The Hurt Locker Analysis Film Studies Essay

The Hurt Locker Analysis Film Studies Essay The Hurt Locker is a movie written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow. It displays combat at its best in Iraq. The movie reflects on the celebrated life of a soldier and is entitled, war is a drug. The soldier vividly displays war as a drug that needs to be taken by all soldiers at all times of their lives for their survival. The writer depicts this through the display of the paralyzing life of a soldier in war. She emphasizes this through the main character whose daring nature puts him at loggerheads with his colleagues (Eldridge and Sanborn) (Olsen, 2008).This paper analyze critically, the Hurt Locker with a specific focus on conflicts, symbols as well as irony presented in the movie. Various conflicts are displayed in the movie, first, when James is hired to replace the previous team leader, Sergeant Thompson. With his experience in war, he conflicts with the rest of the soldiers owing to his aggressive nature and failure to follow protocol. The soldiers find James ways reckless and disturbing but his spontaneity is seen to assist them soldier on to the end. Further James conflicts with Sanborn while trying to pursue the suspects of a petrol oil tanker that had exploded. Sanborn argues that the work should be left to the three platoons in the area. James however wins him over (Ressner, 2008). Again, an external conflict is encountered while driving back to their camp, the three soldiers, Eldridge, Sanborn and James come into conflict with five mercenaries who engage them in battle but they manage to kill after a long struggle. In another scene, the James teams set out to plant an explosion in a desert and they leave. James returns to the site, where the explosive s are already rigged to detonate, to pick up his gloves, which he had forgotten. Sanborn loudly ponders about killing James by deliberately making the explosion explode on him. Eldridge is does not concur with him and is hence unhappy. The theme most featured in the video is that of soldiers dying for their country in patriotism. This is cleared portrayed in the sacrifices made by leaving their families to fight for their countries. At the end of the movie features James with his little son, he recalls the war and contemplates going back to the battlefield. Later he goes back to the battlefield portraying his addiction to war. Other subthemes include violence and war seen in the encounters of the soldiers dismantling bombs and fighting enemies who attack. The filming of the movie in Iraq explains this theme clearly since it is known as a war country (Nott, 2009). The director of the movie integrates principally very shaky and obscure scenes in the movie to portray the uncertainty that hits the soldiers in addition to the danger they face. Iraqis are seen peeping through cracks of buildings, fences and on balconies; this isolates the American soldiers (James, Sanborn, and Eldridge) as being in a suspicious territory. This indirectly portrays these people watching from afar, as people who could set up an explosion on the US soldiers. The stereotype surrounding the towel headed terrorist is personified within the hurt locker. It is implied in the sniper scene at the UN building and depicted by the group of men and women pushing the cart after learning of the body bomb. This denotes the Iraqi as untrustworthy (Tobias, 2009). The American soldiers tend to sympathize with a 12 year old boy, Beckham who displays a flawed character resembling an American teenager. Despite his character, James sympathizes with him and attempts to befriend him. Beckam symbolizes the American culture. Later on Beckams body is found with a bomb implanted in his chest. This makes James go in pursuit of the assailants who did the deadly act. The scenes of a body bomb discovered put the Iraqi citizens in bad light through stereotypes (Olsen, 2008). This symbolizes the American foreign policy. As James dislodges the bomb in the boys chest this symbolizes Americas efforts to liberate and bring democracy in Iraq, the body bomb being a product of the Iraqis. This also serves the purpose of cleansing the view of American soldiers universally as connecting with the locals to help them. This is depicted clearly by James mistaken identity of the body bomb. The setting greatly influences the featured characters. Arid desert scenes and streets with small tunnel like alleyways with debris allover signify the battlefield. Chaos and disorganization is portrayed by explosions at every instance. The only orderly and peaceful place is the US camp victory .These two conflicting images reflect the US foreign policy of bringing forth order and liberation to the Iraq citizen. Dialogue in the movie depicts stereotypes of various kinds. The US soldiers are seen in engaging in slang talk throughout the radio communications. This portrays the superiority complex of the US soldiers with regard to the foreign policy. This is also a depiction of how the US soldiers carry themselves in the battlefield (Ressner, 2008). Bigelow, constructs the movie without favoring any side, this puts him in a state of political balance rather than politically driven level. This he does by balancing the preconception of the audience about Iraq and loose truth about the same. The use of camera angles and dialogue instigates suspense and represent the stress intensity by highlighting the suspicions and insecurity of the setting. The scene before the colonel Cambridges death where he speaks in a demining tone attempting to dismiss the group of Iraq citizens who leave an explosive device close to him. This scene degrades the intelligence of the Iraqi citizens and instigates in the viewers a terrorist image due to the bombing that results. The figure colonel Cambridges reflects the inability of the US forces to adequately understand the people of Iraq. Cambridge is the most intelligent man within the soldiers and the only US casualty expressing the notion that intelligence does not equal to superiority in a dangerous en vironment (Nott, 2009). Inhumanity of the war is depicted when Reed, a colonel congratulates James for his brevity. This shows the Americas brutality when he further claims that James will not make it after which follows gunshots. This clearly portrays a balance in the political sides of Iraq and America as this shows the brutality of the American side. The presence of British mercenary dressed in hajji clothing depicts the inability of the Americans to know the difference. This shows the Americans as being human in a variety of ways (Tobias, 2009). Irony is clearly displayed by the title of the movie whereby the war is depicted as a drug. This is an ironical of the normal situation where human beings like peaceful engagement with each other. At the end of the movie, James is seen as an addict of war. He misses life in war and finally goes back to war, depicting an irony (Olsen, 2008). In sum, the hurt locker depicts the title war is a drug. This is shown in its main character, James whose addiction to war leads him to going back to war each time. This title is ironical since in normal situations, a human being may never crave for war. Various conflicts are displayed especially concerning James spontaneous behavior. At some instance, Sanborn reflects accidentally killing James. The colleagues also fall into conflict with a group of Arab mercenaries but they emerge victorious after numerous confrontation. The movie is symbolic in most instances, first the setting of the movie is in a desert with scenes depicting disorganization and chaos with a touch of Iraq. The only orderly and organized place is the victory camp of the US reflecting the efforts of the united states of liberating Iraq. Their friendliness to the 12-year-old boy shows the effort of the Americans at interacting with the Iraq to solve their indifference. American soldiers are depicted as having a supe riority complex in their dialogue with each other and in their belittling of the hajji soldiers. There is however a balance of political sides where the director portrays the Americans brutality in addition to showing the ruthlessness of the Iraq people. This way he wins in his depiction of lack of favoritism. In totality this movie portrays the title war is a drug.

Advocating Change for the American Poor :: Poverty Poor Society Essays

Advocating Change for the American Poor In his review of Leon Dash’s book, Rosa Lee, Dan Cutler feels that the protagonist, Rosa Lee Cunningham, is doomed to a life of poverty because she does not believe she has any chance of success. He says that she had â€Å"little faith in the achievement ideology,† which made her feel that she was the â€Å"victim of hopeless circumstances† (Cutler). His understanding of the area Cunningham lives in is accurate, however, as a member of America’s underclass, Cunningham cannot waste time aspiring to become middle class, she must spend her time surviving. The problem facing members of the underclass is that there are no options for them to become upwardly mobile. An overwhelming majority of these downtrodden people are doomed to lives at or below the poverty level from the moment they are born into the ghetto. Trying to instill the â€Å"achievement ideology,† in people like Cunningham, so they do â€Å"not believe they are caught in a closed syst em† will not work, as Cutler asserts it will. What we must do for members of the underclass to rise in the economic ranks is to include them in the system, for the system is closed to them. For this to happen the United States government must take an active role in changing the it deals with the poorest members of society. The most economically successful country in the world has the power and money to change the structure of inner city economies. To do this we must re-evaluate our methods, and must stop blaming and punishing a group of underprivileged people who have no opportunity for their lack of opportunity. For example, the war on drugs does not stop drug use, it makes it worse. Imprisoning Blacks only furthers the division and chaos that is rampant among underclass families, who in turn, resort to more drug use to escape their dismal existence. Moreover, large corporations should not be allowed to abuse the underclass labor force, most of whom have no alternatives than to work for any wage, minimum or otherwise. Many corporations steal labor from poor workers, but it is the underclass who are punished when they steal. However inappropriate our actions in dealing with the underclass are we continue to believe them, thus people are imprisoned for stealing food or clothes, even though they neve r had an alternative. Advocating Change for the American Poor :: Poverty Poor Society Essays Advocating Change for the American Poor In his review of Leon Dash’s book, Rosa Lee, Dan Cutler feels that the protagonist, Rosa Lee Cunningham, is doomed to a life of poverty because she does not believe she has any chance of success. He says that she had â€Å"little faith in the achievement ideology,† which made her feel that she was the â€Å"victim of hopeless circumstances† (Cutler). His understanding of the area Cunningham lives in is accurate, however, as a member of America’s underclass, Cunningham cannot waste time aspiring to become middle class, she must spend her time surviving. The problem facing members of the underclass is that there are no options for them to become upwardly mobile. An overwhelming majority of these downtrodden people are doomed to lives at or below the poverty level from the moment they are born into the ghetto. Trying to instill the â€Å"achievement ideology,† in people like Cunningham, so they do â€Å"not believe they are caught in a closed syst em† will not work, as Cutler asserts it will. What we must do for members of the underclass to rise in the economic ranks is to include them in the system, for the system is closed to them. For this to happen the United States government must take an active role in changing the it deals with the poorest members of society. The most economically successful country in the world has the power and money to change the structure of inner city economies. To do this we must re-evaluate our methods, and must stop blaming and punishing a group of underprivileged people who have no opportunity for their lack of opportunity. For example, the war on drugs does not stop drug use, it makes it worse. Imprisoning Blacks only furthers the division and chaos that is rampant among underclass families, who in turn, resort to more drug use to escape their dismal existence. Moreover, large corporations should not be allowed to abuse the underclass labor force, most of whom have no alternatives than to work for any wage, minimum or otherwise. Many corporations steal labor from poor workers, but it is the underclass who are punished when they steal. However inappropriate our actions in dealing with the underclass are we continue to believe them, thus people are imprisoned for stealing food or clothes, even though they neve r had an alternative.

Culture Within Organizations: Southwest Airlines

A culture is a set of values that are adopted by people who co-habit any place. It consists of shared traits and lifestyles. Within an organization, culture refers to values and norms that are prevalent throughout the workplace and amongst the employees. This includes their mannerisms, attitudes, and work ethic. Culture within an organization exerts control over the behavior of people. Growth and success of a company depends largely on the type of culture which is prevalent within an organization. Many different types of culture exist in businesses today.Certain cultures encourage employees to work and grow together as a family—thereby creating unity. Others may place emphasis on higher ranking employees, which leaves those at the bottom of the hierarchy bitter or resentful, creating a workplace which may not be friendly or comfortable. Some companies may opt to stick to what they know, thereby stifling creativity and growth by eliminating experimentation. On the other hand, a company may be overly innovative and always looking for new ideas and taking new risks.Although this sounds good in theory, it may lead to an unstable work environment. Culture can either make or break an organization. Culture is not a tangible object. It is the result of management’s beliefs and values and employees’ implementation of those beliefs and values. It exists within all organizations and can be determined, for example, by looking at the dress code within the workplace. It can also be seen by observing employee interaction and behavior. One can also get an idea of an organization’s culture by taking note of its dealings with those outside of the company (i. . customer service). Culture makes up the personality of an organization. It is crucial that a positive organizational culture is created, taught and adhered to. It can be used to improve the efficiency and work ethic of employees in an organization. It also has a powerful influence over the behav ior of individuals and drives performance of the workforce. A strong personality adds character to an individual. Likewise, organizational culture gives a business its own special identity. It creates unity among employees and embeds in them the spirit of teamwork.An example of an organization which has a strong culture that has helped it thrive in the aviation industry is Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines (SWA) was founded by Rollin King, M. Lamar Muse and Herb Kelleher in 1966. They began servicing Dallas, Houston and San Antonio in 1971, after winning a legal battle fought in the U. S. Supreme Court. The airline started off by offering six daily roundtrip flights between Dallas and San Antonio, and 12 daily roundtrip flights between Dallas and Houston.They began with one simple notion: â€Å"If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly y our airline† (www. southwest. com). This notion has led to a very unique culture at SWA—one that puts customer service at its center. This can be seen through their mission statement, as per their website: â€Å"dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit†.Their exemplary form of customer service comes as a direct result of how employees at SWA are treated. â€Å"We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer† (Freiberg and Freiberg).SWA management has created a culture where employees are treated as the companyâ €™s number one asset. There is limited emphasis on formal organizational structure and the work environment combines humor with responsibility. Their happy workforce creates maximum productivity—willingly. Trust and respect between the workers and management is an integral part of the company’s success. SWA has exemplified that culture starts from within. Passion shown on the inside will reflect outwards and customers will see it. SWA has been able to do this consistently.Customers see the passion exerted by SWA employees and it makes them want to travel with them. The uplifting, spirited personalities of employees keep customers coming back for more. This can be seen in the fact that SWA has consecutively recorded profits for the last 40 years (www. southwest. com). The positive attitudes exerted by SWA employees are contagious and trickle down to its customers. As reported on the company website, â€Å"Southwest Airlines has consistently received the lowest rati o of complaints per passengers boarded of all Major U. S. arriers that have been reporting statistics to the Department of Transportation since September 1987. † The spirit that exists throughout SWA empowers its employees to believe in themselves, the service they are providing, the business as a whole, and the customers that they serve. The unique culture keeps employee morale high. All employees, including flight attendants, customer service reps, and baggage handlers, are encouraged to take whatever action they deem necessary to meet customer needs or help fellow workers (Milliman). This has led to both employee and customer loyalty.Employees feel needed which results in a devotion to the company. In turn, customers experience exceptional service where they truly are put first, creating a sense of belonging. Much of SWA’s success is due to the willingness of its leadership to be innovative. Founder Herb Kelleher studied California-based Pacific Southwest Airlines ex tensively and used many of the airline’s ideas to form the corporate culture at Southwest. Early on, they adopted the â€Å"Long Legs and Short Nights† theme for stewardesses on board typical Southwest Airlines flights.They selected beautiful flight attendants with unique personalities and dressed them in hot pants and go-go boots to ensure a fun and one-of-a-kind traveler’s experience (http://avstop. com). Operating out of Love Field, â€Å"love† became their promotional theme. Flight attendants would serve â€Å"love potions† and â€Å"love bites† (otherwise known as drinks and peanuts) to the company's clientele of mostly male business fliers (Pederson). Many decisions made by Kelleher have produced positive outcomes for SWA. For example, since its inception, SWA chose to buy its commercial airplanes from one manufacturer.This decision has allowed them to decrease operational expenses, as well as reduce maintenance and repair costs for th eir large fleet. By choosing a single supplier, the need for customer support, maintenance, monitoring, training, etc. has been reduced, thereby reducing costs for the company. They have also trimmed the time it takes to perform ground duties, once their airplanes land. This has led to a quicker turnaround time for the next flight to take off, thereby leading to profits for the company.Another move by SWA which keeps competitors at bay is their reservation system. Reservations are taken only through the internet, thereby reducing costs of using ticket counter employees. This method saves both the customer and the airline time and money. Kelleher’s paradigm for success starts with the core of the company—its employees. Hiring motivated people and allowing them to incorporate their creativity in day-to-day activities is key. By giving employees decision making abilities, they are made to feel important.A sense of pride takes root within each employee, which positively im pacts the customers that they deal with. This is reflected in their work output and creates greater efficiency, which leads to profitability for the company. Additionally, happier employees are able to provide better customer service, in turn making the experience an all around positive one. As Amy Marhoffer, Culture Communications and Planning specialist at SWA puts it, â€Å"Happy Employees=Happy Customers=Increased Business/Profits=Happy Shareholders. Although compensation is often viewed as the number one motivator, Kelleher understands the importance that employee morale plays. A little bit of fun can translate into a lot of productivity. Bailey explains how positive morale can produce more efficiency: â€Å"SWA, after pay cuts at other airlines, has the industry’s highest wages. But because of efficient work habits, measured in how much it spends to fly a passenger a given distance, its costs are the lowest among big airlines† (Bailey).It is important to note th at the success of SWA is due not only to the culture but also its ability to adapt to the industry’s needs. The airline industry in particular, is one that is heavily dependent on customer service; the happier customers are, the more positive their experience will be. Unfortunately, there is plenty of untapped productivity among corporations stuck in the old ways of oppression and tyranny. Kelleher’s approach shows that he understands people; he allows them to be themselves, which creates a positive work environment and a desire to be the best.He has successfully created a culture that has the properties of fun, entertainment and genuine care at its core. When Southwest started in 1971 they were just a small regional carrier flying from Houston to Dallas. Over the course of the last 40+ years, they have successfully expanded into a major airline carrier. SWA is now America's largest low-fare carrier, serving more customers domestically than any other airline. They are comprised of nearly 46,000 employees and serve more than 100 million customers each year.SWA operates more than 3,000 flights a day, with its subsidiary AirTran operating an additional 520 flights a day (www. southwest. com). They would not be where they are today without the innovative thinking of its leaders and the strong culture they created. Although corporate culture is not a tangible object, the results of a successful culture will produce tangible success. SWA has positioned itself for competitive advantage by creating a work environment which permits people to be their best selves and consistently outperform their competitors.It has been able to create and sustain a strong, positive culture which attracts not only the best talent, but a loyal customer base as well. The tremendous growth and profit of SWA brings to light how corporate culture, employee morale and customer service can play an integral part in the overall success of a corporation. These intangible elements are what make SWA an excellent example of a successful corporate culture. Works Cited AvStop Aviation News and Resource Online Magazine. â€Å"History of Southwest Airlines† http://avstop. om/history/historyofairlines/southwest. html) Bailey, Jeff (2008) â€Å"Southwest. Way Southwest† The New York Times Freiberg, K. & Freiberg, J. (1996) Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success. New York: Broadway Marhoffer, Amy. (2011) â€Å"Southwest Airlines â€Å"Gets It† With Our Culture† http://www. blogsouthwest. com/blog/southwest-airlines-â€Å"gets-it†-our-culture Pederson, Jay P. (2005) International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 71. St. James Press Southwest Airlines Co. (2013) †Southwest Airlines† http://www. southwest. com/

History of Frankincense, Ancient Aromatic Tree Resin

Frankincense is an ancient and fabled aromatic tree resin, its use as a fragrant perfume reported from a multitude of historical sources at least as early as 1500 BC. Frankincense consists of the dried resin from the frankincense tree, and it is one of the most common and sought-after of aromatic tree resins in the world even today. Purposes Frankincense resin was used in the past for a variety of medicinal, religious and social purposes, and many of those purposes are still used today. Its perhaps best-known use is to create a permeating scent by burning crystalized pieces during rites of passages such as weddings, childbirth, and funerals. The incense is and was used to smooth and oil hair and sweeten the breath; soot from the incense burners is and was used for eye makeup and tattoos. More pragmatically, melted incense resin is and was used to mend cracked pots and jars: filling the cracks with frankincense makes a vessel watertight again. The bark of the tree is and was used as a red-brown dye for cotton and leather clothing. Some species of resins have a delightful flavor, which is sampled by adding it to coffee or by simply chewing it. Frankincense also is and was also used as a household medicine for dental problems, swellings, bronchitis, and coughs. Harvesting Frankincense has never been domesticated or even truly cultivated: the trees grow where they will and survive in place for very long periods. The trees have no central trunk but seem to grow up out of the bare rock to heights of about 2-2.5 meters or about 7 or 8 feet. The resin is harvested by scraping a 2 centimeter (3/4 of an inch) opening and allowing the resin to ooze out on its own, and harden on the tree trunk. After a few weeks, the resin has dried and can be taken to market. Tapping the resin is done two to three times a year, spaced out so the tree can recover. Frankincense trees can be overexploited: take away too much resin and the seeds wont germinate. The process was not easy: the trees grow in oases surrounded by harsh deserts, and overland routes to market were difficult at best. Nonetheless, the market for incense was so great the traders used myths and fables to keep rivals away. Historical Mentions The Egyptian Ebers Papyrus dated to 1500 BC is the oldest known reference to frankincense, and it prescribes the resin as a use for throat infections and asthmatic attacks. In the first century AD, the Roman writer Pliny mentioned it as an antidote to hemlock; the Islamic philosopher Ibn Sina (or Avicenna, 980-1037 AD) recommended it for tumors, ulcers, and fevers. Other historical references to frankincense appear in the 6th century AD in the  Chinese herbal manuscript Mingyi Bielu, and numerous mentions appear in both old and new testaments of the Judeo-Christian bible. The Periplus maris Erythraei (Periplus of the Erythryean Sea), a 1st century sailors travel guide to shipping lanes in the Mediterranean, Arabian gulf and Indian Ocean, describes several natural products, including frankincense; Periplus states that South Arabian frankincense was of a finer quality and more highly prized than that from East Africa. The Greek writer Herodotus reported in the 5th century BC that frankincense trees were guarded by winged serpents of small size and various colors: a myth promulgated to warn off rivals.   Five Species There are five species of frankincense tree which produce resins suitable for incense, although the two most commercial today are Boswellia carterii or B. freraeana. The resin harvested from the tree varies from species to species, but also within the same species, depending on local climatic conditions. B. carterii (or B. sacra, and called olibanum or dragons blood) is thought to be the tree mentioned in the bible. It grows in Somalia and the Dhofar valley of Oman. The Dhofar valley is a lush green oasis, watered by monsoonal rains in sharp contrast to its surrounding desert. That valley is still the leading source for frankincense in the world today, and the highest grade resins, called Silver and Hojari, are only found there.B. frereana and B. thurifera grow in northern Somalia and are the source of Coptic or Maydi frankincense, treasured by the Coptic church and Saudi Arabian Muslims. These resins have a lemony scent and today are manufactured into a popular chewing gum.B. papyrifera grows in Ethiopia and Sudan and produces a transparent, oily resin.B. serrata is Indian frankincense, golden brown in color and mainly burned as incense and used in Ayurvedic medicine. The International Spice Trade Frankincense, like many other aromatics and spices, was carried from its isolated origins to market along two international trade and commercial routes: the Incense Trade Route (or Incense Road) that carried the trade of Arabia, East Africa and India; and the  Silk Road  that passed through Parthia and Asia. Frankincense was extremely desired, and the demand for it, and the difficulty of getting it distributed to its Mediterranean customers was one of the reasons the Nabataean culture rose to prominence in the first century BC. The Nabataeans were able to monopolize the frankincense trade not at the source in modern Oman, but by controlling the Incense Trade Route that crossed Arabia, East Africa, and India. That trade sprang up during the classical period and had a huge impact on Nabataean architecture, culture, economy and urban development at Petra. Sources: Al Salameen Z. 2011.  The Nabataeans and Asia Minor.  Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry  11(2):55-78.Ben-Yehoshua S, Borowitz C, and HanuÃ… ¡ LO. 2011.  Frankincense, Myrrh, and Balm of Gilead: Ancient Spices of Southern Arabia and Judea.  Horticultural Reviews: John Wiley Sons, Inc. p 1-76. doi: 10.1002/9781118100592.ch1Erickson-Gini T, and Israel Y. 20113.  Excavating the Nabataean Incense Road.  Journal of Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology and Heritage Studies  1(1):24-53.Seland EH. 2014.Archaeology of Trade in the Western Indian Ocean, 300BC–AD700.  Journal of Archaeological Research  22(4):367-402. doi: 10.1007/s10814-014-9075-7Tomber R. 2012.  From the Roman Red Sea to beyond the Empire: Egyptian ports and their trading partners.  British Museum Studies in Ancient Egypt and Sudan  18:201-215.