Gender and Socialization Essay Example for Free

Gender and Socialization Essay The main purpose of this paper is to focus on gender socialization. Human beings that belong to different societies have varied perceptions, opinions, and manners toward socializing with the same or opposite sex. Categorized in the main gender types, male and female are known to react in different ways when given and exposed in the same situation. Regardless of cultural norms or mores of any society in particular, interaction with peers, family, classmates, and other people depend on the male’s and female’s orientation in gender socialization and gender roles. Some concepts attempt to explain the gender issues faced by the two gender types. These attributions of concepts then play an important role in understanding the different societies’ construct of their existing mechanisms of gender roles and expectations including the societies’ gender markers as determinants of sex and gender (SparkNotes, 2008). Gender Socialization Gender and socialization are two different terms that have a relationship with each other. Gender refers to the behavioral characteristics of an individual regarding an individual’s essence of womanhood or manhood, masculinity or femininity, while socialization refers to the social and interpersonal instincts of human in interacting, communicating, and dealing with others. A newborn infant for instance, may be oriented towards its gender by its first experience of socialization after being born. The infant may be more exposed to male socialization rather than female socialization or vice versa which would later on affect the behavior of the infant while growing up. Another example is the way parents choose what the appropriate toy is to be played by their sons and daughters. Usually, parents buy their baby girl a mini-kitchen or ironing set to orient them (however, it is subconscious for the parents’ part) with the future maternal role. For the baby boy’s part, they are usually given toy trucks or tools for various chores in the house for the same underlying purpose. Moreover, upon receiving the presents, the girls usually react more appreciative and smiling than the boys. The essence of gender socialization then, is for the infants to learn the behavior appropriate for their designated sexes (SparkNotes, 2008). Reaction By the time an infant reaches ten months after the day of birth, gender socialization is already executed through the infant’s interaction with the environment, its family members, and caretakers. This is the time when the infant starts to identify him- or herself in either of the two sexes: male or female. Thus, this is also the time for newborn infants to associate the specific gender roles (the attributes and behavior that the culture constructively defines) that are appropriate for their sex and gender. Later in the life of infants, the effects of the previous experience in gender orientation would reflect in their current behavior. Meanwhile, I should say from personal experience that I was mostly given a Barbie doll for Christmas or birthday present. In so doing, I grew up to become a very neat lady who has the taste for fashion and luxury Further, I attribute the idea that I have become a fashionable and finesse lady to my previous hobby of playing, dressing and undressing my Barbie doll (SparkNotes, 2008). Conclusion Gender socialization teaches the infants that would grow as adults the appropriate roles defined by culture and behaviors that are expected of them by the society. Submission to the expectations of the culture and society is important, as every living individual has to interact with others in whatever society he or she belongs to in order to survive and attain a sense of belongingness. Family, peer groups, school, mass media, and some texts play a part in honing this cultured set of beliefs regarding the appropriate roles and expected behaviors for men and women. Men who are accustomed to playing tough games in their childhood result to be future tough guys and women are the opposite. Reference SparkNotes. (2008). Gender socialization. In SparkNotes 101: Sociology. Retrieved December 9, 2008 from http://www. sparknotes. com/101/sociology/socialization/gender_socialization. html.

A Neural Network Primer :: Neural Network Primer Essays

A Neural Network Primer This paper gives the basics of the subject of neural networks. It is recommended for those new to the subject of neural networks and only assumes that the reader has a knowledge of basic algebra. Please feel free to distribute this paper as you wish but please distribute the entire paper without deletions and limit your corrections and additions to the space below the bottom line after the last paragraph of the original text. If you wish for your correction or modification to be changed in the body of the original text, please send your recommendation to one of my computer addresses above. A function is a mysterious black box with inputs and an output. ---------- X --->| | | Function |---> Z Y---->| | ---------- The above function has 2 inputs, X and Y, and one output, Z. Mysterious black boxes that take in inputs and produce an output are called "functions". Sometimes we don't know what goes on inside the function to produce the output from the inputs so that's why we call them "black boxes". X Y | Z ----------- 0 0 | 0 0 1 | 1 1 0 | 1 1 1 | 1 The above table maps out a possible function. It is called the "Or" function. Note that Z is zero when X and Y are both zero and Z is one whenever X "or" Y is a one. Mapping out a function in a table as is shown above is known as creating a "truth-table". X Y | Z ----------- 0 0 | 0 0 1 | 0 1 0 | 0 1 1 | 1 The function mapped out in the truth-table above is known as the "And" function. Note that Z equals 1 only when X "and" Y both equal 1. Note that the numerical values we have used so far for X, Y, and Z have been limited to only "0" and "1". When you only use two values like this you are using a "binary" or "boolean" number system. "Binary" and "boolean" basically mean "two values".

How far is “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson just a horror story? Essay

The story was written by Robert Louis Stevenson and was first published in 1886. The story originated from a dream he had and upon wakening, immediately wrote it down. The story is set in Victorian London and the focus of the tale is whether evil is more powerful than good. The Victorians were obsessed with the supernatural and light triumphant over dark, good over evil. The main character is a doctor of science whose experiments are dangerous and who tampers with human life. Otherwise he leads a normal life and has friends and other acquaintances. Those nearest to him however suspect an evil deed including murder and are afraid he is involved. The truths are revealed at the end of the story. The story starts with ordinary Victorian life, of two businessmen out for a walk having a conversation. From normal everyday living the story leads into murders and then finally the death of Dr. Jekyll. The story slowly builds a picture of their lives and their doubts as the story progresses about something evil at work. No one can understand what is happening and why there is a connection between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde until Dr. Jekyll reveals the true story at the end of the book to Dr. Lanyon. Mr. Hyde was difficult to describe, Mr. Enfield describes him as `deformed and extraordinary looking, but cannot be described`. After the death of Sir Danvers Carew, the maid said he `was particularly small and wicked looking`. This crime of murder was described `with singular ferocity` – Carew was clubbed by a cane and then trampled underfoot by Mr. Hyde under which his victim’s bones were shattered. The victim still kept his purse and gold watch suggesting he was not murdered for money. Robert Louis Stevenson said that Mr. Hyde was `deformed and extraordinary looking, but cannot be described`. Extraordinary means going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary; specifically : of, relating to, or having the nature of a proceeding or action not normally required by law or not prescribed for the regular administration of law -compare ORDINARY of or relating to a financial transaction that is not expected to be repeated. The word `deformed` is to spoil the natural form of; misshape: a body that had been deformed by disease or to spoil the beauty or appearance of; disfigure. Describe means to give an account of in speech or writing or to convey an idea or impression of; characterize: She described her childhood as a time of wonder and discovery. So even though Mr. Hyde is being described as deformed and extraordinary he is still indescribable. When you describe something, you use a lot of words and sentences to express it. But the only description of Mr. Hyde using two words; deformed and extraordinary. Later on in the novel, Mr Hyde was then described as `particularly small and wicked looking` by the maid. She is still describing him, but completely different type of description as Mr. Enfield. I say this because `deformed and extraordinary looking, but cannot be described` can mean many things, it is not making a direct insult to Mr. Hyde. You can interpret and define that description as many deferent things. However the maid’s description of him was `particularly small and wicked looking` which is very specific and rude. I say this because if you are quite a small person you would be described as small and if you were a wicked person you would be described as wicked. So the maid has chosen meaningful and specific words to describe Mr. Hyde. She also says that he is `wicked looking` which might mean that he is not wicked to her knowledge but he looks like a wicked person; she is judging him before she had met him. Slightly before that Mr. Utterson said `Is this Mr. Hyde a person of small stature`. This whole sentence is taking about Mr. Hyde’s height. I say this because stature means the natural height of a human or animal in an upright position and Mr. Hyde is called a small stature. Many times in the novel people have talked about Mr. Hyde’s height, this is because Mr. Hyde is Dr, Jekyll’s evil side. Dr. Jekyll has never exposed his evil side before. So it’s like a person the same age as Dr. Jekyll but has not had long to develop a normal body. Mr. Hyde after a long time would eventually be a normal figure once again if he was exposed to life for a longer time. The word stature can also mean an achieved level; status. This could be implying that Mr. Hyde’s achieved level is small or nothing which would no be not standard level of anyone else. So if Mr. Hyde’s achieved level is low or small that means that Dr. Jekyll’s achieved level would be t he complete opposite and at a above average level. The description from the crime scene after the murder of Sir Danvers Carew was described `with singular ferocity`. This means that the crime is one of a one person attack that was ferocious. Singular is being only one; individual or being the only one of a kind and Mr. Hyde was. The word ferocity immediately sounds like fear or fierce, it means the state or quality of being ferocious; fierceness. In just two words the whole scene becomes clear who did it and how it was done. Meanwhile Dr. Jekyll is looking incredibly unwell and fearful. He is acting strangely and appears to know more about Mr. Hyde but is not revealing too much about him. Mr. Utterson walks past Dr. Jekyll’s house and Dr. Jekyll looks out of the window saying he feels low and then disappears with a look of terror and despair. Mr. Poole, Dr. Jekyll’s servant visits Mr. Utterson to tell him of the strange happenings in the house, his master’s disappearance and hearing him cry day and night. Before Dr. Lanyon died, Mr. Hyde visited him and drank a mixture of tincture and powders. Dr. Lanyon was disbelieving and wanted to see what would happen. Dr. Lanyon was in deep shock seeing Mr. Hyde transform into Dr. Jekyll and was sickened. He could not sleep and `the deadliest terror sits by him day and night`. He felt that he would defiantly die. In chapter five Mr. Utterson asked Dr. Jekyll for the letter that Sir Danvers Carew had wrote and Dr Jekyll simply said `I burned it, before I thought what I was about. But it bore no postmark. The note was handed in`. This means that because the envelope did not have a stamp on it Dr Jekyll immediately destroyed a very important letter from Sir Danvers Carew. This is saying that Dr. Jekyll is a much of an organised and very hard to fool type of person and something as simple a no stamp on a letter leads the reason to the death of Sir Danvers Carew a more of a mystery than if the letter was read. Mr Utterson is also very clever and quite like Dr. Jekyll in that trying to fool him is an impossible task. A conversion, for example about two similar letters is spotted by Mr. Utterson, `And by all accounts a very odd writer. Is that from Dr. Jekyll, sir? I thought I knew the writing, anything private, Mr. Utterson? It is only an invitation to dinner, why, do you want to see it? One moment, thank you, sir; it’s a very interesting autograph. Why did you compare them, Guest? Well, sir, there’s a rather singular resemblance; the two hands are in many points identical: only differently sloped`. This is saying that the two styles of handwriting are the same but from completely different people. Mr Utterson being no fool listened to the clerk who was telling him about the two different styles of writing and took it into account. Dr. Jekyll soon becomes depressed and losses the confidence in himself. I say this because Dr. Jekyll said `I am very low, Utterson, very low. It will not last long, thank God`. Dr. Jekyll knows that the fresh air will do him some good but prefers to lie down indoors. If someone else was ill, like Mr. Utterson, Dr. Jekyll would be saying the same thing that Mr. Utterson was telling Dr. Jekyll. It is interesting the way Dr. Jekyll uses the word `low` rather than ill or sick. The word `low` means to let, bring, or move down to a lower level or to reduce in value, degree, or quality or to weaken; undermine: lower one’s energy or to reduce in standing or respect. Leading up to chapter eight is a strange unfolding of a monster that has murdered and disappears, no one knows much of him but he is someone connected to Dr. Jekyll. All the characters understand something evil is taking place but they cannot or do not want to connect the evil of Mr. Hyde and Dr. Jekyll. It is not until chapter eight that Dr. Jekyll has to reveal the true horror story. Mr. Utterson does not suspect any foul play but when Mr. Poole tells him because he has noticed some foul play, Mr. Utterson is slightly alarmed. `I think there’s been foul play`. Then Mr. Utterson replies with `Foul play`! What foul play? What does the man mean`? Then Mr. Poole says `I daren’t say, sir but will you come along with me and see for yourself`. The idea of a scientist experimenting with such dangerous drugs is bizarre. In the modern day century drugs would not be used on humans unless they had undergone vigorous testing. Who would endanger life in the 19th century by using such experiments? Over a hundred years ago illness and death would occur by taking untested drugs. London is described in Victorian horror stories as nearly always fog bound, which it was through pollution. Sinister blocks of buildings, black winter mornings, London hummed solemnly, all descriptions of poorly hit London, which was very creepy and spooky. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not a terrifying horror story but merely stating the facts of a scientist’s experiment that becomes dangerous. Until the killing of Sir Danvers, Mr. Hyde was just described as many evil things by the way he looked and behaved, not by his actions as no one had proof he was evil. The morality of the tale is that the Victorian’s belief of good and evil does not always triumph and that practising un-harmful scientific experiments can result in playing God and are best left alone. Dr. Jekyll was forced to lead a double life hiding himself away with his experiments as he would not have been accepted in Victorian society as a scientist with such evil ideas.

Essay on Memory in Exile Eva Hoffmans Lost in Translation

Eva Hoffman’s memoir, Lost in Translation, is a timeline of events from her life in Cracow, Poland – Paradise – to her immigration to Vancouver, Canada – Exile – and into her college and literary life – The New World. Eva breaks up her journey into these three sections and gives her personal observations of her assimilation into a new world. The story is based on memory – Eva Hoffman gives us her first-hand perspective through flashbacks with introspective analysis of her life â€Å"lost in translation†. It is her memory that permeates through her writing and furthermore through her experiences. As the reader we are presented many examples of Eva’s memory as they appear through her interactions. All of these interactions evoke memory,†¦show more content†¦Because they were the first things, the incomparable things, the only things. It’s by adhering to the contours of a few childhood objects that the substance of ourselves – the molten force we’re made of – molds and shapes itself.† (74). The changes create a world of comparisons – knowing the world of paradise in Cracow presents an instant dichotomy with that of her newly uncharted American culture. Eva presents many examples of the differences between the two cultures. The significant difference is, of course, the language barrier. Eva explains her actual loss in translation – that the words of Eva’s native language don’t hold the same meaning as that of the words in English. She explains, â€Å"‘River’ in Polish was a vital sound, energized with the essence of riverhood, of my rivers, of my being immersed in rivers. ‘River’ in English is cold – a word without an aura. It has no accumulated associations for me, and it does not give off the radiating haze of connotation. It does not evoke† (106). This loss of meaning is omnipresent in all of American culture in Eva’s eyes. Eva laments that, â€Å"I have no interior language, and withou t it, interior images – those images through which we assimilate the external world, through which we take it in, love it, make it our own – become blurred tooâ€Å" (108). Due to this