Crime Scene Investigation Essay -- Media, TV Show

Every week more than 60 million Americans turn their television sets to tune to the popular crime investigation drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation or one of its countless spin offs, which have become increasingly popular among the American public (Shelton, n.d.). The show has been a top rated drama since it was first aired in 2001, it has received several Emmy nominations, and many even claimed it has lead to the considerable increase in college students studying forensic science. Recently however, despite its many achievements several newspapers and magazine articles began warning about the impact the shows influence is having on our criminal justice system; they referred to the phenomenon as the CSI Effect. Max Houck, Director of the Forensic Science Initiative at West Virginia University, explains the CSI effect as â€Å"basically the perception of the near-infallibility of forensic science in response to the TV show† ( Podlas, 2010, p. 99). The concern among criminal jus tice experts and prosecutors is that the so called CSI effect creates unrealistic expectations that every case must be solved with high tech forensic tests, which they believe, has a significant impact on juror decision making. Exposure to the dramatized and fictional depiction of crime solving portrayed by these television shows has had a significant impact on viewer’s conception of reality, which has negatively altered the expectation of jurors and influenced jury verdicts. In order to comprehend the impact of television crime dramas on the criminal justice system, it is important to understand how the CSI effect operates. The relationship between entertainment programming and viewer beliefs is based on the media theory of cultivation. The cultivation theor... ... more than twelve million people tuning in to watch CSI (Shelton, n.d.), and with science and technology continuing to evolve so rapidly, we will continue to see a substantial influence on American criminal justice through their impacts on potential juror expectations. Our criminal justice system should seek to adapt to these changes as supposed to fight them, the way the system is set up juror verdicts are expected to be a reflection of our society’s values. With those value will change and jury verdict will reflect those changes in popular culture. In adapting to such changes, we must invest in funding and training law enforcement to collect and analyze scientific evidence. While we adapt to those changes it is crucial that the jury is carefully instructed about the nature of such evidence as well as properly selected by a Voir Dire process to identify biases.

Melody in the Middle Ages Essay

In the early Middle Ages, melodic or textual embellishments added to plainchant were referred to as prosulae. In your own words, summarize the types of plainchant to which prosulae were most often added and the reasons for those additions. The Book of Hymns is one prime example of a prosulae. Plainchant was being sung day in and day out by the monks, who had already added some slight melody, but was still not easy to memorize. By adding some rhythm and separation in syllables throughout the melody, a new way to not only memorize the verses, but also present them, was born. In the early Middle Ages, melodic or textual embellishments added to plainchant were referred to as prosulae. In your own words, summarize Notker’s description of how and why he came to add words to melismas, and his teacher Iso’s response. Notker realized as a young child that he wanted to find a way to remember the words to certain melodies, but with them being so long, he could not. When he came across a man with sequenced verses he was at first excited, but soon disappointed as they did no better than the long, monotonous melodies he remembered as a child. When he decided to add words to these verses and took them to his teacher, Iso, he both appreciated and pitied Notker. He went back and corrected some mistakes pointed out by his teacher, and these changes proved to be successful. The new verses were deemed worthy and copied to a roll for the all of the boys to sing.

Shylock Villain or Victim - 6154 Words

Shylock: Victim or Villain? He is a Jewish moneylender who earns his living by charging interest on money he loans (like modern banks). He often speaks prose in the play, which marks him out as an outsider. He is persecuted by all the non-Jews he knows: He tells Antonio, suffrance is the badge of all our tribe. He is verbally abused and bullied by most characters in the play and is called cruel names including villain with a smiling cheek, cut-throat dog, bloody creditor, damned inexecrable dog. He is clearly an intelligent businessman: He is very astute and is aware of other peoples concerns - he knows all about Antonios business ventures. The main reason he hates Antonio is financial: I hate him for he is a Christian; / But†¦show more content†¦He hath disgraced me, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, The quote clearly portrays Shylock remembering every single thing that Antonio has done to him. He calculates what Antonio has done to him and tries to revenge the wrongs done to him by murdering Antonio. Next, Shylock is very materialistic. When Tubal brings news of Jessica to Shylock, Shylock says Two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels! I would my daughter dead at my foot, with the jewels in her ear! This clearly shows that Shylock would prefer to have his money and jewels than his daughters return. Thirdly, Shylock is shrewd. When discussing the forfeiture of the bond, Shylock says let the forfeiture be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in what part of the body pleaseth me. Shylock suggests the forfeiture of the bond playfully, whereas it is actually a cunning plan to murder Antonio with the law on his side. Finally, I would like to reiterate that Shylock is a tyrannical and bloodthirsty villain instead of a tragic figure, whom many might sympathize with. In the above essay, I have clearly shown that Shylock is a villain. He is vengeful, materialistic and shrewd. These are the characteristics of a stereotypical villain. I personally think Shylock, from The Merchant of Venice, was the victim. He made the deal with AntonioShow MoreRelatedWas Shylock A Victim Or A Villain1719 Words   |  7 Pagesone that is portraying various peoples lives throughout Venice and Belmont. During the course of the play there is a concentration of thoughts and emotions towards the character Shylock, a Jewish usurer, this is the very character that we shall be concentrating the question in the title on. In most scenes the character Shylock has to deal with a lot of racial discrimination, which has at modern times become unacceptable to most people. Elizabethan society was largely anti-Semitic and as such the audienceRead MoreShylock as a Victim of Villain Essay2293 Words   |  10 PagesShylock as a Victim of Villain Throughout the play ‘The Merchant of Venice’ there are constant references to various characters and the way they relate to one another, however there is no character so diverse and so complex as Shylock’s character. Shakespeare tries to portray Shylock in a number of ways however I believe his main focus in the play, is on his villainous side. This may be portraying the time of Shakespeare where ethnic minorities likeRead MoreShylock: Villain or Victim?1043 Words   |  5 Pagesis a cunning Jewish moneylender named Shylock. Shylock is part of a race that was discriminated against, despised and hated for their religion. In the beginning of the play Shylock makes an unsettling bond with a well-known, good and generous man named Antonio. Shylock has always had a grudge against Antonio because he is trusting; he lends money without interest, taking away Shylock’s business. He is also a Christian. We know that we can never trust Shylock to have any feeling of considerationRead MoreShylock: A Ruthless Villain or a Persecuted Victim.1165 Words   |  5 PagesA villain in a play is a â€Å"character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot† and a victim in the terms of this play is â€Å"a person who has come to feel helpless and passive in the face of misfortune or ill-treatment†. Shylock in Merchant of Venice is a Jewish moneylender and Jewish people during Shakespearean time were looked down upon, treated unfairly with no respect. Shylock in Merchant of Venice is portrayed as how a stereotypical Jew would be portrayed as, a villain and an antagonistRead More Shylock : a Villain in appearance, a Victim at heart Essay2014 Words   |  9 Pagescharacter could have both good and evil aspects, creating a complex personality. In The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, there is an example of one of those characters. Shylock could be one of the most controversial characters ever created. Some people believe he is a victim, while others say he is a villain. In order to trace this idea we should know why people in the Elizabethan era hates Jews. Rodrigo Lopez was a Jew of Portuguese decent, who fled to England in 1559 where he workedRead MoreThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice1527 Words   |  7 PagesThe Character of Shylock as a Victim or Villain in The Merchant of Venice Do you consider the character of shylock to be a victim or villain in the play The Merchant of Venice? Shylock is one of the most interesting, memorable and debated characters in the play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice†. In many ways this is because he is both a victim and a villain. Shylock was made a laughing stock of and is ridiculed by the Christians because he was Jewish. The Jewish communityRead MoreEssay The Merchant of Venice Shylock Villain or Victim777 Words   |  4 PagesShylock, Villain or victim? The Merchant of Venice June 8th, 2011 In the play The Merchant of Venice Shylock is supposed to be the protagonist, the definition of protagonist is; the leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. But the way Shylock is portrayed is more along the lines of being both victim and villain. Shylock is out for one pound of Antonio’s flesh which will in the end kill Antonio and the flesh will do him no good anyway. But heRead MoreThe Merchant of Venice: Is Shylock a Villain or a Victim? Essay846 Words   |  4 PagesIn this essay I will try to discover is Shylock a villain or a victim, in the William Shakespeare play â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† It is difficult to say if Shylock is a complete villain or a victim, as his character is complex and ambiguous. However, it is difficult to view Shylock as anything other than a devious, bloodthirsty and heartless villain in the majority of the play. There are a few points in the story where he can be viewed as victimised, as most Jews were at that time, but ShakespeareRead MoreIs Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice763 Words   |  4 PagesIs Shylock Victim Or Villain in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice William Shakespeare wrote the Merchant of Venice in the Elizabethan period. The play is about Shylock, a Jewish money lender ¡: trying to make a living and survive in a community that despises him and marginalias him. Before the plot even starts, Shylock is condemned for being a Jew, and a moneylender. Jews were forbidden to be successful businessmen in Venice, so the only occupation open to him Read MoreIs Shylock The Villain Or Victim In The Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1411 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis Shylock Is Shylock the villain or the victim in the Merchant of Venice? In the play the ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare the antagonist Shylock is both the victim and the villain. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender and is initially portrayed as anger filled and bloodthirsty but as the play continues we begin to see him as more human and his emotions become more evident. As the antagonist, Shylock is a fearful adversary to Antonio, the protagonist. But as good begins to

Breaking The Mold Racial Prejudices Exist Everywhere

Breaking the Mold Racial prejudices exist everywhere, it is defined as, â€Å"a negative attitude towards a group of people based on race — not on direct knowledge or experience† (Dictionary, 2014). There are many factors that influence racial prejudices in people including, fear, hatred, intolerance, and discrimination. As a whole, we need to come together and get over these barriers in order to break this mold. As humans, we judge everyone. When we look at someone we distinguish who they are through the color of their skin, hair, and the overall way that they look. So when you see someone they have already been categorized in your head sometimes without even knowing it. The problem with this is people are identified by their characteristics physically, and not their character, personally. By doing this we create opinions of others based on stereotypes. Prejudices have existed for ever I even believe that they cross over to other species, and they do not even understand what it is. One example would be dogs that do not get along with certain breeds, my dog, a golden retriever has to leave the park if he sees a German Sheppard (male or female), since he becomes aggressive, which is completely out of his character. When he does this I always wonder his dislike for the breed is caused by a past experience (he was adopted), intimidation by the size, appearance of the color and fur type, or is he simply in fear. This is a common question that comes to mind when I think aboutShow MoreRelated Birth Of Communication Essay4825 Words   |  20 Pagespowers consciousness, men realized the fact of racial and cultural diversity. Because of communication and a closer feeling to unknown civilizations, the strength of America began to realize that life in one part of the world is no longer inconsequential to life on the other side of the world. New stories of the emergence of civilization arose, the best qualities of mankind differed and total different lives were lived. How co uld two different truths exist on one planet with such a newfound closenessRead MoreAn Introduction to Intercultural Communication29172 Words   |  117 Pagescommunication they can unknowingly cause confusion and misunderstandings. For these intercultural businesses to breach the cultural barriers encountered when stepping into foreign grounds it is vital for them to fully understand the cultural differences that exist so as to prevent damaging business relations due to intercultural communication gaps. There are many theories that set principles to help interpret the basis of intercultural communication. These theories help to iron out possible ripples of misunderstandingRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesBabylon—a system and a place that is the enemy of the blacks of the world. FOREWORD ix 7. There is still no organized set of doctrines and teachings that constitute Rastafarianism, and no organized Rastafarian church, temple, or worship space exists. 8. There are numerous sects and groupings of Rastafarians, each holding to its own belief system and structure. 9. Rastafarianism is a deeply patriarchal religion that remains completely behoven to the Bible. 10. For the Rasta, the land mass ofRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pageshave your performance appraised. For that matter, each time you take an exam in a class, your performance is being evaluated. Consequently, it’s important for you to have an understanding of how it should work, and the potential problems that may exist. We begin Part 1 of this book with an emphasis on providing you with an overview of the ever-changing world of work and the effect it is having on HRM. With that as a foundation, we then proceed to introduce you to HRM, its approach, the link to organizationalRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesHenri Fayol wrote that all managers perform five management functions: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling.5 Today, we have condensed these to four: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Because org anizations exist to achieve goals, someone has to define those goals and the means for achieving them; management is that someone. The planning function encompasses defining an organization’s goals, establishing an overall strategy for achieving those goals, and developingRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pages60-40 in favor of more fun if you go with Juanita instead of Emilio. Another possible consequence is that Juanita will at first be flattered that you asked her to go with you. There is still another possible consequence to consider: You will be breaking your promise to Emilio, which would be morally wrong and thus have a negative value. It wouldnt be as negative as letting Emilio drink water that you know will cause a disease, but it is clearly negative, and the probability of this consequenceRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagescentury the seeds were right: ideas flourished, and funding was readily available for those whose ideas were deemed promising. For industries more mature, innovation can still mark the more successful firms. Strategic windows of opportunity often exist when a traditional way of doing business has prevailed in the industry for a long time—maybe the climate is ripe for a change. Opportunities often are present when existing firms are not entirely satisfying customers’ needs. Innovations are not

Generic Products vs Brand Name Essay - 1116 Words

Do generic products really save you money? With the price of living getting higher and higher as very year passes, people are looking for alternative ways to save money. The main reason for buying generic products, saving money, is simple enough. But theres also the satisfaction of not giving in to the marketing hype and buying something just because a company promotes it everywhere. The generic labels may not be as fancy as the brand-name products, and the taste of generic items, such as soda, may not appeal to you depending on your taste buds, but its worth trying generic brands to see if you like them. The savings can add up over a lifetime, as a savings calculator can quickly show you. And if the savings isnt enough, or the†¦show more content†¦In general, generic cough and cold medicines are much cheaper and just as effective as branded medications, she said. While generic works for most over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicine is something that shouldnt be switched back and forth between generic and brand names, she said. Absorption of prescription, as well as over-the-counter, medications could be different between different products, so sticking with brand or generic and not switching back and forth, especially with prescription medications, is important, she said. Insurance companies prefer that doctors write for generic prescription medications instead of branded medications because the generics are cheaper, but if the branded label works better for the patient, a doctor can write to the insurer and explain that the branded product is needed, Rosenbaum said. Be persistent, communicate with your doctor and pharmacist, and stick with one pharmacy for all your prescription medications so the pharmacist has an accurate history of all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as dietary supplements you are taking, she recommended. According to the Consumer Report, the best deal for medications is the $4 program that pharmacys are using for the generic prescript ion drugs. Cereal is one of the biggest values when buying generic equaling 25% to 50% in savings. A $5.50 box of brand-name cereal canShow MoreRelatedGeneric And Name Brand Drugs1126 Words   |  5 Pages While recent advancements in modern medicine have turned it into a field of competition between generic and name-brand drugs, these drugs show very slight differences in ability while they have a large difference in price. The FDA is in charge of overseeing the creation of these generic and name brand drugs. Too much diversity in their results is unacceptable to FDA so they keep a close watch on the makeup and effectiveness of the drugs and how they impact the human body. Along with the differencesRead MoreGeneric vs. Name Brand1080 Words   |  5 Pageschoosing either a generic vs. brand name product? Do you reach for the brand name box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, or would you rather pick up a generic box of macaroni and cheese to save that extra 10 cents? Is your decision based off a di fference in taste or is it simply a matter of paying for quality of the product? What does spending more money on a brand name food product have to say about who we are in our culture today? Today there is an idea that by buying a brand name product a person is buyingRead MoreRhetorical Analysis of Great Brand Controversy1050 Words   |  5 PagesGreat Brand Controversy Which is better Saran Wrap or the Kroger generic plastic wrap? Is it worth the savings to try the generic product or should you stick with the â€Å"name brand† that you know will perform to your standards. With today’s economy, many people are struggling over whether to buy brand name products or look for cheaper alternatives. Hershell Gordon Lewis explains his views on this debate in his article The Great Brand Controversy. The article The Great Brand ControversyRead MoreThe Rise Of Store Brands1066 Words   |  5 PagesStore brands saw a rise during the recession, but many consumers continue to buy them. With the recession over, consumers purchase store brands for different reasons other than cost savings. Store brands are now competing with national brands. Both, store and national brands, need to focus on what they can do for their consumers and offer them value plus brand promises. How is this accomplished? This paper explains the causes behind the rise of store brands and how national and store brands createRead MoreThe Generic Vs Brand War1535 Words   |  7 PagesEquate Extra Strength Acetaminophen for only $41. Not only is this generic store brand less than half the price of Tylenol, it also had double the product! You mind wavers on which capsules to buy. Does the lower cost of generic indicate a lack of effectiveness compared to Tylenol? Or are generics created equally to brand name me dications, but the cost of brands is driven up due to their marketing? Should doctors prescribe generics as an option for patients that are covered little or not covered atRead MoreBristol Meyers Squibb vs Takeda1033 Words   |  5 PagesBristol Meyers Squibb vs Takeda Vidhya Nagabhushans Antitrust laws were essentially created to stop businesses that got too large from blocking competition and abusing their power. Mergers and monopolies can limit the choices offered to consumers  because smaller  businesses  are not usually able to  compete. Although free and open competition ensures lower prices and new and better products, it  has the potential to significantly  limit market diversity. Bristol-Myers Squibb, our BioPharmaRead MoreKraft Macaroni and Cheese VS generic brand1398 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Justin Damato 4/23/14 Micro Econ Writing Project Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Vs. Generic Brand Everyone has his or her own personal preference towards buying generic or name brand products. When shopping in a grocery store does the type of pasta really matter to you? How about the type of macaroni and cheese you reach for? Same ingredients, same directions on how to mix and stir up the final manufactured goods but is it really the â€Å"same†. To a lot of people it might not make a differenceRead MoreApplication For Licenses At Prescribed Forms ( 86 )1610 Words   |  7 Pagesprice at which any essential commodity may be bought or sold. Need for use of brand names With the introduction of new drug policy most of the basic drugs and formulations were excluded from price control regime on the ground that the operation of market forces would reduce the prices. These excluded drugs constitute a large chunk of the total consumption. The use of brand names as opposed to generic names makes it possible for the drug industry to sell similar drug formulations at widelyRead MoreConsumer s Response And Reaction Of Brand Named Products Versus Generic Products1607 Words   |  7 Pagespurchase one brand of the item over another is important to investigate. Also, it is vital to recognize how to retain their loyalty for years to come. With the help of grounded theory methodology, this research paper will evaluate a consumer’s response and reaction to brand-named products versus generic products that have been examined and studied for many years. For many years, researchers have questioned the reason that a consumer grows attached and likes vs. dislikes certain branded products, the answerRead MoreEssay on The Rise in the Price of Prescription Drugs1332 Words   |  6 Pagespublic, are dishonest and, in some cases, unsafe. On the other hand, there are health care workers such as doctors and their supporters who c laim that research and testing for drugs costs money. This supposedly justifies their prices for their products. Also, as an argument to their side, they say that their practice is a benefit to the improvement to mankind. It is a life saving business, but are these prices justified? As one can see, this is a very important issue in medicine today. It affects

Self Evaluation for Decision Making Free Essays

From: Kayayetta Dukes To: Lana Lincoln Subject: Self Evaluation January 17th 2012 Dear Mrs. Lincoln, Here is my yearly self-evaluation report about the managerial decisions I have made regarding the restaurant’s employee retention issues we face. As we have previously discussed at meetings our employee retention ratio to turnover is fairly poor for a restaurant. We will write a custom essay sample on Self Evaluation for Decision Making or any similar topic only for you Order Now I think many establishments face this challenge of retaining good employees and there are several reasons that are to blame for the high ratio. I feel if we didn’t implement these criteria it would snowball and grow into bigger problems so it seemed a no brainer to waste no time in starting this makeover. I’ve come up with a game plan to drastically reduce our turnover rate so we can focus on other issues that warrant our attention in the process of making the restaurant number 1 in all aspects possible. Our major issue at the restaurant is that our employee retention rate is around 15% which leaves our turnover rate at an out of control 85%. With most of our employees being constantly replaced its hard for our staff to have a sense of cohesion, team pride, and stability. My criteria with this challenge was to create a sense of loyalty with the staff, make them feel like they are a part of a big family; show them that this job can be a long-term career and that we want to promote from within. Weighing these criteria helps me figure which are most important in reaching our overall goal of reducing our turnover rate. The numeric value of 5 will count as most vital in accomplishing our goal and 1 will represent the criteria that can be put on the back burner until the 5’s are implemented and in force. Communicate managements’ goal to promote from within 5 * Reward full-time and part-time employees for length of service 1 * Team-building exercises once a month 1 * Create an employee suggestion box 5 * Revamp scheduling to create more convenience 5 Although I feel strongly about my above solutions I’ve created a few alternatives that could possibly work just as well. My first alternative idea would be to mandate training classes for al l employees. This plan would include training on customer service skills, teamwork strategies, and personal growth. Another alternative would be to mandate employee events to reward good service and promote togetherness. My final solution would be to crack down on the team with serious consequences for being late, missing shifts, or receiving customer complaints. This method would consist of writing repeat offenders up and firing them after so many to show we want to employ and keep worthy employees and we will not tolerate less. To rate these alternatives I used a score of 10 for the best and a 5 for the ones that I have reservations about. * Mandated training classes for all employees. 10 Mandated after work employee events to promote team cohesion. 5 * Rid the restaurant of employees who aren’t doing a good job. 5 I carefully considered these alternatives before making the optimal decision of sticking with the original plan plus including the first alternative to have a fail proof way of getting a serious hold on our retention rate. I did encounter problems completing the challenge thoug h. This included resistance from employees who were reluctant with accepting change. Also we had issues with scheduling for additional trainings and after work events to work on team cohesion. I overcame these hurdles by making the trainings available more days to accomidate more employees without conflict, we created the suggestion box and also are now taking a majority vote for the monthly reward meeting in which we will have an open forum about issues that have risen in the previous month as well as to cover progress and future expectations. In conclusion, this project has been widely successful in just these few short months. Our team is working more cohesively and taking teamwork to a whole other level. The suggestion box has been filling up and we have been addressing concerns of our employees which have made them feel their opinion is not only important but wanted. This in return is creating more loyal enthusiastic and eager workers whom are giving great customer service to our guests. I hope you are as satisfied as I am in the team and see the overall difference and growth. Sincerely Floor Manager Kay Dukes Reference: Bazerman, M. H. , Moore, D. A. (2010). Judgment in Managerial decision making (6th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. How to cite Self Evaluation for Decision Making, Papers

Recitatif - Toni Morrison free essay sample

Toni Morrison’s Recitatif is a story of two young, racially separated girls that grow up in an orphanage together. Because the girls were young when they first met, they knew they were different from each other and they knew their moms wouldn’t approve but they didn’t let it affect their friendship. They became the best of friends and began to make a lot of memories at a very young age, most of them highly affected by their emotions. When it came time for the two to move on from the orphanage, also known as St. Bonny’s, they vowed to write everyday and stay in contact. This story seems to be all about race but the author never tells us which girl is white or black. Morrison gives little hints but never a straight answer to the big question. Although Morrison never states the races of Twyla or Roberta, she does describe the two girls using stereotypes that society may apply to white people, black people, and sometimes even both. Before the end of the story the reader will have unconsciously decided a race for both Twyla and Roberta, but at the end of the story, Morrison makes her readers rethink their decisions about the girls races. As the two grew older they began to occasionally bump into each other and they would make conversation but never the way it was when they were children. They would talk about how their lives were going and they would also recall events from the orphanage. Memories for 8 year olds aren’t quite sharp so I would imagine that memories from 20 and 30 years ago would be rather unclear too. One particular event of a mute woman named Maggie seemed to always become a topic of conversation. Both had an idea of what happened to Maggie but the actual story is rather cloudy. Maggie worked in the kitchen at St. Bonny’s and the girls think that she may have had her tongue cut out but Twyla just seems to think she was just born mute. All they really know is that she can’t talk, she may not be able to scream, that her legs are like â€Å"parenthesis† (Morrison 133) and that she is short. The problem is that Twyla and Roberta both have a different recollection over an incident that happened with Maggie. Roberta remembers Twyla kicking â€Å"a poor old black lady while she was down. † (Morrison 144) Twyla, the narrator, remembers being very angry and wanting to attack Maggie but sees the older girls do it. They could never really agree on Maggie’s race so this made the memory much more difficult to retrieve. As we reach the end of the story, we never find out what race either of the girls or Maggie are but instead of being worried about one race, we find ourselves being sympathetic for both girls. Theme, structure, time and period all work together to create the overall theme of this story, which I feel is superiority. We can tell that by the way the two girls acted and reacted in similar situations that Roberta seemed to have had a better home life than Twyla who felt that Thanksgiving was hot mashed potatoes and two weenies. (Morrison 132) Throughout the years, the reader can see just how much of a difference there is between Roberta and Twyla. First, when their moms came to visit, Roberta’s mom brought â€Å"chicken legs and ham sandwiches and oranges and a whole box of chocolate-covered grahams† (Morrison 135-136) while Twyla and her mom â€Å"picked fur and cellophane grass off the mashed jelly beans and ate them. † (Morrison 135) Roberta’s mom wouldn’t even shake Mary, Twyla’s mother’s, hand because of the prejudice she had against her race. As the time grew it seems as though Roberta proceeded to take her mother’s place. When they met in the diner Roberta acts as if she is not at all interested in Twyla and her life. Again, Roberta seems superior when they cross paths at the store and Roberta seems to be of a higher class, with diamonds on her hands and a fancy dress. She even had her own car and driver, something that Twyla didn’t have. Roberta seemed well-off while Twyla just seemed content with her life at the moment. Also point of view seems very important in this story. Because it is told from Twyla’s perspective, we instinctively become sympathetic to her situation. But the author challenges us by bringing in Roberta’s point of view and we are forced to consider both sides of the story. When they happened to run into to each other throughout their lives they always began to bring up Maggie. Both women thought of her as the race in which they were. So if Twyla is white, she felt Maggie was white and if Roberta was black, she thought Maggie was black. They both wanted to believe that whatever happened to Maggie was not an act of racism. They related Maggie to their own race so if they really did hurt Maggie, it would reflect the other girl in a much harsher way because they weren’t the same color and it would be less hurtful for them. So it would ultimately seem like an act of racism. Because the truth is never really made clear to the reader, it is hard to identify with the characters. Without the racial conclusion given by the author, the readers are left with the abrupt ending. The story seems incomplete. We don’t know what race any of the characters are and we never figure out the truth. Twyla and Roberta share an uncomfortable past. Roberta challenges Twyla to remember parts of her past that Twyla prefers to forget. This is where the conflict comes in. Twyla doesn’t want to believe that she hurt Maggie even if she didn’t but Twyla soon realizes that mute â€Å"Maggie was her dancing mother. Deaf, she thought, and dumb† and also like Roberta’s sick mother, both silent and absent. (Morrison 145) Maggie’s character works as a symbol for both Roberta and Twyla’s friendship and conflict and their differences and similarities. As the audience gets further and further into the story, they find that important events did take place in the orchard, and that Maggie’s embarrassment, as well as their own, become a theme to the story. At their last encounter, at Howard Johnson’s diner, Roberta finally confesses about the two not kicking Maggie when she was down on the ground but Twyla admits that she wanted to because she connected Maggie to her mother. Twyla connects her subdue hostility toward her dancing mother with the pity she had for Maggie. At the diner, Roberta confessed that she also wanted to kick Maggie. She also identifies her feelings of abandonment with Maggie, comparing her with her mother as well, even though Roberta’s mother is the opposite of Twyla’s mother, Mary. Both Twyla and Roberta identify themselves with Maggie. â€Å"I knew she wouldn’t scream, couldn’t—just like me—and I was glad about that,† (Morrison 146) Twyla says as she compares her own feelings of helplessness to Maggie’s. Mary and Roberta’s mom both are not in the lives of their daughters. You can tell from the story that they both love their daughters very much but because Twyla’s mother â€Å"danced all night and Roberta’s was sick† (Morrison 131) they were both unable to take proper care of them. They both can relate to Maggie because her ailment stops her from being fully capable of taking care of herself like these mothers are not capable of taking care of their daughters. Morrison seems to do a wonderful job of creating such a simple and flat character like Maggie into a central symbol that defines this story and has the audience really contemplate the racial issue between Twyla and Roberta. Through Maggie’s character, these two women begin to express their feelings of repression from Big Bozo, the orphanage caretaker, and from their own mothers who neglected and abandoned them both. By associating themselves with Maggie they understand themselves, each other, and their racial separation, better. But we still don’t know â€Å"what the hell happened to Maggie? † (Morrison 147) We will never figure that out and we will never figure out how these two women would’ve turned out if they had known what happened to Maggie that day in the orchard.