Friday, December 27, 2019

Essay on Disney Goes to War Animated Propaganda - 2554 Words

â€Å"Animation offers a medium of storytelling and visual entertainment which can bring pleasure and information to people of all ages everywhere in the world,† said Walt Disney of his beloved cartoons. While it is true that cartoons are an interesting medium of visual entertainment, their unique ability to convey information to people, adults and children alike, make the animated film medium one of the most far reaching means of propaganda. Today it is impossible to imagine American animated cinema without Disney and its cartoons. The American captivation with Disney has not changed much in the seventy years since World War II. In the early 1940s, two thirds of Americans went to the movies every week and these moviegoers were enamored†¦show more content†¦While the term propaganda is usually uttered oozing with negative connotation, it is important to understand that it is not only the tool of â€Å"totalitarian regimes,† but is also employed by â€Å"l iberal democracies† (Taylor 3). The only difference between these two propaganda users (or abusers) is the intended audience and the rival group being criminalized. Disney Gets Drafted As already mentioned, the United States readily took part in the propaganda parley of World War II. The threat of subversive Nazi propaganda on U.S. soil caused private citizens to use their contacts to pressure the government into counteracting the â€Å"attack on democracy† (Laurie 30-32). This spurred the creation of government organizations such as the U.S. Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) and the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The role of these organizations was to oversee the propaganda released on behalf of the government (Laurie 45). The military naturally became involved in the creation and implementation of propaganda films to promote anti-Nazi feelings across a nation immersed in a global war. Also, the hope was that these films would act as a morale booster necessary in a nation that had just experienced the horrors of Pearl Harbor (Fyne 12). As the military became involved in the propaganda effort, so did Disney Studios. On December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked; Disney received its first militaryShow MoreRelatedThe American Animation Industry and Walt Disney Essay2286 Words   |  10 Pagesgovernment with animated propaganda and Ignisia. Animation played a major role for the advancement of motion film in 1900’s. Before motion picture camera, frame by frame photographs were used to understand animal and human movement. Eventually a series of famous cartoons would be created which would lead to the expansion of animation studios in New York and California. One famous animation studio that opened up was Walt Disney, which would eventually dominate animation for many years. Disney animationRead MoreThe Walt Disney Corporation1518 Words   |  7 PagesThe Walt Disney Corporation was founded in 1923 under the name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney. The company brandished its current name in 1986 after the death of Walt Disney (1). This company like other large conglomerates has a vice grip on the flow of information that reaches consumers like you and me. Some people believe that having these corporations constricting our access to information leads to a generation of uninformed people , but in the day and age when anybodyRead MoreWalt Disney : A Legend Of His Time1945 Words   |  8 PagesLizzie Snyder Mrs. Craft IB English, Period 9 24 September 2014 Walt Disney: A Legend of His Time ​ Considered to be legendary in the fields of film and animation and well known for his famous theme parks, Walt Disney was and still continues to be an icon of the entertainment industry. Coining the phrase, â€Å"If you can dream it, you can do it,† Disney was devoted to embodying the American spirit. He loved learning about the past and was active in working towards the future in a whimsical manner whichRead MoreEvil Disney, Research Response to Henry Giroux5383 Words   |  22 PagesEvil Mickey There are plenty of hotbed issues on how the Disney corporation’s sociological and socio political ideologies are embedded into their products and how they affect children, but very few ask why Disney would place hidden ideologies in their movies/shows. What reasons would Disney have to program children with outdated morals while trying desperately to uphold a model image of innocence? What practices has the disney corporation practiced that some would consider immoral or even illegalRead MoreOligopoly and the Disney Company.6632 Words   |  27 Pagesthese media giants is the Walt Disney Company (Disney). Its dramatic growth from a small company to become an oligopolist in the media industry offers an interesting case study. This report studies Disneys nature of business in the US media market. It starts with an outline of the media oligopoly in the US, which is imperative to appreciate the nature of Disneys business. Moving on to the next section, it briefly describes the history and corporate structure of Disney. Following that, the studyRead MoreThe Walt Disney Company11417 Words   |  46 PagesThe Walt Disney Company A Business Environment Analysis By Rebecca Newman, Kendra Nicastro, Todd Harris Rick Brown The Wide World of Disney: Defining The Walt Disney Company’s Domain The Walt Disney Company is an internationally recognized and renowned power player in the entertainment industry. Disney categorizes its operations into four key divisions: Studio Entertainment, Parks and Resorts, Consumer Products and Media Networks. Each division under The Walt Disney Company’s umbrella providesRead MoreThe Walt Disney Company Report15335 Words   |  62 PagesCompany Research Paper The Walt Disney Company Pranay Kumar George Batah Shuxian Shen Sheng Hao Koo â€Å"We have complied with university honor code in completion of this assignment and I attest that this work is ours and ours alone.† Professor Suzanne Weiss Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Company Background 3. Management 4. Situation Analysis 5. Ethics and Responsibility 6. Human Resource 7. Globalization 8. Operation and Production Read MoreEssay about Summary of History of Graphic Design by Meggs14945 Words   |  60 Pagesinto an illiterate culture. o Games to kings now played by the working class and peasants. †¢ First known European block printings with a communications function were devotional prints of saints. The Ars Moriendi: this was a 13 page piece of propaganda from the Church, but to the average citizen it seemed like something meant to help individuals cope with death. à  Ã¯Æ'   Gutenberg: resolved the technical, organizational, and production problems that had plagued earlier typographic printing efforts

Thursday, December 19, 2019

High Levels Of Service, Ethics And Integrity Essay

Ahmed Khan 24 Woodscape Ct, Pekin, Illinois 61554 Phone: 847-668-4001 Email: akhan.usa@outlook.com Results-driven executive with experience in building and leading motivated professional teams dedicated to highest levels of service, ethics and integrity. Strong interpersonal, communications, analytical, negotiation, problem solving and project management. Independent, creative and critical thinker with sound judgment and decision-making authority. Change agent, innovator and pioneer in quality management and performance improvement. Organizational/operating leadership experience in: ï‚ § Incident and Problem Management ï‚ § Team Building and Leadership ï‚ § Budgeting and Cost Reduction/Avoidance ï‚ § Audit and Compliance ï‚ § Compliance and Audit ï‚ § Best Practices ï‚ § Multi-Site Operations ï‚ § KPI’s / Metrics / CSR Scorecards ï‚ § Measure Customer Satisfaction ï‚ § Service and Support Outsourcing PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE  § Directed support for 24x7x365 with multi-tiered support L1, L2 and L3. Directed support teams in USA, England, Malaysia, and India.  § Responsible for cost of delivery and customer satisfaction for local and remote customer support. Strong financial and business acumen.  § Developed and monitored success via call center metrics (KPI s). Responsible for operation goals, developing, analyzing, and reporting call center metrics.  § Responsible for overall hiring, policy, planning, strategic direction, staffing, and managing support teams  § Built successful relationshipsShow MoreRelatedThe Industry Environment : Walmart s Competitiveness1616 Words   |  7 Pagesnew entrants, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of customers (buyers), bargaining power of suppliers and intensity of competitive rivalry. Here we focus on the five aspects to analysis the environment of retail industry and Walmart s situation in this industry environment. For threat of new entrants, the influence on the retail industry is in the medium level. There are several reasons. First, entry barriers are extremely high in this industry. Walmart can become the leaderRead MoreThe Code Of Ethics : The Star Financial And Tax Solutions Company Essay1495 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction A Code of Ethics is placed to act as a guideline to specific values, ethics, organization objectives, and the responsibilities of the specific organization. The code of ethics acts a guideline and template for the behavior for both internal employees and also towards employees externally. Being the cornerstone of operations, The Star Financial and Tax Solutions Company operations are guided by the following Code of Ethics: 1. Legal Compliance-the employees should adhere to the rule ofRead MoreEthics And Position Of Leadership Position Essay1400 Words   |  6 PagesEthics in Position of Leadership Position There is a wide range of careers available in the market and choosing the right career path is really important. There are many factors that help you decide a career and some of them are your skills, interest, personality, qualifications, etc. Based on my skills and interest I want to be a Financial Controller. With the growing marine business, I want to be a Financial Controller of MacGregor USA Inc., an engineering solution and services company that handlesRead MoreWhat Is Business Ethics?1294 Words   |  6 PagesMIS 6308 – Assignment: Business Ethics Essay (50 points) What is business ethics? Business ethics can be understood as codes that define the actions and behavior of the employees in an institution. Standards are set by every company to define what is accepted as ‘Right’ and each employee is expected to abide by these standards. For a business to run successfully it is important to abide by the set of standards that are defined. Companies around the world observe these ethical principles strictly;Read MoreEthics And A New Accountants Perspective On Enron1217 Words   |  5 PagesThe Law, Ethics and a New Accountant’s Perspective on Enron Ethics is a decision one makes in knowing the right thing to do and actually doing the right thing. They are the rules of behavior based on one’s belief of what is morally good and bad. A person may hear the word ethics and immediately think of government or the law. Not only does ethics have a role in government, it also plays a major role in business, including accounting. Schroeder, Clark Cathey (2014) state that the â€Å"reason for aRead MoreCode Of Ethics And The Laws Of The Accounting Profession Essay1482 Words   |  6 Pagesarguments as to why a code of ethics is essential to support the regulation of the accounting profession in New Zealand. Introduction Code of Ethics display the ideal qualities that one should follow and demonstrate, in the accounting profession. It lays down the expected standards, and are based on personal characteristics and behavior. According to New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants Act 1996 the five fundamental principles in the Code of Ethics are integrity, objectivity, professionalRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Accounting Profession1210 Words   |  5 PagesEthics are a decision one makes in knowing the right thing to do and essentially doing the right thing. They are the rules of behavior based on one’s belief of what is morally good and bad. A person may hear the word ethics and immediately think of government or the law. Not only does ethics have a role in government, it also plays a major role in business, including accounting. 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A person may hear the word ethics and immediately think of government or the law. Not only does ethics have a role in government, it also plays a major role in business, including accounting. Schroeder, Clark Cathey (624) states that the â€Å"reason for a h igh level of ethical conduct is the need for public confidenceRead MoreEthic And Moral Conflict Implied. What Are The Implications936 Words   |  4 PagesEthic And Moral Conflict Implied What are the implications of ethics or moral conflicts with one another? There is a fine line and some ongoing confusion between ethics and morals. Ethics apply to institutions or groups for example doctors or lawyers. Morals are personal principals influenced by society. Professionals deal with the conflict between ethics and morals more often than we realize. A lawyer who has a high moral standard would absolutely defend her moral belief that defending a murderer

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Ethical Issues with Legalization of Marijuana free essay sample

Donna Lowe SOC 120 Introduction to Ethics Social Responsibility Prof. Donna Falloon May 16, 2011 Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America behind only alcohol and tobacco, and is estimated that nearly 80 million Americans use it at least one occasion. According to government surveys, some 20 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 11 million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use.Being used for medicinal purposes or simply for recreational, there are not only laws to consider when the topic of legalization comes up but also ethical concerns as well. For this paper I will outline some of the uses for this drug and some of the benefits of its use. I will apply the classical theory of utilitarianism to resolve the issue of legalization while also using the perspective of ethical egoism that this issue brings up and include my own view of these theories concerning the legalization of marijuana. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issues with Legalization of Marijuana or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Many people believe that marijuana is a gateway drug with extremely harmful side effects. On the contrary, this is a severe misconception, as Marijuana research over nearly half a century has proven that there are no harmful side effects, nor is there any possibility of health problems or death related to recreational or medicinal marijuana use. The technical term to use would be cannabis; however the word marijuana has been used since the 1920’s. While its use is most widely known as a recreational drug, its use for medicinal purpose has been used as far back as the 1970’s.In an article from the The Palm Beach Post, (1972) scientists even then stated that the use of marijuana could be beneficial to patients who suffered from high blood pressure, depression and glaucoma. Marijuana has been used for recreation. Dronabinol, which contains cannabis, is used to treat anorexia in appetite loss associated with AIDS and for cancer chemotherapy induced nausea. It is also helpful to reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma. (Mosby)Using marijuana for medical purposes or just for personal use still raises a big issue in the United States because in almost every state its illegal and the punishment can be severe. â€Å" A particular drug—for example, marijuana (also called hashish and bhang)—may be accepted as an appropriate adjunct to sociability in one society, used as an invaluable ingredient in religious contemp lation in another, and banned by law as dangerous in a third†(Sills,1968). Since the use is illegal I bring the point of ethics to the matter.Utilitarianism is a classical theory that argues that, given a set of choices, the act we should choose is that which produces the best results for the greatest number affected by that choice. The theory also suggests that there is an obvious solution that is fair, and it may be one that appeals to common sense as well (Moser, 2010). Jeremy Bentham is considered the founder of utilitarian thought and stated that that human beings resolve their ethical questions in light of maximizing the amount of pleasure they experience while minimizing the amount of pain.He considered ethically good conduct as that which expands an individuals as well as a communitys liberty by adding to the sum total of its pleasure (what later was termed maximizing the Greatest Happiness Factor [GHF]). Conduct is unethical, then, because it limits an individuals as well as a communitys liberty and general welfare by subtracting from the GHF. So if we are to use the utilitarianism theory in regards to the legalization of marijuana, then one could argue that those who are opposed are not being ethical since they are not taking into consideration the greatest happiness factor for those who like to use the drug. While the debate on the damage that use of marijuana may cause, it would medically be useful to those in need so we are still being unethical from a utilitarian standpoint regardless of the fact that the drug is currently considered illegal. â€Å"Relativism is the idea that ones beliefs and values are understood in terms of ones society, culture, or even ones own individual values† (Moser, 2010). In our society today the use of marijuana for either recreation or medical is frowned upon.There are issues about the harmfulness of the drug and what long term effects the drug could create in addition to the argument that it leads to other more harmful drug use. We are constantly told that drugs are bad and we need to â€Å"just say no†. Our children participate in drug prevention at early stages of their education. They are taught to be afraid and to be friends with those who participate in illegal drugs. There is no evidence that addiction to drugs is favorably regarded in any society or culture, but the status accorded the addict varies markedly.In the United States he has been defined as a criminal and stereotyped as a â€Å"dope fiend. † In much of Europe, on the other hand, the addict is regarded as an unfortunate person whose problem is primarily psychological and medical. Having stated that great differences exist in cultural orientations to specific drugs or drug effects, we are, however, far from being able to explain them. Opium and hashish have been widely used without extreme devaluation in Muslim society, although the Koran proscribes the use of substances that alter the state of consciousness.In traditional interpretations, it appears that the Korans injunction has been limited to alcohol. ( Sills,1968) In contrast to the utilitarianism theory, relativism is not concerned with the happiness that doing this drug would create only that this would be a wrong choice in our culture since it is not an accepted means of happiness by society. I see both sides of the ethical debate however I would mostly identify with the utilitarian view.People should be responsible when using marijuana but if it increases their personal happiness or helps them to alleviate medical issues then it should be legal for mass consumption with certain guidelines. There are legal substances such as alcohol and cigarettes that do far more damage to a person’s health yet are legal to consume if a person is of age and takes responsibility for using them. The economic effect by the legalization of marijuana can benefit the government because it would generate greater tax income for our country, which would be excellent for our economy.In the United States every year an estimated $7 billion is spent on marijuana (www. drugabuse. gov). If marijuana were taxed at 7% there would be an extra tax income of at least $49 million. Marijuana becoming legalized would also benefit the United States because it would reduce the crowding in jails. In 1998 alone nearly 750,000 Americans were arrested for minor marijuana possessions (www. masscann. org). If this number was eliminated it would greatly reduce the crowding problems in already minimally spaced jails, therefore further reducing taxes because the money needed to house these inmates wouldn’t be needed.Non-violent crime in the United States would decline due to the fact that users wouldn’t be breaking laws anymore. Their recreational use would not be illegal; therefore no crime would be committed. Regardless of the theory you most identify with , the fact will still remain that in the majority of the United States, use and possession of marijuana is still illegal and I’m sure will continue to be a topic of debate for years to come. References Mosser, K. (2010). Introduction to ethics and social responsibility. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education,  Inc.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The 4 Elements in Creating a Legally Valid Contract Essay Example

The 4 Elements in Creating a Legally Valid Contract Essay When we were kids, â€Å"sealing the deal† on something was merely a matter of spitting in the palms of our hands and â€Å"shaking on it.† If for some reason one of the friends involved backed out of the deal, resolving the issue was as easy as uttering â€Å"†¦but you promised!† Nowadays, â€Å"contracting† is a bit more complicated. Needless to say, breaking a contract offers pretty serious consequences. For this reason, creating a contract is not as easy as it was when we were kids. There are certain fundamentals to consider when drafting a contract in order to make contracts clear. Along with signing your name on the dotted line, four key elements must be considered in order to make any contract valid. Those elements include agreement, consideration, contractual capacity and legality. Of course, fine tuning must also be considered, but properly utilizing these elements with any contract will ensure that the deal is â€Å"crystal† for all p arties involved. A contract is a legally binding agreement enforceable by any court of law (Wiktionary, 2004). With the exception of marriage, a simple â€Å"Will you?† and â€Å"Sure† sometimes will not hold up in court. While all walks of people can create a contract, making it legally binding is the secret to its validity. The first major element to consider when creating a contract is agreement. This element identifies who the parties involved are, and the purpose of the contract. For example, Mike has agreed to purchase a car from Johnny. This agreement identifies Mike and Johnny as the parties bonded, and what the purpose of the contract will be. The next element is consideration.   This element states that while both parties will gain from the contract, each will be making a sacrifice in order to benefit (Wikipedia, 2004). In our example, Johnny has agreed to sell his car to Mike. Their agreed terms are $200.00/month for 12 months. Johnny will sacrifice his vehicle, but in exch ange will receive income. Mike will sacrifice $200.00 a month for 12 months, but in exchange he will receive a vehicle. The third element is contractual capacity. This element stresses the importance of a person’s ability to enter into a legally binding contract (Wick, 2006). If Mike were intoxicated when he entered into the contract, he legally would not be considered competent enough to agree to anything. Equally, if Mike were a minor, he also would not have the ability to enter into a contract without guidance from guardians. The final essential in creating a valid contract is legality. The agreed-to terms must involve legal issue, and must be enforceable in a court of law. We will write a custom essay sample on The 4 Elements in Creating a Legally Valid Contract specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The 4 Elements in Creating a Legally Valid Contract specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The 4 Elements in Creating a Legally Valid Contract specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Essentially, any issue that may require a contract should be handled with great consideration. The purpose of the contract must be clear to all parties involved, and the parties involved must have the capacity to agree to its terms. Contracts make certain issues a little easier to deal with, but without the proper elements, its creation could be futile.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Globalization Effects on Jamaica and Thailand Essays

Globalization Effects on Jamaica and Thailand Essays Globalization Effects on Jamaica and Thailand Paper Globalization Effects on Jamaica and Thailand Paper Globalization through dam building (for electricity) and tourism (for economic security), has imposed positive and negative effects on many countries and cultures. This paper focuses on tourisms impact on Jamaica and the consequences dams have had in Thailand. For both countries globalization has had both advantages and disadvantages. Tourisms Effect on Jamaica Globalization through tourism has had a significant effect on Jamaica. Originally, tourism was intended to profit the country by tourist spending. It was believed the economy would grow from an increase in job availability. Also, the conjecture of most Jamaicans was the hotels generated tourist spending which provided a growing economy. Unfortunately, what was intended to be the main source of income for Jamaica also became the cause of several negative circumstances. Tourism has not benefited the countries economic issues. Monies brought in are now being used to battle the increased waste disposal concerns, water shortages, and low paying jobs. Jamaicans typically work as maids and kitchen help, even as prostitutes in the tourist industry. Sewage from these facilities often empties into the ocean which along with siltation, pesticides, overfishing, and physical destruction including anchors from cruise ships destroy coral reefs and marine life. † (Harper, Jack . 2003). Most Jamaicans have become disillusioned with the promise of economic freedom from tourism. Conflict over the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in Jamaica has continued. Dams Effect on Thailand Hydroelectric projects are increasing around the world in consequence to rising energy needs. These dams have had both positive and negative impacts in Thailand economically and culturally. Hydroelectric power has provided substantial economic benefits by energy sales. One such dam built to bring hydropower to communities in Thailand was Pak Moon Dam. The dam was expected to bring other benefits to Thailand besides electricity. : For example, an increase in fish yields from stocking the reservoir, and the ncome from charging foreign neighboring countries for power. Although there were advantages for the Thailand people, for many Thai it has had more negative than positive effects. â€Å"Major Challenges in balancing the benefits of clean electricity, water storage and flood control from the dams against negative impacts. These include population displacement, obstruction to fish movements up and down the river, and changes in water and sediment flow†. (Richardson, Michael 2009). The disadvantages began to out way the advantages. Building of Pac Moon Dam and other Dams have affected Thailand in several other adverse methods. It severely decreased fish up to 60%. â€Å"According to the Foundation for Ecological Recovery, the rivers fishing industry alone is worth up to 3 billion annually, and the existing dams are already decreasing that profit. † (Blake, Haley 2009). Whole species became extinct. The river had 50 different rapids that flowed with river dependent fish. Riverbank vegetation, Bamboo, and mushrooms began to disappear. Liver fluke, Blood fluke, and Schistosomiasis increased due to stagnant water. Villagers were dependent on income generated from fish, bamboo and mushrooms. Food and income deteriorated. Many Villagers moved away. Their lives and livelihood depended on the river. The people of Pac Moon Dam had already experienced the ill ecosystem change from past dams built as expressed in a letter opposing the Xayaburi dam project. â€Å"As a river of global significance we are urging the Governments of Laos and Thailand to call a stop to the destructive Xayaburi dam: Peter Jansen of both ENDS, an international NGO and member of the coalition. (Hance, Jeremy 2011). Many Thai’s disagreed with the dams advantages and sought to challenge it. The Thailand villagers (Pak Moon villagers), determined to make changes have fought for their rights by protests. Especially protests employing traditions and customs. For example in April of 2000, â€Å"more than 3,000 people gathered their boats at the Pak Moon dam to perform Sueb Chata Maenam, and to lobby authorities to let the Moon River run free again. Sueb Chata Maenam meats â€Å"extending a river’s life†, and it is a modem of adaption of an old ceremony which pays homage to rivers, which are considered the life blood of Thai traditional society. † (World Rainforest Movement, 2000). Conclusion Globalization continues to wither away biological and cultural diversity as seen by Thailand battle with dam’s consequences and Jamaica’s tourism impacts. For these two cultures the disadvantages consequently out way the advantages.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Compare Jenny in Lawns to Louise in The Fat Girl Essay

Compare Jenny in Lawns to Louise in The Fat Girl - Essay Example Self identity is the basic theme of both the stories. Louise is a fat girl who is constantly nagged by her mother to lose weight; otherwise she will never be able to attract any guy. This creates a complex in her personality and she starts pretending to go on a diet. She doesn’t eat in public or in front of her mother. She wants to please her mother and improve her image in the eyes of her friends that she doesn’t eat- yet she is fat. She eats when she is alone and derives pleasure from her secret for many years. This habit develops into a complex that gets deeper and deeper until she reaches college and remains fat as ever. She notices the disapproving expressions of her mother, old friends and relatives but she doesn’t want to change herself. She believes that she is much more than just a fat girl. This is a very important characteristic which is comparable to Jenny in ‘Lawns’ who is aware of the fact that she is sexually abused by her father. She learns to keep this secret from her mother and everyone else. She is an intelligent student and enjoys sexual relationships with other guys unlike Louise- but she doesn’t fall in love with any of them until she meets Glenn. Jenny also develops a psychological disorder of stealing things: mails, cookies, money. So, both girls develop a habit of stealing or hiding something from the rest of the world. Both are also lucky in friendship. Carrie, Louise’s friend helps her lose weight by being very supportive and as a result, Louise finds Richard who marries her and they apparently start living a happy life. Strangely, Louise feels that she had lost her soul along with her weight. She doesn’t feel like herself anymore and once she gets pregnant she finds the true meaning of her life and accepts herself the way she is. She decides that she doesn’t want to change herself for anyone and happily seeks comfort in motherhood. She starts eating secretly and despite Ri chard’s reaction to her gaining weight, she indulges in her secret habit of eating. One decisive evening, when the two are quarreling over her weight issue, she decides it is time to stand for her. She realizes that she made the wrong choice of going against her will and losing weight for the sake of finding a nice guy and for the approval of others- like her mother. â€Å"She thought of Carrie telling her of smelling chocolate in the dark and, after that, watching her eat it night after night. She smiled at Richard, teasing his anger.† (Dubus 139) She accepts her identity the way she is and faces Richard in the final scene with a candy bar in her hand. This shows that she asserts her choice and refuses to bow down to social pressure. This is an indication of the freedom of choice that she exercises and decides for herself, regardless of what her husband might think of her. Jenny is a victim of sex abuse by her father since she was nine. She accepted it as her fate and let him do it for many years. In fact she enjoyed it or perhaps she found it a way of getting her wishes fulfilled. Her parent is responsible for creating a psychological problem of stealing things- just like Louise, whose mother’s obsession with her weight develops her secret eating habits. She steals mails and the gifts that are meant for other people. The reason why she reads letters of other people is perhaps to know about their secret lives. She might want to know if there are others