Analysis of Yasmina Rezas Play God of Carnage

Analysis of Yasmina Reza's Play 'God of Carnage' Conflict and human nature when presented with it, are the predominant themes of Yasmina Rezas play God of Carnage.  Well-written and a display of fascinating character development, this play gives the audience an opportunity to witness the verbal battles of two families and their complex personalities. An Introduction to God of Carnage God of Carnage is written by Yasmina Reza, an award-winning playwright.   Rezas  other notable plays include Art  and Life x 3.  Author Christopher Hampton translated her play from French into English.  In 2011, it was made into a film  titled Carnage, directed by Roman Polanski. The plot of God of Carnage  begins with  an 11-year-old boy (Ferdinand) who strikes another boy (Bruno) with a stick, thereby knocking out two front teeth. The parents of each boy meet. What begins as a civil discussion ultimately devolves into a yelling match. Overall, the story is well-written and it is an interesting play that many people will enjoy. Some of the highlights for this reviewer include: Realistic dialogueBelievable charactersInsightful satireSubtle / vague ending Theater of Bickering Most people arent fans of ugly, angry, pointless arguments - at least not in real life. But, not surprisingly, these types of arguments are a theater staple, and with good reason. Obviously, the stationary nature of the stage means that most playwrights will generate a physically sedentary conflict that can be sustained in a single setting. Pointless bickering is perfect for such an occasion. Also, a tense argument reveals multiple layers of a character: emotional buttons are pressed and  boundaries are assaulted. For an audience member, there is a dark voyeuristic pleasure in watching the verbal battle which unfolds during Yasmina Rezas God of Carnage. We get to watch the characters unravel their dark sides, despite their diplomatic intentions. We get to behold adults who act like rude, petulant children. However, if we watch closely, we might see a bit of ourselves. The Setting The entire play takes place at the home of the Houllie family. Originally set in modern Paris, subsequent productions of God of Carnage  set the play in other urban locations such as London and New York. The Characters Although we spend a short time with these four characters (the play runs about 90 minutes with no breaks or scene changes), playwright Yasmina Reza creates each with a sprinkling of commendable traits and questionable moral codes. Veronique Houllie  (Veronica in American productions)Michel Houllie  (Michael in American productions)Annette ReilleAlain Reille  (Alan in American productions) Veronique Houllie At first, she seems like the most benevolent of the bunch. Instead of resorting to litigation regarding her son Brunos injury, she believes that they can all come to an agreement about how Ferdinand should make amends for his attack. Of the four principles, Veronique exhibits the strongest desire for harmony. She is even writing a book about the atrocities of Darfur. Her flaws lie in her overly judgmental nature. She wants to instill a sense of shame in Ferdinands parents (Alain and Annette Reille) hoping they will, in turn, instill a deep sense of regret in their son. About forty minutes into their encounter, Veronique decides that Alain and Annette are terrible parents and miserable people in general, yet throughout the play, she still attempts to maintain her crumbling facade of civility. Michel Houllie At first, Michel seems eager to create peace between the two boys and perhaps even bond with the Reilles. He offers them food and drink. He is quick to agree with the Reilles, even making light of the violence, commenting on how he was a leader of his own gang during his childhood (as was Alain). As the conversation progresses, Michel reveals his uncouth nature. He makes racial slurs about the Sudanese people whom his wife is writing about. He denounces child-raising as a wasteful, grueling experience. His most controversial action (which takes place before the play) has to do with his daughters pet hamster. Because of his fear of rodents, Michel released the hamster in the streets of Paris, even though the poor creature was terrified and clearly wanted to be kept at home. The rest of the adults are disturbed by his actions, and the play concludes with a phone call from his young daughter, crying over the loss of her pet. Annette Reille Ferdinands mother is constantly on the brink of a panic attack. In fact, she vomits twice during the course of the play (which must have been unpleasant for the actors each night). Like Veronique, she wants resolution and believes at first that communication can ameliorate the situation between the two boys. Unfortunately, the pressures of motherhood and household have eroded her self-confidence. Annette feels abandoned by her husband who is eternally preoccupied with work. Alain is glued to his cell phone throughout the play  until Annette finally loses control and drops the phone into a vase of tulips. Annette is the most physically destructive of the four characters. In additional to ruining her husbands new phone, she intentionally smashes the vase at the end of the play. (And her vomit incident spoils some of Veroniques books and magazines, but that was accidental.) Also, unlike her husband, she defends her childs violent actions by pointing out that Ferdinand was verbally provoked and out-numbered by the gang of boys. Alain Reille Alain might be the most stereotypical character of the group in that he is modeled after other slimy lawyers from countless other stories. He is the most openly rude because he frequently interrupts their meeting by talking on his cell phone.  His law firm represents a pharmaceutical company that is about to be sued because one of their new products causes dizziness and other negative symptoms. He claims that his son is a savage and doesnt see any point in trying to change him. He seems the most sexist of the two men, often implying that women have a host of limitations. On the other hand, Alain is in some ways the most honest of the characters. When Veronique and Annette claim that people must show compassion toward their fellow man, Alain becomes philosophical, wondering if anyone can truly care for others, implying that individuals will always act out of self-interest. Men vs. Women While much of the plays conflict is between the Houllies and the Reilles, a battle of the sexes is also interwoven throughout the storyline. Sometimes a female character makes a disparaging claim about her husband and the second female will chime in with her own critical anecdote. Likewise, the husbands will make snide comments about their family life, creating a bond (albeit a fragile one) between the males. Ultimately, each of the characters turns on the other so that by the plays end everyone seems emotionally isolated.

The pro and con of abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The pro and con of abortion - Essay Example Their philosophical approach offers an insight into the fundamentals of life. At the center of their reasoning is the concept of a person and moral obligation towards life in respect of abortion. Critical evaluation of Peter Simpson viewpoint on abortion emphasizes opposition and paints the act as horrific and unjustifiable. In the opinion of Simpson, abortion contravenes the fundamental law of nature which upholds sanctity of life. He asserts that fetus is a person and not an organ. In the context of biology, fetus is a person and not an organ which forms part of being. In that respect, procurement of abortion is outright elimination of a person which is morally unacceptable (Simpson, 1998). It is therefore obvious that Simpson is against abortion at all costs. The right to life should prevail over any other form of human action and legal structures that govern the society. In his view, Simpson asserts the supremacy of natural law over man-made constitution. In support of his idea, Simpson explains the relationship between mother and the unborn as giver of life to gift. In that respect, the mother should protect the unborn at all costs hence outright declaration of murder f or any attempted or successful abortion. The state law should therefore act within the natural laws which note the fetus as a person with the right to life. Legal provisions that present abortion as alternatives of protecting the life of the mother are tantamount to portraying attacker to victim relation between mother and the unborn. The law should therefore not be corrupted to portray fetus as a threat to mother’s life as this would promote justification of the vice. Simpson argues that even if human laws emphasize illegality of abortion, moral obligation and adherence to natural law that disrepute the act is key in guiding behavior (Simpson, 1998). On the other side of the argument, Mary Ann offers an

A report regarding the logistics activities of an organization or of a Research Paper

A report regarding the logistics activities of an organization or of a business of your choice - Research Paper Example ds, the management of Food Basics has made some excellent strategic decisions, and these will be outlined as a model of what can be done to deliver good quality low- and high-end products to a consumer seeking budget solutions. In particular, the management’s ability to anticipate trends in the food market is outlined, with both canola oil and olive oil shown as evidence of the success of the company’s plans. Similarly, the advantage of aligning with larger companies, and taking advantage of their systems and economic power are described as they relate to this food chain. Finally, the decision to restrict the chain’s expansion across to wide an area is examined to show that distribution and costing difficulties can be effectively addressed with good planning. In order to understand the particular challenges of the food retail business environment thoroughly, a good place to start is by examining the logistics activities of a supermarket chain. By focusing on a business of this nature, it is possible to establish how a business is able to create a profitable record by effective logistics and concentration on delivery of desirable products in a â€Å"no-fuss† way, and at competitive prices, to the average consumer. In Ontario, Canada, a particularly well-known and widely supported brand of supermarket is the Food Basics stores. The stores offer lower cost products across a wide range of products, with particular focus on foodstuffs. National and international brands are carried as well as private in-store brand labels, and offered in 117 stores across Ontario. (Food Basics website, 2012) Food Basics is owned by Metro, Inc. a major Canadian food and pharmaceutical company, which also owns Metro, Metro Plus, and Super C brands. (Metro Inc. website, 2012) The central topic of this paper is the logistical activities involved in the retail sale of vegetable oil by Food Basics. Within the wider examination of â€Å"logistics† Demand Forecasting, Quality Control and

Blackboard Assignment Essay Example for Free

Blackboard Assignment Essay 1. I have recently engaged in a discussion with a couple of American soldiers who fought in Iraq. They talked about the deployment of their company in the divisions within the military zones in Iraq where they encountered several IEDs and AQI. Also, they said something about doing recon work with a bird and how they were lucky not to be a POW. All throughout the conversation, I remained clueless about the topic. I was not able to share any inputs. If only the speaker would explain the military jargons or better yet if they have opted to use terms that were of common knowledge, I would have comprehended the conversation. Instead of using bird, they could have used helicopter so as not to confuse the animal with an aircraft. On the other hand, I have also made this same mistake. During the time when I was applying for college, I unconsciously used some jargons to explain this activity to my younger sister. As a result, she kept on asking for the definition of the terms that I used which made the conversation awkward. After this incident, I realized that some terms are inappropriate to use especially when the listener is not well-informed about the subject. However, if it is inevitable to use jargons in conversations, make sure to explain the terms in the context that everyone can relate. By doing this, the probability of misunderstanding and misinterpretation will be greatly reduced. 2. I think that the use of ambiguous language is prevalent because people opt to generalize information for convenience leaving more room for different interpretations. However, it only becomes unethical when it is intended to mislead the audience. In the case of the coal mine explosion in West Virginia, CNN reported that there were 12 survivors but in reality only 1 got out alive. This false information was based on the statement of a rescuer that they have found the miners and said â€Å"that they are all ok, I guess, so† (English). Instead of journalists further investigating this event, they have reported it as they heard it which brought false hopes and even caused pain to the families of the miners. Works Cited English, Larry P. â€Å"Information Quality in Communication. † 11 January 2006. Beye Network. 18 November 2008 http://www. b-eye-network. co. uk/view-articles/2215.

Divided Nations :: essays papers

Divided Nations Introduction In this essay, I will discuss both the cultural factors in divided nations encountered in the book â€Å"The Violence Within: Cultural and Political Opposition in Divided Nations†, edited by Kay B. Warren, and the methods by which the contributors to this volume have collected their data. The broad array of conflict and opposition encountered in the book are inclusive to countries such as Northern Ireland, Israel, Egypt, Iran, South Africa, The Philippines, Guatemala, and Brazil. A variety of authors have lent their interpretations and experiences in and of these cultures. The methods of data collection are wide ranging, including participant observation, representative, and the accounts of professionals in the same or similar fields. First, I will describe the cultural factors contributing to unrest in each of these nations, and then the methods by which the authors have collected their research material. Cultural Factors in Northern Ireland There is a long history of opposition to British colonialism in Northern Ireland and historically, colonialism creates a special case which carries characteristic cultural effects in the opposition. Colonialism, as Begona Aretxaga (223) points out, â€Å"not only exploits and despoils, it also creates meanings and shapes feelings.†. He further suggests that it is this creation of meanings and shaping of feeling that sets colonialism apart from other forms of political opposition. It is this effect which has laid the cultural framework for the political defiances of the Irish. The major cultural vessel used to express dissent has historically been seen in the form of hunger strikes by political prisoners. This practice has a far-reaching cultural basis which can be found in Gaelic tradition. The hunger strike has also gained significant meaning from the Catholic religion, drawing from the symbolism therein. Whereas this type of non-violent protest has often been associated with the precedent set by Ghandi, here it has a rich historical background and was used to rally and unify the Irish people. From the British perspective, what made colonialism acceptable to the masses was a cultural infusion, painting a picture of the Irish as savages. Their religion was deemed pagan. This religious dissimilarity has permeated through the years, and been the main source of difference as seen between these two entities. Next, I will document the cultural components contributing to the conflict in Israel. Cultural Factors in Israel The rather significant cultural

Purity of Good and Evil in Ender’s Game Essay

The basis of human nature and the way we interact with one another and ourselves throughout our lives is deeply connected with the idea of good and evil in the human speciescut? This reoccurring theme is seen in all religion, mythology, and modern day stories which all have the constant moral compass of straying from evil and relating to the good through actions and emotions. While it is believed by many that people’s actions shape their internal identity, is that really the case? Ender’s game raises this question with Peter symbolizing evil and portrays ultimate actions of good and Ender symbolizing good while portraying the actions of evil. With the toying of the readers perception of the stereotypical good and evil, Card proves in his writing that emotions, especially remorse, is the factor in which separates good and evil and that the pure form of the two cannot be found in our species’ nature. Throughout Ender’s Game, Ender has a constant internal battle between the wrong that he is forced to do and the good that he naturally contains. Like his sister, he is inherently good, but because he is a genius and ultimately more that of an outcast, he is put in situations where his actions of killing are portrayed of that of Peter. Ender is shown going through three main cycles of violent behavior where he first is an outcast and is tormented by them, then faced with a life death situation, he has no choice but to fight full heartedly. The cycles are Enders fight with Stilson, his fight with Bonso, and his ultimate battle with the Buggers. In each cycle, Ender is unaware that he may and ultimately does kill his opposite. The fact that he is not aware of his doings until the end of the book and is ultimately referred to as â€Å"The Xenocide† His tittle sp is that of what the reader early on saw as Peter’s fate, not Enders, showing Card’s switch on the roles and actions of the good and evil roles within the book. Peter’s emotional development throughout the book does not change or get any less of that than evil, but Peter ultimately does good, showing the other half of Card’s skewing of the roles of pure good and evil. The character of Peter is introduced as a bully that has a main agenda of torturing Ender out of the jealousy that Ender has been chosen by command. After Ender leaves for command school, Peter is shown as a standard sociopath, with the torturing and killing of innocent animals; an early sign that is commonly linked to crime and murder in the child of study’s later life. While the reader would have guessed that Peter would be the one responsible for a genocide instead of Ender, somehow Peter falls into becoming a Great ruler of the Land. Although that is the case, Card doesn’t let the characters actions fool the reader, for Peter is still more on the evil side due to the fact that his sole reason for coming to power is a selfish yearning for control and power. Although both Peter and Ender fulfill their seemingly opposite destinies, they are very much different from one another, because they both remain true to their first intentions. Ender has taken on the role of Peter’s foretold destiny, Card does not show Ender as that of a mass murderer for he did not commit Genocide with no remorse to follow. He was unaware of the Genocide at the time he was committing it, for if he did, he would not have been able to go through with it. â€Å" Of course we tricked you into it. That’s the whole point..It had to be a trick or you couldn’t have done it†¦ We had to have a commander with so much empathy that he would think like the buggers, understand them and anticipate them. So much compassion that he could win the love of his underlings and work with them like a perfect machine, as perfect as the buggers. But somebody with that much compassion cold never be the killer we needed. Could never go into battle willing to win at all costs. If you know, you couldn’t do it. If you were the kind of person who would do it, even if you knew, you could never have understood the buggers well enough†(p.298), a quote said by Graff when explaining to Ender why they tricked him into defeating the Buggers in war. Ender shows compassion and love for his enemies and never fails to feel remorse after the confrontations. Through his cycles mentioned earlier, he never knew he killed anybody until after they were all completed, for if he knew, he would have never been able to fight again and would have been haunted by the fact that he had become as Brutal as Peter. â€Å"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him. I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves.† (p. 238) Ender reveals this to Valentine during their visit on land. Card shows that while Peter gets joy out of hurting and may have no real understanding of love, Ender is tortured by the doings unto his enemy for he falls in love with his enemies nature and finds them fascinating. The fact that Ender at the end of the novel goes back and fixes his wrong by repopulating the buggers is another example of his compassion. If there is any thought in the readers mind that Ender is in any way truly violent deep within, they are altered due to this action of reaching out to save the buggers. Card uses Valentine and the adults in the book as a standard to base Peter and Ender off of. Valentine is representative of the majority of human race, the majority that is between good and evil. While the human race is predominantly good, they can easily be swayed into doing things, often feeling remorse, just as Valentine feels when she is helping Peter. While visiting Ender on his leave, Valentine describes her self. â€Å"Two Faces of the same coin. And am I the metal in between.† (p. 236) She holds the two opposites together by being their common ground. The adults in the novel, while mainly absent from both Peter and Ender’s lives, are neither good nor evil for they are complex beings. Card’s use of Children is present because they are simplistic in their good and evil with not much to get in the way and disguise their true agenda. Cards separation between Ender and Peter’s actions from their true intentions shows that he believes that human intentions cannot be that of a pure form of simply the two ends of good and evil. They are skewed throughout lives with factors leading and morphing an individuals take on their internal emotion and what they do with it. While Ender and Peter were close to being the polar ends to our society’s obsession with good and evil, they prove that even the blank primal slate of children is molded. It proves that superheroes are truly immortal because it is impossible for a human to be that of a perfect being, doing no evil what so ever, and that humans are prone to making mistakes. Its how an individual deals with a mistake separates the good from bad.

The Anaconda Plan - 1761 Words

In 1861, the United States was no longer united and its people were at war, in what is commonly known as the American Civil War. This left President Abraham Lincoln in a tight spot on how to go about dealing with the Southern states that had seceded, the Confederacy, who were now at war with the Northern states, the Union. Lincoln met with his generals to devise a strategy by which the Confederate states could be brought back into the Union. General Winfield Scott, commanding general of the Union army, proposed one plan of battle that he had earlier proposed to Major-General George B. McClellan. His plan came to be known as the Anaconda plan. This plan, although it was never technically adopted, ended up being extremely successful and†¦show more content†¦This was to prevent them from exporting cotton, tobacco, and other cash crops and to keep them from importing much needed war supplies. Since cotton was the South’s staple product and what they relied on for economic success, if the trade of this were to be shut down then they would run out of funds and lose all financial power. The Confederate government was able to purchase a pound of cotton for as low as 8 ¢, and sell it to Europe for as much as 54 ¢. This sale was often above 300% profit while considering the costs of transport.[4] Therefore, if they were to lose this major source of income, they would begin to crumble and lose any financial power they could possibly have over the Union. This plan was never adopted mainly due to Winfield Scott’s lack of planning. His proposal for the blockade was not properly a strategy, despite the fact that it is often referred to by historians as one. It did not estimate the forces that would be needed to guard the 3000 or more miles of coastline in the seceded states.[5] Nor did it consider an allocation of resources, set out a time line, or even name points of particular concern. Due to this lack of planning, Lincoln was extremely skeptical of the plan’s possible success. It was because his doubt of the plan’s success that he chose to battle with the Confederacy in ground campaigns, rather than waiting for a slow strangulation of the Confederacy to occur. In theShow MoreRelatedThe Plan Of The Anaconda Plan1295 Words   |  6 PagesThe anaconda plan At the beginning of the war the Union thought it would be an easy, quick war. The Union leaders at this time had no actual plan for the war. General Scott saw this and came up with the Anaconda plan. Scott considered the war a strategy game, and would attack and penetrate the enemy s forces without destroying all of their troops; focusing mainly on victory. At the beginning of the war Scott, unlike others, thought that the war would be over in more than two years. The war endedRead More The Anaconda Plan Essay616 Words   |  3 Pages The Anaconda Plan At the onset of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln met with his generals to devise a strategy by which the rebellious states of the Confederacy could be brought back into the Union. General Winfield Scott, commanding general of the Union army, proposed a plan of battle that became known as the Anaconda Plan. General Winfield Scott, commanding general of the Union Army From the Collections of The Mariners Museum General Scott, a native Virginian, believed that the majorityRead MoreThe Anaconda Plan s Effect On The Civil War1227 Words   |  5 PagesMeyme Nakash Ms. Gulnac US History 9G 15 May 2015 The Anaconda Plan s Effect on The Civil War From 1861-1865 the Civil War was fought to determine the survival of the independent Confederacy. 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US forces had to replan the battle at a moments notice. The mission of Operation Anaconda was to bring down the Taliban government and to destroy al Qaeda. Operation Anaconda followedRead MoreOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early1500 Words   |  6 PagesOperation Anaconda Operation Anaconda took place as a part of the War in Afghanistan in early March of 2002. It happened in the Shahikot valley of eastern Afghanistan. The purpose of the operation was to take out enemy Taliban and al Qaeda forces that were gathered in the area. U.S. forces built a complex plan to achieve this end state. They planned to use a â€Å"hammer and anvil† attack that used U.S. forces as well as friendly Afghani armed forces to quickly kill or capture the enemy. Intel told commandersRead MoreEssay on The American Civil War783 Words   |  4 Pages The North used a strategy known as the Anaconda Plan. 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