Jane Eyre Settings Analysis Essay Example

Jane Eyre Settings Analysis Essay In 1847, Charlotte Bronte published a Victorian novel called Jane Eyre under a male pen name, Currer Bell. The reason for that was that in Victorian times women were criticised for being emotional, and that reflected in their writing work. It is interesting to explore how Charlotte Bronte makes the reader emphasise with Jane Eyre in the opening chapters of the novel. Bronte does that by reflecting the settings on Janes emotional and mental state and by demonstrating that Janes values contrast favourably with those of a patriarchal household. The novels opening sets out a cold miserable scene, which reflects on Janes mental and emotional state. The narrator says: We had been wandering indeed in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and rain so penetrating, that further outdoor exercise was now out of the question. Bronte uses adjectives such as leafless, cold, winter, sombre and penetrating to set the setting of coldness and loneliness. Bronte uses nouns such as; shrubbery, wind, clouds and rain to emphasise how cold and lonely it was. The particular focus on loneliness is leafless shrubbery; it reflects a lonely shrub, which is left without its leaves. The book Bewicks History of British Birds, which Jane is reading shows great resemblance to Janes character. They were does which treat of the haunts of sea-fowl. Jane can be seen as the sea-fowl, because when she is at Gateshead Halls she shows a lot of fear towards John Reed. Jane resembles to the sea-fowl because she is a lonely, isolated girl, just like a sea-fowl is at sea. When Jane says, every nerve I had feared him, and every morsel of flesh on my bones shrank when he came near she again resembles to the sea-fowl. The dialogues in the novel influence the readers opinion about Jane. The way John Reed talks to her makes the reader emphasise with Jane. The first time the reader meets John he treats Jane like his servant. John says to Jane; Say, What do you want, Master Reed? was the answer. I wasnt you to come here and seating himself in an arm-chair, he intimidated by a gesture that u was to approach and stand before him. We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Eyre Settings Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Eyre Settings Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Jane Eyre Settings Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer When John tells Jane to refer to him as Master we see that he has little too no respect for Jane at all. By demanding that she comes to him, Bronte shows to the reader how Jane is treated like a servant, which makes the reader sympathise with her. Bronte introduces John to the reader first, before Mrs Reed or his sisters, because he is the person that mistreats Jane the most. John even calls Jane a rat; That is for your impudence in answering mama a while since, said he and for you sneaking way of getting behind the curtains, and for the look you had in your eyes two minutes since, you rat! It is almost Johns role in the family is to keep an eye on whatever Jane does wrong and punish her for it. He refers to her as a rat, which shows that she has the lowest status in the household. John is seen to be important within the Victorian household. Despite the fact that he is poorly behaved, his mother, sisters and servants treat him with the most respect. While Jane is locked in the red room, we are told that John is the dominate person in the house. John, no one thwarted, much less punished; though he twisted the necks of the pigeons, killed the little pea-chicks, set the dogs at the sheep, stripped the hot-house vines of their fruit, and broke the buds of the choicest plants in the conservatory; he called his mother old girl too, sometimes, reviled he for her darker skin, similar to his own; bluntly disregarded her wishes; not unfrequently tore and spoiled her silk attire; and he was still her own darling. Jane explains that she has committed as many crimes as John and he is not punished for it. Mrs. Reed still loves him and calls him her own darling, despite him disrespecting her by calling her old girl, spoiling her clothes and more. When Georgina and Eliza call Mrs Reed, she immediately assumes that Jane has done something wrong and sends her to the red room, even though John was calling Jane a rat. The servants, Bessie and Abbot, also respect John more then the others. When they come down and see Jane and John fighting they respond with; Dear! Dear! What a fury to fly at Master John! and Did ever anybody see such a picture of passion! They also immediately side with John and shout at Jane for attacking him. This is because at those times there was an idea that the eldest male (John) should be the dominant in a Victorian household. This relates back to Brontes assertion that conventionality is not mortality just because something is done in a traditional way, does not mean that it is ethical. self-righteousness is not religion just because you believe that you are good and others are evil does not mean that god would approve of your ways. Jane does not believe that just because John is the eldest male, he should be the most respected. Jane believes that she should be treated in the same way that John is. Their likes and dislikes are contrasted to undermine the ides that the eldest male should be the dominant in the house. When Jane is sent to the red room and she is told that she should be ashamed of hitting her master, she does not understand how he is her master. She says: Master! How is he my master? Am I a servant? the idea of conventionality is not mortality and that self-righteousness is not religion comes in again here, Jane is not allowed to treat John with disrespect because he is a male. The servants, Bessie and Abbot, understand Jane, but do not side with her at all. They say: And you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none: it is your place to be humble, and try to make yourself agreeable to them. Abbot explains to Jane her status in the household; they say that she is not equal to Mrs Reeds children, and that she should be humble. The social divisions in the 19th centuries that the novel portrays are that it is not very important to be intelligent or sensitive, rather then being rich and male. Your sex, wealth and social position defines how you will be treated in society. The more respectable people in society in those times were the rich men, and in some cases they didnt have as much to offer as some women, or men that were in a lower social position then they were. Women in the 19th century were not valued as the men were because people thought that they are too emotional. Charlotte Bronte was forced to publish Jane Eyre under a male pen name because her work would not have been appreciated if it was known that a woman wrote it. Jane was forced to be hysterical when she thought she saw Mr Reeds ghost, to reflect that women were emotional. Bronte tries to reflect a difference between what seems to be good and what is good, which would ensure that external show is not mistaken for sterling worth. Jane doesnt give up on her beliefs (sterling worth) though she is mistreated. In the mid-17th century the main theme of novels written was illicit love (forbidden love). The novel Jane Eyre was informed by novels written in the mid-17th century because Jane falls in love with a married man, but doesnt marry him until his wife dies, which is the illicit love. In the 18th century novel were popular because the main characters were virtuous (morally good). Jane Eyre was informed by such novels because she was also virtuous. Novels of Sentiment were popular in the 18th century and such novels main characters were, virtuous because they were aware of their surrounding and had sympathetic hearts. In Jane Eyre we see that Jane is also aware of here surroundings and has a sympathetic heart. In the 19th century many novels used landscaped to reflect the depth of their characters feelings. This includes Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, her sister, Emilys Wuthering Heights and others. In such novels pathetic fallacy is used to reflect on the characters feelings. The opening of Jane Eyre is a good example of this as Bronte opens with a rainy, cold day that reflects on how isolated and depressed Jane is. In the novel Bronte shows how the settings reflect on Janes mental and emotional state and how Janes values contrast with those of the patriarchal household. Bronte also shows that the womens place within Victorian Ideology was low and that men were considered to be better.

The Odd Couple Summary essays

The Odd Couple Summary essays English 12/19/00 Five friends, all guys are sitting around playing poker in Oscar's apartment. The place really messy because Oscar's wife left him. The men are just hanging out, playing cards and eating food. Murray, a policeman, is wondering where Felix is because he has not missed a Poker game in over two years. The men wonder if he is at the movies or out with a girl. Frances, Felix's wife calls to say that she and Felix are getting a divorce and he sent her a suicide telegram. The men begin worrying about Felix. There is a knock at the door; it is Felix. They all agree to act like nothing has happened. Felix walks in and kind of looks around and out the window, not really saying anything. He says he has to use the bathroom. His friends become a little worried about him going alone but they let him anyway. Oscar and his friends jump up from the poker table and crowd around the bathroom listening for sounds of suicide but they only hear Felix crying. Felix comes out and tells them about the divorce. Felix runs around the apartment talking about his unhappiness. He has no place to stay and misses his wife already. His friends try to calm him down and finally stop him. Oscar is so fed up with Felix's running around the apartment and complaining that he throws a glass of water at him! Felix sits in the chair and complains of a stomachache. He admits to taking a few pills before he left his house. His friends become worried but Felix tells them that he threw them up before so he should be all right. His friends decide that they should go home and they leave Felix alone with Oscar. Oscar convinces Felix to live with him since now they are both single. Oscar and Felix host another poker game but this time the atmosphere is very di ...

Researching Academic and Examination Stress in Secondary School Essay

Researching Academic and Examination Stress in Secondary School Students - Essay Example Literature Review Across the globe, it has been noted that American students are among the most tested, taking over hundred million standardized tests year in year out (Mayer 2008, p.21). Presently, test score are more significant for secondary students since they have the perception that their future is significantly dependent on performing well on high-stakes standardised tests such as tests for admission in colleges the likes of ACT or SAT, state sponsored proficiency tests and advanced placement exams. Although testing is undeniably an expedient tool for making decisions as regards to stimulating a student from one grade to the other, teacher accountability and college admissions, it over and over again puts tremendous pressure on high school students. According to various research studies, it has been evidenced that examinations (testing) has the potential of producing anxiety among high school students. Moreover, these studies have linked testing with doing a great deal in lowe ring students’ self-esteem as well as increasing their fear of failure (Hardy 2003, p.1). Over the past few years, the number of students enrolling for advanced placement course has been on the increase, with students being subjected to high-stakes tests on completing the course. A great percentage of these students feel pressured by their teachers, parents as well as the learning institutions to such higher level advanced placement courses since they are in possession of their college applications (Rothman 1995, p.15). Additionally, students in some cases tae many advanced placement courses so as to assist them feel better about themselves following their enrolment to... This esaay stresses that American students are among the most tested, taking over hundred million standardized tests year in year out. Presently, test score are more significant for secondary students since they have the perception that their future is significantly dependent on performing well on high-stakes standardised tests such as tests for admission in colleges the likes of ACT or SAT, state sponsored proficiency tests and advanced placement exams. Although testing is undeniably an expedient tool for making decisions as regards to stimulating a student from one grade to the other, teacher accountability and college admissions, it over and over again puts tremendous pressure on high school students. This discussion declares that the phrase high-stakes tests used in earlier paragraphs has to been used in the definition of tests which have consequences to students, schools, teachers and even school systems. For instance, students may be deprived of enrolment in certain courses in the event that their scores miss the mark of meeting established gates. Additionally, these students may end up being retained at a grade level until that time they will meet a certain score. In some cases, they may also be prevented from graduating. High school junior and/or senior students ordinarily have a feeling that they ought to meet demanding college admission test score requirements for them to be accepted in majority of the colleges. As thus, attaching the aforementioned high-stakes scores more often than not intensifies the anxiety associated with standardized tests.

Baces of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Baces of Marketing - Essay Example s important in the sense that when structures are formed taking the shape of a pyramid it should not discourage the use of people horizontally across the departments. This is crucial for acquiring effectiveness in accomplishments of several tasks simultaneously. Matching Authority with Responsibility In a management structure, it is crucial to associate responsibility with matching authority because without having freedom for decision making, organizational effectiveness cannot be achieved. This will increase the chance of favorable outcome besides increasing job satisfaction among employees. Task Description and Interaction among People In a dynamic world, processes and technologies keep on evolving necessitating employees to learn new things and undergo suitable changes. Michael Vanbruaene argues that job details need not be briefed with elaborate description – to avoid rigidity among employees and for the purpose of mutual cooperation among staff members. Work Unit Expectat ions All work units within the organization must be clearly briefed with performance goals and objectives. Necessary flexibility to achieving performance objectives should be granted without specifying tasks much in detail. Association with Work Unit All employees must be associated with some department or work group and the department must have a position to guide employees professionally, if needs arise. Supervisor at Work Unit Effective organizational structure demands that each work unit or department is controlled by supervisor or manager because they work as a bridge between and within the work units. Understanding Management Structure Management structure is crucial for the effective functioning of an organization. For a new employee, it is necessary to understand the working... This report approves that marketing thinks about long-run outcomes while sales function is concerned about immediate results. Marketing and sales have been kept under the same structure and that is sure to cripple branding and long-run positioning activities. It is more likely that marketing will become a sales support function and will lose its grip over formulating effective marketing strategies. Structure is incapable to deliver what is required for its long-term survival. In this structure, there is no provision to avert systemic risk. It is not clear how customer needs will be met with – without which it is impossible for the company to grow and expand. Structure implies that CEO will continue to perform day-to-day activities without having any time for a long term planning and execution. The structure cannot provide needed direction for the long-term growth and support to new verticals. Often strategy changes due to change in external environment; however, management fai ls to make a suitable change in management structure. That means a new strategy is implemented within the same management structure. Any change in structure seems unnecessary due to existing expectations, interpersonal relationships, roles, and current functions. It is a fact that people do not accept change if there is a possibility of loss of authority and power. This essay makes a conclusion that effective management structure is certainly an important necessity for success of any modern enterprise. Further, whenever there is any change in organizational strategy, management structure needs to be redesigned so that day-to-day operational efficiency and long-term effectiveness of the organization are not compromised. Moreover, management structure should strike a balance between decentralize autonomy and centralize control for establishing efficiency and effectiveness both in the organization.

Fire Protection Engineering in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

Fire Protection Engineering in the 21st Century Essay Abstract Fire protection engineering is the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect people, their property, and their environment from the destructive effects of fire. Fire protection engineers are involved in almost all aspects of fire safety and fire prevention. Among their function is the design, review and recommendation of fire prevention systems, which has two classifications: active and passive. Active fire protection systems react to conditions created by fire, such as increase in temperature or smoke, and act to extinguish the flame. Passive fire protection systems are incorporated in the structural design of the building to prevent spread of fire or smoke, and to prevent structural collapse. Fire protection engineers also adhere to building and fire safety codes. They also participate in the development of these codes, as well as review and enforce them. Fire protection engineers also predict fire behavior by simulating fire conditions through modeling. By this process, certain characteristics of the fire can be predicted. Models may simulate the development of a fire inside an enclosure, look at activation times of output systems such as thermal and smoke detectors, simulate egress situations, or measure the ability of a building to withstand fire. Risk assessments are also done by fire protection engineers and involve hazard analysis, consequence analysis and likelihood analysis. Fire investigation nowadays also involves fire protection engineers that can construct the scene before and during the fire. Fire Engineering 5 I. Introduction Fire protection engineering, the application of scientific and engineering principles to protect people, their property and their environment from fires, is used interchangeably with fire engineering and fire safety engineering. Although this paper uses â€Å"fire protection engineering† to simplify terminologies, it should also be understood that it likewise refers to the two latter terms, except in instances wherein there is a need for differentiation. Several centuries ago, the primary aim of fire protection engineering is to prevent fires, which in those days, has the possibility to devastate entire cities (Hurley 2006). In the 1900’s, the objective of fire protection engineering is to contain a fire in its building of origin. As technology advances, this objective has evolved to containing the fire in the room or object of origin. Towards the end of the twentieth century however, fire protection engineering has evolved to become a professional discipline having its own set of principles (Lucht 1989 cited in Hurley 2006). II. Professional Definition of Fire Protection Engineering Fire protection engineering is the employment of science and technology to protect people and their environment from destructive fires. Some of these principles include design of fire protection systems, analysis of fire hazards, carrying out of risk assessment, fire modeling and post-fire investigation and analysis. Fire protection engineers also review fire protection systems, participate in third-party review of fire protection designs, as well as participate in development of codes that would protect life and property from fire. Furthermore, they may also be called upon to interpret and enforce existing building and fire codes (Koffel 2003). During the design phase of a building, fire protection engineers may work with architects and other engineers to ensure a fire-safe structure. They make Fire Engineering 6 recommendations for cost-effective fire protection solutions to guarantee that the building and its occupants are adequately protected (Society of Fire Protection Engineers 2008). According to a roundtable discussion by fire protection engineers from all over the globe regarding the international practice of fire protection engineering, such a description is true of fire protection engineers in the United States wherein fire protection engineering and fire safety engineering is taken to be the same. According to Koffel (2003), who facilitated the discussion, such a broad definition is differentiated in Australia where fire protection engineers and fire safety engineers offer distinct services. Fire protection engineers are those that design active fire protection systems such as sprinklers, and fire detection and alarm systems according to the appropriate standards. This task is usually done by mechanical engineers who have specialized in active fire protection systems. The design of passive fire protection systems, which are usually incorporated as part of the structural design of a building, is specified by structural engineers and architects. Fire safety engineers, on the other hand, are those that develop fire safety strategies for a building or facility. The same is true in the United Kingdom where â€Å"fire protection engineering† is not a common term. That term is also generally used for those who design and install active fire protection systems. Fire safety engineers are those that assist in the design of buildings and structures in order to meet the life safety requirements of the law. Such requirements in the design include means of escape, structural fire resistance, internal and external fire spread, fire spread through cavities and internal openings, and access and facilities for fire service. Let it be reiterated, however, that for the rest of the paper, fire protection engineering refers to the broad description used in the United States. By training, education and experience, a fire protection engineer is expected to be familiar with the nature and characteristics of fire, analyze how fire starts, how it grows and Fire Engineering 7 affect people, buildings and property, and how it can be detected, controlled and extinguished (Hurley 2006; Society of Fire Protection Engineers 2008). Furthermore, they should be able to anticipate the behavior of buildings, structure and apparatus so as to better prevent life and property from fire. III. Fire Protection Systems In the event of a fire in a building, the protection of the occupants as well as of property is accomplished by a combination of active and passive means. Active fire protection systems are only used when fire is already present. Such systems are usually activated by a combination of sensors or mechanical means (Evans et al. 2005). A sprinkler system, a smoke alarm and a fire defence are just a few examples of active fire protection systems. Passive fire protection systems, on the other hand, insulate a structure by increasing its fire resistance. These systems become an integral part of the building layout and construction materials, and include (but not limited to) compartmentation and fire barriers, stairways for rapid evacuation, and spray-on fire proofing. Both systems are complimentary, not competitive (Cafco International 2007). The law recognises them as being able to (and should) work together to ensure safety in the event of fire. A. Active Fire Protection Systems The most common active fire protection systems used inside buildings are fire alarm systems, smoke control systems, water sprinklers, and portable fire extinguishers and hose reels. Each of these will be discussed in detail in the succeeding discussion. A. 1 Fire Detection and Alarm Systems The purpose fire alarm systems is to detect fires, alert the occupants, send for emergency rescue, and provide information that will facilitate emergency response (Evans et al. 2005). These systems have several main functions depending on the fire scenario, the type Fire Engineering 8 of building, the number of occupants and criticality of content and mission (Artim 2007). First, they provide a means to recognize a developing fire, either by manual or automatic means. Second, they notify building occupants to the fire condition and the necessity of evacuation. Third, they may also transmit signal to emergency responders such as the fire station to alert them of the building’s condition. They may also be used to shut down electrical and air handling equipment, and may be used to set off automatic suppression systems. The control panel is considered the fundamental component of any fire detection and alarm system. Its function is to monitor the â€Å"input† devices, such as the components that detect smoke and fire and then activates the alarm â€Å"outputs† such as horns, bells, warning lights, emergency telephone dialers, and building controls (Artim 2007). Although human beings are excellent fire detectors as they are normally equipped with senses that can detect smoke, heat, flame and odor, they can, in some cases, become an unreliable detection method. A person may not be present during the fire, may not raise an alarm effectively or may not be in perfect health to perceive fire signals. It is for these reasons that automatic fire detectors have been developed. There are many kinds of automatic fire detectors; the most commonly used are thermal detectors, smoke detectors and flame detectors.

Style and Supervenience :: Technology Computers Computer Essays

Style and Supervenience ABSTRACT: Cope's Computers and Musical Style (1991) describes a computer program that allegedly can represent and replicate musical styles solely on the basis of compositions that have been entered into it. If this claim is correct, then it must be that an oeuvre ¡Ã‚ ¦s stylistic characteristics locally supervene on its textual features, which roughly means that its stylistic properties are entirely determined by its textual properties. In my paper I argue that stylistic properties do not locally supervene on textual properties, and thus that neither Cope ¡Ã‚ ¦s program nor any other that essentially works like it can represent or replicate styles. Cope (1991) describes a computer program that allegedly can represent and replicate musical styles solely on the basis of compositions that have been entered into it (ix, xi ¡Xall page-references are to Cope 1991). If this claim is correct, then it must be that an oeuvre ¡Ã‚ ¦s stylistic characteristics locally supervene on its textual features, which roughly means that its stylistic properties are entirely determined by its textual properties. This paper argues that stylistic properties do not locally supervene on textual properties, and thus that neither Cope ¡Ã‚ ¦s program nor any other that essentially works like it can represent or replicate styles. 1. Cope's Composing Computer David Cope is a composer and music theorist who got interested in the applications of computer science to music. The direct cause of his interest was a composer ¡Ã‚ ¦s block; this made him turn to computer programming in the hope to find a  ¡Ã‚ ¥composing partner ¡Ã‚ ¦ (18). Eventually his search resulted in a program he termed Experiments in Musical Intelligence (EMI). Let me briefly sketch what EMI does and how it works. What EMI does is easily explained: musical data, like for instance a number of Mozart piano-sonatas, are (in coded form) fed into the computer, which then outputs new musical material. This new material is then hoped to be and, according to Cope, also often is, in the style of the music that was entered. How the program works is not so easily explained, but the following simplified account will do for the purposes of this paper (cf. 152ff for details). The two most important components of EMI are a pattern-matcher and a so-called Augmented Transition Network. The first searches for common patterns in the works that have gone into the computer, and stores these in a  ¡Ã‚ ¥style dictionary ¡Ã‚ ¦ (together with a weight, indicating how  ¡Ã‚ ¥common ¡Ã‚ ¦ they are).

Rock ‘N’ Hip, Hop ‘N’ Roll, and the Integration of Music

From bell bottoms to Barbies, every generation has its own distinct trends. While various fads have cropped up in each era, music has always been a key element of culture. Starting in the 1950’s, music became integrated within the American culture as the favored form of expression. The popular types of music found on the Top 100 lists today however, have changed dramatically since then. What has promoted this obvious change in music choice? While rock ‘n’ roll still holds its own in the music billboards of 2010, the general public now prefers the mechanical sounds of hip hop and pop. So which trends in music and in thought made the rebellious rock ‘n’ roll such a craze in the 1950’s, but not now? Each era has had specific trends, schools of thought and attitudes that have veered them into a specific genre of music. Rockin’ Out Before 1950, the American culture held firm social expectations. Males were expected to enroll into the military or work, and women were expected to stay in the kitchen. America was pulling out of the depression, and wealth and prosperity was not considered a necessity. As the United States prevailed in World War II however, America started to change startlingly. While many people were focused on conforming with their neighbors, the social structure was revolutionized. Soldiers returned, many experiencing traumatic psychological and physical problems. Women who had integrated themselves into the work force now found themselves replaced by returning soldiers. Most importantly, families started experiencing a great deal of economic independence. This increasing affluence gave teenagers a chance to break away from their parents’ lifestyles. Teens started creating their own clothing trends, dance fads, and hairstyles (Cox). As these new fads and styles starting breaking away from social norms, rock ‘n’ roll became the sound of change. Conservative parents viewed rock ‘n’ roll, and the hip gyrations that came with it, as a gift from the devil. Despite their parents protestations however, teenagers idolized musicians like Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis. So what made rock ‘n’ roll the epitome of 1950 culture? Four recording companies-Decca, R. C. A. , Columbia and Capital-had a virtual monopoly over the popular music field in the early 1950’s. This control made rock ‘n’ roll wildly popular, simply because there was no competition (Lewis 47). As the 1950’s went on, their control weakened, yet rock ‘n’ roll still prevailed as the dominant music genre. A contributing factor to its increasing popularity was the lack of musicians being schooled in theory, technique and composition. Rock ‘n’ roll paved a golden road for a small, charismatic group of people. They provided music rapidly to the American public, without having to compose masterpieces rivaling the music of Bach, Liszt and Debussy. Rock ‘n’ roll also created an easy and fun way to express complex emotions through beating rhythms and twisting ostinato patterns. Simon Anderson explains, â€Å"The amplified bass seems to produce a kind of second-level rumble, a subsidiary moaning and groaning, an incantation of the adolescent subculture, where no one really knows or cares how they feel about life. † This â€Å"incantation of the adolescent subculture† spoke to the class, gender and racial conflicts tearing through America at the time. Rock ‘n’ roll introduced the American white culture to black music. Teenagers soon became addicted to the rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll, all of which was black-inspired. The crossing of racial culture helped the disintegration of the color line. Appreciation of black music helped increase recognition of blacks in popular culture (Bertrand). Though the rhythms and beat of rock ‘n’ roll spoke to the carefree teenager life, often the lyrics promoted conventional values and strength in relationships. 83. 4% of songs in 1955 were love ballads in the conversational mode (Carey 723). Most songs told of lovers, yearning for each other in some type of sense. This theme reflects the attitudes of teenagers in the 1950’s, as this was the first generation people were allowed to marry for love. Women had more freedom to travel into the workplace and finally be on equal grounds with their husbands. Husbands did not have to leave their wives for war. Children had more autonomy as parents no longer dictated who and when they were going to love. However, as this freedom was increasingly integrated into American culture over time, the amount of love related songs dramatically dropped. In 1966, only 69. 5% of produced songs were about love and courtship (Carey 723). Rock ‘n’ roll provided the perfect form of expression in the 1950’s. It combined lyrical ties to radical social changes and catchy rhythms unique to its generation. What’s Hip Now? The change tearing through America in the 1950’s persists to this day. 2010 has brought a busier, more materialistic, culture than ever before. The trends of women working outside of the home and increasing teenage autonomy persists. American teenagers are given more discretionary time than ever before in history. Reed Larson studied this continuing trend and explains, â€Å"If we look back over the past 200 years, the most striking historic change in young people’s use of time is that youths spend much less time on labor activities today than they did in America’s agrarian past† (160). Some teenagers use this newfound source of time dedicated to structured voluntary activities such as sports, theatre, work, etc. others dedicate escalating amounts of time to mind-numbing entertainment. And with hundreds of new forms of mass media, it is hard to not get caught up in the technology tornado sweeping through the nation. The endless barrage of t. v. , facebook, internet sites, music, iPhone’s and iPod’s, video and computer games can easily overwhelm the distracted teenager. Mass media however, is not promoting enlightening or uplifting ideas or values. Instead, popular music now screams lyrics advocating ridiculous displays of wealth, substance abuse and the need for physical love. Top rated songs like â€Å"Billionaire,† â€Å"Raise Your Glass,† and â€Å"Low† are all examples of this. Misogynistic rap lyrics have become a dominant feature in the work of several artists. Often in hip-hop and pop music, â€Å"women serve as mindless props or accessories to be doused with expensive champagne or to shake their half-naked bodies to repetitive beats and sexist lyrics† (Murry 6). In Eminem’s recent hit to â€Å"I Love the Way You Lie,† his last verse reads, â€Å"I'm tired of the games/ I just want her back/ I know I'm a liar/ If she ever tries to f***ing leave again/ I'mma tie her to the bed/ And set the house on fire. Songs like this expressing control over women physically, sexually and emotionally predominate popular culture. How did songs depicting such unrealistic and immoral ideals become the rage in American teenage culture? Perhaps it is hip-hop’s diligent presence in pop culture. For the last two decades, hip-hop has â€Å"prided itself on being misunderstood; it lacks sentimentality and is not easily thwarted by moralizing efforts† (Murray 8). And for the last two decades, American teenagers have prided themselves on being misunderstood, and have not been easily thwarted by moralizing efforts. A mass culture trend has changed communication from the sincerity of face to face conversation to the simplicity of texting and Facebook. This has lead to a decrease in sentimentality and an increase in misunderstandings between people. Moral beliefs practiced by preceding generations have also disappeared. Ethics such as chastity, honesty and virtue have become unfashionable and undesirable. The change in lyrics from conventional love ballads in the 1950’s to the focus on money and sexual prizes reflects the changes in behavior and schools of thought throughout the generations. Lyrical Art The lyrics found in any genre of music influences the emotions of the listener (Krumhans 45). Martina McBride’s pop hit â€Å"Concrete Angel† is a fantastic example of emotion correlating with song lyrics. The heart-wrenching song tells the story of an little girl who is killed because of physical abuse in her home. The chorus reads, â€Å"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone/ In a world that she can’t rise above/ But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place/ Where she’s loved/ Concrete Angel. Though the melody, key, tension or dynamics help create an emotional state throughout this song, the lyrics were what made this song so emotionally powerful. â€Å"Concrete Angel† acquires its emotional meaning through the association of events that the general audience can relate too. Though the majority of the listeners will not have experienced physical abuse first hand, they can sympathize because they are aware o f the emotional, physical and mental damage violence incurs. Musicians know of the power lyrics hold. Lyrics can tell stories that make hearts melt, enlighten schools of thought never explored before, or create strong physical reactions. But lyrics that the majority of the public can relate to, sell better. This is the reason why the general themes songs have expressed have changed so dramatically over the last sixty years. The teenagers in 1950 were just starting to experience economic prosperity and free love. To listen to music completely revolving around money and sex would be crossing a line they hadn’t invented yet. And the youth in 2010 will not easily relate to ballads focused around falling in love with that one person because most are not looking for one person to love. Both the love-bound lyrics of the 1950’s and the materialistic lyrics of pop songs today accurately reflect the culture they predominate. Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Several other factors influence what makes cultural music popular. Lyrics must be in a proper combination of rhythm, harmony, key, dissonance, tension and dynamics for a song to reach it’s full potential. Even the untrained ear can distinguish feelings associated with the mode of the piece. Major, fast paced songs are associated with happy feelings while minor, slow, soft songs are correlated with sad feelings. Dissonant, unstable, tense songs often invoke feelings of fear. These feelings can all be present without powerful lyrics. Much of the world’s music is instrumental, and most of these create powerful emotion in the listener (Krumahns 48). So which musical factors specifically influenced popular music in the 1950’s and today? The drumming beats found in most rock ‘n’ roll pieces created a powerful sound teenagers revolved around. The harsh rhythms, instability of sound and rockin’ dance moves associated with rock ‘n’ roll all helped increase its popularity. Popular music today features fast paced songs with mechanical sounds in the background. Songs incorporate an inordinate amount of words per second, often leaving the listener wondering what they just heard. In the new hit single â€Å"Love Like Woe,† the listener hears, â€Å"Cause I got some intuition/ Or maybe I’m superstitious/ But I think you’re a pretty sweet pill that I’m swallowing down/ To counter this addiction/ You’ve got me on a mission/ Tell me darling, can I get a break somehow? Could I say no? ,† all in a mere ten seconds. The fast pace of songs are easily correlated with the fast pace of teenagers lives today. Teenagers are expected to excel in school, extracurriculars, athletics, music, and family life all at the same time. Pop music is branching away from traditional instruments to a more machine based background. The popular song â€Å"Like a g6† even goes as far as making the chorus voices sound computerized. Classical music appreciation has severely declined and sounds symbolizing a mechanical, over the top life, have taken control of the musical industry. The Ensemble Musical preference is very much behavioral. In the words of Simon V. Anderson, â€Å"If music educators did not believe that musical preference is socially conditioned. . . They would not work in the public classrooms at all, but rather, they would spend their time and energy in the science laboratories searching for the virus . . . that impairs musical judgment† (39). Popular music preference has much to do with the language, values and beliefs of the teenagers perspective of popular culture. Trendy music will be the music that teenagers can relate to and create for them the feelings they desire. Music choice however also reflects how the music makes one feel while listening to it. Popular songs in 1950 and 2010 reflect the culture they predominate through the general theme of lyrics and background noises. In each culture, music has been a favored form of expression and creates emotion based on what the culture wants. As even now, popular culture changes from liking bell bottoms to skinny jeans and back again, pop music changes with it to accurately reflect the culture it has been rooted upon.