most restrained manner possible, what she was doing with the paper–she turned around as if she had been caught stealing, and looked quite angry– asked me why I should frighten her so! Then she said that the paper stained everything it touched, that she had found yellow smooches on all my clothes and John’s, and she wished we would be more careful! Did not that sound innocent? But I know she was studying that pattern, and I am determined that nobody shall find it out but myself! ———- Life is very much more exciting now than it used to be. You see I have something more to expect, to look forward to, to watch. I really do eat better, and am more quiet than I was. John is so pleased to see me improve ! He laughed a little the other day, and said I seemed to be flourishing in spite of my wall-paper. I turned it off with a laugh. I had no intention of telling him it was because of the wall-paper–he would make fun of me. He might even want to take me away. I don’t want to leave now until I have found it out. There is a week more, and I think that will be enough. ———- I’m feeling ever so much better! I don’t sleep much at night, for it is so interesting to watch developments; but I sleep a good deal in the daytime. In the daytime it is tiresome and perplexing. There are always new shoots on the fungus, and new shades of yellow all over it. I cannot keep count of them, though I have tried conscientiously. It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw–not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things. But there is something else about that paper– the smell! I noticed it the moment we came into the room, but with so much air and sun it was not bad. Now we have had a week of fog and rain, and whether the windows are open or not, the smell is here. It creeps all over the house. I find it hovering in the dining-room, skulking in the parlor, hiding in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs. It gets into my hair. Even when I go to ride, if I turn my head suddenly and surprise it–there is that smell! Such a peculiar odor, too! I have spent hours in trying to analyze it, to find what it smelled like. It is not bad–at first, and very gentle, but quite the subtlest, most enduring odor I ever met. In this damp weather it is awful, I wake up in the night and find it hanging over me. It used to disturb me at first. I thought seriously of burning the house–to reach the smell. But now I am used to it. The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper! A yellow smell. There is a very funny mark on this wall, low down, near the mopboard. A streak that runs round the room. It goes behind every piece of furniture, except the bed, a long, straight, even smooch, as if it had been rubbed over and over. I wonder how it was done and who did it, and what they did it for. Round and round and round–round and round and round–it makes me dizzy! ———- I really have discovered something at last. Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out. The front pattern does move–and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind, and sometimes only one, and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over. Then in the very bright spots she keeps still, and in the very shady spots she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard. And she is all the time trying to climb through. But nobody could climb through that pattern–it strangles so; I think that is why it has so many heads. They get through, and then the pattern strangles them off and turns them upside down, and makes their eyes white! If those heads were covered or taken off it would not be half so bad. ———- I think that woman gets out in the daytime! And I’ll tell you why–privately–I’ve seen her! I can see her out of every one of my windows! It is the same woman, I know, for she is always creeping, and most women do not creep by daylight. I see her on that long road under the trees, creeping along, and when a carriage comes she hides under the blackberry vines. I don’t blame her a bit. It must be very humiliating to be caught creeping by daylight! I always lock the door when I creep by daylight. I can’t do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once. And John is so queer now, that I don’t want to irritate him. I wish he would take another room! Besides, I don’t want anybody to get that woman out at night but myself. I often wonder if I could see her out of all the windows at once. But, turn as fast as I can, I can only see out of one at one time. And though I always see her, she may be able to creep faster than I can turn! I have watched her sometimes away off in the open country, creeping as fast as a cloud shadow in a high wind. ———- If only that top pattern could be gotten off from the under one! I mean to try it, little by little. I have found out another funny thing, but I shan’t tell it this time! It does not do to trust people too much. There are only two more days to get this paper off, and I believe John is beginning to notice. I don’t like the look in his eyes. And I heard him ask Jennie a lot of professional questions about me. She had a very good report to give. She said I slept a good deal in the daytime. John knows I don’t sleep very well at night, for all I’m so quiet! He asked me all sorts of questions, too, and pretended to be very loving and kind. As if I couldn’t see through him! Still, I don’t wonder he acts so, sleeping under this paper for three months. It only interests me, but I feel sure John and Jennie are secretly affected by it. ———- Hurrah! This is the last day, but it is enough. John to stay in town over night, and won’t be out until this evening. Jennie wanted to sleep with me–the sly thing! but I told her I should undoubtedly rest better for a night all alone. That was clever, for really I wasn’t alone a bit! As soon as it was moonlight and that poor thing began to crawl and shake the pattern, I got up and ran to help her. I pulled and she shook, I shook and she pulled, and before morning we had peeled off yards of that paper. A strip about as high as my head and half around the room. And then when the sun came and that awful pattern began to laugh at me, I declared I would finish it to-day! We go away to-morrow, and they are moving all my furniture down again to leave things as they were before. Jennie looked at the wall in amazement, but I told her merrily that I did it out of pure spite at the vicious thing. She laughed and said she wouldn’t mind doing it herself, but I must not get tired. How she betrayed herself that time! But I am here, and no person touches this paper but me,–not alive ! She tried to get me out of the room–it was too patent! But I said it was so quiet and empty and clean now that I believed I would lie down again and sleep all I could; and not to wake me even for dinner–I would call when I woke. So now she is gone, and the servants are gone, and the things are gone, and there is nothing left but that great bedstead nailed down, with the canvas mattress we found on it. We shall sleep downstairs to-night, and take the boat home to-morrow. I quite enjoy the room, now it is bare again. How those children did tear about here! This bedstead is fairly gnawed! But I must get to work. I have locked the door and thrown the key down into the front path. I don’t want to go out, and I don’t want to have anybody come in, till John comes. I want to astonish him. I’ve got a rope up here that even Jennie did not find. If that woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her! But I forgot I could not reach far without anything to stand on! This bed will not move! I tried to lift and push it until I was lame, and then I got so angry I bit off a little piece at one corner–but it hurt my teeth. Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it! All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision! I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise, but the bars are too strong even to try. Besides I wouldn’t do it. Of course not. I know well enough that a step like that is improper and might be misconstrued. I don’t like to look out of the windows even– there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall-paper as I did? But I am securely fastened now by my well-hidden rope–you don’t get me out in the road there ! I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard! It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep around as I please! I don’t want to go outside. I won’t, even if Jennie asks me to. For outside you have to creep on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow. But here I can creep smoothly on the floor, and my shoulder just fits in that long smooch around the wall, so I cannot lose my way. Why there’s John at the door! It is no use, young man, you can’t open it! How he does call and pound! Now he’s crying for an axe. It would be a shame to break down that beautiful door! â€Å"John dear! † said I in the gentlest voice, â€Å"the key is down by the front steps, under a plantain leaf! † That silenced him for a few moments. Then he said–very quietly indeed, â€Å"Open the door, my darling! â€Å"I can’t,† said I. â€Å"The key is down by the front door under a plantain leaf! † And then I said it again, several times, very gently and slowly, and said it so often that he had to go and see, and he got it of course, and came in. He stopped short by the door. â€Å"What is the matter? † he c ried. â€Å"For God’s sake, what are you doing! † I kept on creeping just the same, but I looked at him over my shoulder. â€Å"I’ve got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back! † Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time! The story of an hour by: Kate Chopin Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death. It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband’s friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard’s name leading the list of â€Å"killed. He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister†™s arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window. She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams. She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought. There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air. Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will–as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under hte breath: â€Å"free, free, free! † The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome. There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! Free! Body and soul free! † she kept whispering. Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhold, imploring for admission. â€Å"Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door–you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door. † â€Å"Go away. I am not making myself ill. † No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and opened the door to her sister’s importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister’s waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom. Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine’s piercing cry; at Richards’ quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of the joy that kills. Essay prompt for short story: In the short story â€Å"the story of an hour† Chopin uses the word ‘open’ repeatedly, why do you think this and what is the significance of it? Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it– A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen. Peel off the napkin O my enemy. Do I terrify? — The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day. Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will be At home on me And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die. This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade. What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see Them unwrap me hand and foot– The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident. The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I’ve a call. It’s easy enough to do it in a cell. It’s easy enough to do it and stay put. It’s the theatrical Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout: ‘A miracle! ‘ That knocks me out. There is a charge For the eyeing of my scars, there is a charge For the hearing of my heart– It really goes. And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy. I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern. Ash, ash– You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there– A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling. Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware. Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air. Daddy by: Sylvia Plath You do not do, you do not do Any more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time– Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blue In the waters off beautiful Nauset. I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du. In the German tongue, in the Polish town Scraped flat by the roller Of wars, wars, wars. But the name of the town is common. My Polack friend Says there are a dozen or two. So I never could tell where you Put your foot, your root, I never could talk to you. The tongue stuck in my jaw. It stuck in a barb wire snare. Ich, ich, ich, ich, I could hardly speak. I thought every German was you. And the language obscene An engine, an engine Chuffing me off like a Jew. A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen. I began to talk like a Jew. I think I may well be a Jew. The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna Are not very pure or true. With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack I may be a bit of a Jew. I have always been scared of you, With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo. And your neat mustache And your Aryan eye, bright blue. Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You– Not God but a swastika So black no sky could squeak through. Every woman adores a Fascist, The boot in the face, the brute Brute heart of a brute like you. You stand at the blackboard, daddy, In the picture I have of you, A cleft in your chin instead of your foot But no less a devil for that, no not Any less the black man who Bit my pretty red heart in two. I was ten when they buried you. At twenty I tried to die And get back, back, back to you. I thought even the bones would do. But they pulled me out of the sack, And they stuck me together with glue. And then I knew what to do. I made a model of you, A man in black with a Meinkampf look And a love of the rack and the screw. And I said I do, I do. So daddy, I’m finally through. The black telephone’s off at the root, The voices just can’t worm through. If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two– The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, Seven years, if you want to know. Daddy, you can lie back now. There’s a stake in your fat black heart And the villagers never liked you. They are dancing and stamping on you. They always knew it was you. Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through. Lets hear it for the women The women oppressed by: Francis Duggan Lets hear it for women the women oppressed In patriarchal societies their human rights are transgressed By male religious zealots who hate woman kind For to trample on women’s rights any excuse they will find. Lets hear it for the women who never receive a fair go Of equality in their lives they never may know They are seen as inferior where males reign supreme And this can do little for their self esteem. Lets hear it for the women who must play second fiddle to men Where to be born a female means one cannot win Promotion in work or promotion in life To an arrogant and an unfaithful man expected to be a good wife. Lets hear it for women the women men do rule And many males in positions of power can be cruel The mothers of the children in life the hardest role Equality they need and not male control. P. O. W (Poor Oprressed Women) by: Sama Wareh Hello oppressed, With that scarf around your head, That you surely must dread, Aren’t you hot? Can’t you see it’s sunny, Aren’t your ears cold, They try to be funny, But some seriously suggest, That I am oppressed, Because I can’t flaunt what I got, And they look at the way that I’m dressed, All covered up, From head to toe, How am I to attract the men, Without a little show? So I tell them, I’m oppressed, Because men can’t see past the fabric? They are stuck with a conversation And a brain to pick, I flaunt, Yes I do, My personality is what I flaunt, I swear, it’s true, I aint no object In men’s desire, Nor am I a curve size, Because I have attire, And they tell me, Well, you were forced, Obviously, Your dad had a belt, And so you agreed, No, it was my choice, I did agree, In fact, After I did cover up, Men stopped checking out my behind, And started looking at who I am on the inside, And after I did, Respect came my way, Heads didn’t turn lolling as I passed men’s way, But I guess some like that attention, And women, This isn’t a stab at you, I’m just expressing my point of view, After dealing with stereotypes of what people tell me I am, I can even see it in their eyes, Like my attire should be banned, And especially older women, Look at me with pity, Poor child, I wish I could help her and show her the way, Cause according to Fox tv, they’ve gone astray, Poor abused women, dressed in black, Can’t those mean men cut them a little slack? But to their surprise, I choose to wear it, To me its freedom, Freedom from fashion implications, Telling you how to talk, dress and look, Advertising the new trend, To get you on the hook, Of being what the fashion industry can make money off of, I wear what I want and dress to impress, Myself and God, And nobody else, I wear pants and I wear skirts, I wear socks and long shirts, And if my name callers aren’t happen with that, Then come and liberate me, Which in now a day’s terms, Means kill me. Discussion questions for the poems: 1. In the poems â€Å"Lets Hear It For Women The Women Oppressed† and â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Woman),† there are two different views on women’s oppression. What are these views? 2. In the poem â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Women)†, what image does Wareh portray throughout? What words make you think this? 3. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath refers to herself as a cat with nine times to die, why do you think she chose these words and what is the importance of them? 4. After reading â€Å"lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† what do you think Duggan’s view on women’s oppression is and how does she convey this in her poem? 5. After reading â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Women),† how do you think Wareh views oppression and how does she show this in her poem? 6. In â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† what images does Plath use and how are they effective? . In the poem â€Å"Daddy† by Sylvia Plath, Plath uses the word ‘daddy’ instead of ‘father’, do you think this changes the way the reader views the poem? How? 8. In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† could ‘daddy’ be something besides her father? How? 9. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath chooses the word ‘Miracle’, in what tone do you think she used this? 10. In â€Å"Lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† how do you think Duggan’s word chose sets the mood for the poem? Thomas 1 Kelley Thomas Ms. Flara AP English IV October 22, 2012 The theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by Clarissa I read the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† by: Virginia Woolf. There are many themes throughout this novel but while reading it one was most apparent and that is the theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by the Clarissa. Woolf uses the novel to show how she feels about society and oppression, especially toward women. The social setting and time period set the mood for this theme. London is returning to its social normalcies and women are moving back toward being housewives instead of working in munitions factories. She often shows her dislike of this through Clarissa. It has become a sort of way of life for her and she doesn’t truly notice she is even a part of it. How to cite Mrs. Dalloway Study Questions, Essay examples

Merits and Demerits of Democracy free essay sample

Democracy is considered to be the best form of government these days. Most of the countries in the world have adopted it. The following arguments have been given in favour of Democracy: (i) Safeguards the interests of the people: Chief merit of democracy lies in that it safeguards the interests of the people. Real power lies in the hands of the people who exercise it by the representatives elected by them and who are responsible to them. It is said that social, economic and political interests of the individuals are served better under this system. ii) Based on the principle of equality: Democracy is based on the principle of equality. All members of the State are equal in the eyes of law. All enjoy equal social, political and economic rights and state cannot discriminate among citizens on the basis of caste, religion, sex, or property. All have equal right to choose their government. (iii) Stability and responsibility in administration: Democracy is known for its stability, firmness and efficiency. These days tenure of the elected representatives is fixed. They form a stable government because it is based on public support. The administration is conducted with a sense of responsibility. In representative democracy, peoples representatives discuss matters more thoroughly and take reasonable decision. Under monarchy the Monarch takes decisions as he pleases. Under dictatorship, the dictators do not involve people at all in decision making, people have no right to criticise the decisions of the dictator even when they are bad and against peoples welfare. (iv) Political education to the people: Another argument given in favour of democracy is that it serves as a training school for citizens. People get impetus to take part in the affairs of the state. At the time of elections political parties propose their policy and programme in support of their candidates. All means of propaganda-public meetings, posters, radio, television and speeches by important leaders of the parties- are used to win public favour. It creates political consciousness among the people. (v) Little chance of revolution: Since democracy is based on public will, there is no chance of public revolt. Representatives elected by the people conduct the affairs of the state with public support. If they dont work efficiently or dont come up to the expectations of their masters i. e. , the public, they are thrown in the dustbin of history when elections are held again. Gilchrist opines that democracy or popular governments always function with consensus and therefore question of revolt or revolution does not arise. (vi) Stable government: Democracy is based on public will. It conducts state business with public support. It is, therefore, more stable than other forms of Government. (vii) Helps in making people good citizens: Success of democracy lies on its good citizens. Democracy creates proper environment for the development of personality and cultivating good habits. D. Tacquville is of opinion that Democracy is the first school of good citizenship. Citizens learn their rights and duties from birth till death in it. (viii) Based on public opinion: Democratic administration is based on public will, public opinion lends it strength. It is not based on fear of authority. Gettel is of opinion that democracy stands on consensus, not on power; it admits the existence of state for individual, not individual for the state. It lends development and progress to individual and arouses his interest in social activities. Individuals readily take active part in such a government. And this is because of the eminence, devotion and conviction in man found in the nature of democracy itself. Demerits of Democracy Following arguments have been given against Democracy: (i) More emphasis on quantity than on quality: It is not based upon the quality but on quantity. Majority party holds the reigns of government. Inefficient and corrupt persons get themselves elected. They have neither intelligence, nor vision, nor strength of character to steer through the ship of the state to its destinations. (ii) Rule of the incompetent: Democracies are run by incompetent persons. It is government by amateurs. In it, every citizen is allowed to take part, whereas everybody is not fit for it. Locke calls it the act of running administration by the ignorant. He says that history records the fact that a few are intelligent. Universal adult franchise grants right to vote to everybody. Thus, a few manipulators who can collect votes with the greatest success get democratic power. The result is that democracy run by the ignorant and incompetent becomes totally unfit for intellectual progress and search for scientific truths. (iii) Based on unnatural equality: The concept of equality is enshrined in democracy. It is against the law of nature. Nature has not endowed every individual with intelligence and wisdom. Mens talents differ. Some are courageous, other are cowards. Some healthy, others not so healthy. Some are intelligent, others are not. Critics are of opinion that it is against the law of nature to grant equal status to everybody. (iv) Voters do not take interest in election: Voters do not cast their vote in a spirit of duty as democracy requires them to do. Contestants of election persuade them. Even then, it is generally found that turn out comes to 50 to 60 percent only. This forefeits the very tall claim of holding elections. (v) Lowers the moral standard: The only aim of the candidates becomes to win election. They often employ under-hand practices , foul means to get elected. Character assassination is openly practised, unethical ways are generally adopted. Muscle power and money power work hand-in-hand to ensure success to him. Thus, morality is the first casualty in election. It is a big loss for when character is lost, everything is lost becomes explicit in due course. (vi) Democracy is a government of the rich: Modern democracy is, in fact, capitalistic. It is rule of the capitalists. Electioneering is carried out with money. The rich candidates purchase votes. Might of economic power rules over the whole process. The net result is that we get plutocracy under the garb of democracy-democracy in name and form, plutocracy in reality. It cares a fig for the common man. The rich hold the media and use it for their own benefit. Big business houses influence dailies and use these dailies for creating public opinion to their favour. Influence of moneyed people over politics is probably clear in England, America and India. Consequently, communists dont accept it democracy at all. According to them, Socialist democracy is democracy in the right sense of the term because the welfare of the labour class and farming community can be safeguarded properly only under socialist democracy. (vii) Misuse of public funds and time: Democracy is a huge waste of time and resources. It takes much time in the formulation of laws. A lot of money is spent during the elections. Ministers are proving white elephants. They are a heavy burden on public exchequer as they waste public money on their tours and recreations. (viii) No stable government: When no party gets absolute majority, coalition governments are formed. The coalition of political parties with a view of sharing power is only a marriage of convenience. Whenever there occurs clash of interests, the coalition is lost and governments crumble down. Thus, stable governments under democracy generally dont exist. France lost the World War II because there was no stable government in the country at that time. We, in India, have been experiencing the same thing for the present. (ix) Dictatorship of majority: Democracy is criticised because it establishes dictatorship of majority. The majority is required to safeguard the interests of minority but in actual practice it does not. Majority after gaining success at the polls forms its ministry and conducts the affairs of the state by its own sweet will. It ignores the minority altogether; the minority is oppressed. (x) Bad influence of political parties: Political parties are the basis of democracy. A political party aims at capturing power. Its members are to safeguard the interests of the party. Sometimes, they overlook the overall interest of the state for the sake of their party. They try to win election by hook or by crook. Practising the immoral methods, empty ideals, inciting hatred, spreading caste feelings, communalism has become a common practice. It lowers the national character.