The Lie of the Land :: Haydn Middleton The Lie of the Land Essays

The Lie of the Land This is a list of explications--things a North American reader might need to know in order to make most sense out of Haydn Middleton's The Lie of the Land. I re-read the novel and made a list of unclear references or ambiguous words or terms. I included the page number and a short explanation of the context; I then proffered each word with the definition I was able to find! Before delving into my textual explications, let me add a short "preface" first. As I re-read Middleton's novel, I found myself intensely interested in the cultural differences between North Americans and the English from (you guessed it...) England. My fascination with the inexplicable difference, yet explicable intertwining of our two cultures is probably provoked by a book I'm reading for another class, Cultural Misunderstandings by Raymonde Carroll, a French anthropologist. Carroll has extensively studied the differences between Americans and Europeans, mainly French. She gave an interesting analysis concerning Americans and our way of conducting or cultivating relationships. Well, I was reading the novel again, and if you caught it, Rachel offers Alasdair an invitation to dinner. This might not strike you as significant at all, but hold on--note that here in the United States, we will frequently end a conversation with, "Call me!" or "Let's get together, sometime, okay? I'll cal l you sometime!" These advances are never realized, of course, but are merely conversation climaxers. Rachel says to Alasdair, "Look . . . you should come round some time with Maggie. We'd love to see you . . . " (25). A couple of chapters later, the dinner scene is a very significant addition to the story, hmm? Carroll made the comment that Americans portray themselves as superficial and flighty with their many unrealized invitations. Europeans, on the other hand, tend to extend invitations and set the date in the proceeding avenue of discourse. Details. Dr. Gilgun taught my Fiction class last semester, and we learned that details develop ordestroy the story. Details divorce me from the story or seduce me, leaving me wondering where reality ends and the surreal begins. Details characterize the culture behind the author, the culture in and within where delight is reached, found, discovered and eventually shared. But anyway . . . enough of diversion! TEXTUAL EXPLICATIONS--please feign acquiescence, and pretend that this list is complete and can stand alone; there were so many more textual nuances that I wanted to include! Hmm .

Case Brief: London v. Directors of the DeWitt Public Schools

DeWitt Middle School teacher and coach Jeff Rader found Carl Avery and another student engaged in a â€Å"horseplay† in the school cafeteria. Rader asked both boys to leave the cafeteria of which the other student immediately complied. Rader again asked Avery to leave but the boy refused to comply the second time. At this point, Rader began to remove Avery from the cafeteria by force.The boy, however, fought back and slammed the coach into a table. During the encounter, Rader was able to drag the boy on the floor and banged the boy's head against the metal pole outside the cafeteria. They proceeded to the principal's office where each were asked for their version of the story, but Avery struck the hands of the principal in his frustration during the course of the interview, at which point the principal called the police.School authorities recommended for Avery to be expelled, of which DeWitt School District Superintendent Emerson approved. They informed Ms. London, mother of A very, and explained the procedures. A hearing was conducted and the school board decided to expel Avery for the remainder of the school year. Ms. London filed a lawsuit where the District Court granted the defendants' motion for judgement on partial findings, of which Ms.London filed for an appeal on three grounds, that the District Court erred: â€Å"(1) in holding that Rader did not violate Avery's substantive-due-process rights; (2) in holding that there were no procedural-due-process violations in Avery's suspension or in his expulsion; and (3) in not ordering the DeWitt School System to submit a remedial plan concerning discrimination in hiring† (United States Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit 1999). The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed with the District Court judgement and dismissed the appeal.They held that Rader could not have violated Avery's substantive-due-process rights as he has asked Avery to leave the cafeteria twice. Although Rader banged Avery's head on a pole, the injury which the boy may have suffered could not have been severe to shock judicial conscience due to the fact that the boy could not even remember which side of his head had been banged. There could also not have been any violation of procedural-due-process as Avery and his mother was appraised of the charges and was given the opportunity to present his side, first in the principal's office, then on the board hearing.The plaintiff has also failed in proving a condition of segregated schooling in accusing the DeWitt School System with discrimination hiring. The decision of the Court of Appeals stressed the importance of effective discipline and order to educational processes. This means that educators have their own discrimination how to discipline students but with restrictions that are provided by law. References United States Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit. (1999). London v. Directors of the Dewitt Public Schools, 194 F. 3d 873, 139.

Should College Sports Be Paid - 1732 Words

â€Å"It’s down to seven seconds. You see the time†¦Whittenburg†¦. Oh it’s a long ways, Oh he’s there! They won it†¦on a dunk!† Billy Packer said this when covering the historical run by the NC State Wolfpack to win the Division 1 NCAA tournament in a dramatic fashion. A team with no chance of making the tournament, let alone winning the championship, does the impossible and wins the NCAA Division 1 championship. Despite NC State being a smaller school compared to the big basketball powerhouses like Virginia, UNC, Houston and many others, they had players work and will their way to the finish line. If players were paid, you wouldn’t see players like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, or Ralph Sampson on different teams. It would be the college with the most money, could pay the best student-athletes, the most money and Cinderella stories for the most part would disappear. Dynasties of college sports would be made. Money would r uin college sports more than it already has. It has already stripped championships, ruined players images and futures, and tarnished reputations of colleges. The Fab 5, the near â€Å"3-Pete† for Oklahoma University, and the USC Trojans football team scandal, are just a few instances where college sports were affected wrongly by the idea of â€Å"play for pay.† Colleges and Universities should not pay students to participate in college sports because of all the benefits the athletes receive, the fact that the colleges wouldn’t be able to pay for otherShow MoreRelatedShould College Sports Be Paid?1680 Words   |  7 Pagesknown as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (â€Å"NCAA†) (Gregory). College sports have become more popular than ever before, especially with the help of television and modern technology. Making over $700 million a year, this industry has been introduced numerous times over the years to the debate of prohibiting payments t o athletes other than athletic scholarships (Goldman). Currently, in order to meet the demand of sports, especially at a Division I University, high school athletes are recruitedRead MoreShould College Sports Be Paid?2868 Words   |  12 PagesDivision I college athletics have come a very long way since its original erection in the late 1800s as only something that occurred at the Ivy Leagues. Today, there is now a side which advocates for paid compensations for college athletes (this is mostly focused in football and basketball). According to the NCAA s current policy on intercollegiate compensation the athlete first must be considered an amateur. This rule that is in place is extremely redundant because in order for a student toRead More Should College Athletes be Paid? Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pagescontroversies with sports is, should student athletes be be paid a salary? Some people believe that they should be paid and others would completely disagree. Even though they t echnically are being paid, they really are not. The only type of way the athletes would be paid is through financial aid or if they have a job. Only their education is being paid by the school. Although some people believe that they should be paid, it would not be a good idea at all. So college athletes should not be paid at all becauseRead MoreThe National Collegiate Athletic Association1227 Words   |  5 Pagesthat college athletics is a $10-billion marketplace† (Suggs). With huge sums of revenue generated from college sports teams, players for the successful teams appear to be very marketable. â€Å"The National Collegiate Athletic Association, the largest collegiate sports organization in the United States, oversees much of the business of American college sports. For 2011-12, the NCAA reported $871.6 million in revenue-- 81 percent of which came from a broadcast rights agreement with Turner/CBS Sports. AnotherRead MoreShould College Athletes Get Paid?1742 Words   |  7 PagesShould College Athletes Get Paid? Should college athletes be paid? This has been a controversial topic ever since college sports started. Many people argue that they should. Many people argue that they should not. College athletes should get paid because they work extremely hard playing their sport. The people that say they should be paid argue that the amount of time athletes dedicate is equivalent to a full-time job, and maybe even more. The people that say they should not get paid argue that collegeRead MoreWhy College Athletes Should Not Be Paid1301 Words   |  6 PagesNovember 2015 Why College Athletes Should Not Be Paid What amount of money should college athletes be paid? This has been a controversial question for many years.Some lower level Division One NCAA athletes think that their scholarships do not pay them enough as it is, and instead they want cash rather than the scholarship. These situations have been taken to court and arbitrated in NCAA hearings. The NCAA, or the National College Athletics Association, has declined for the athletes to be paid a salary everyRead MoreNCAA aAhletes and Pay 1142 Words   |  5 PagesShould college student-athletes be paid has become a much debated topic. The incentive for a student-athlete to play a college sport should not be for money, but for the love of the game. It has been argued that colleges are making money and therefore the student-athlete should be compensated. When contemplating college income from sporting events and memorabilia from popular sports, such as football and basketball, it must not be forgotten that colleges do incur tremendous ex pense for all theirRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1713 Words   |  7 PagesCollege sports are one of the largest and fastest growing markets in today’s culture. With some college sports games attracting more viewers than their professional counterparts, the NCAA is one of the most profiting organizations in America. Recently there has been controversy in the world of college sports as to whether the college athletes that are making their universities and the NCAA money should receive payment while they are playing their respective sport. Many believe that these athletesRead MoreShould College Athletes Be Paid?1364 Words   |  6 PagesHave you paid attention to all of the news that has been surfacing about collegiate sports lately? It is a big topic now days in the world of sports on weather college athletes should be getting paid to play sports. College athletics have gained great popularity of the past few decades, and have brought schools lots of revenue. A lo t of college athletes think they should be getting paid for their services they do for their school. College sports like basketball and football generate over six billionRead MoreStudent Athletes Being Paid or Not700 Words   |  3 PagesStudent Athletes Being Paid or Not College athletics today are enormous compared to the size that it was many years ago, especially in the region that I live in which is SEC country, should student athletes that have contributed to this growth be compensated for their contributions or not. With many big television deals and high ticket pricing this has been a topic that has become a constant in the minds of many. This topic is beginning to gather legs and making a move to the forefront of the NCAA

Death and Regeneration in Walt Whitmans Poem, When...

Death and Regeneration in Walt Whitmans Poem, When Lilacs Last In The Dooryard Bloomd Whitman in 1865 wrote an elegy for President Lincoln entitled When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomd. The Lilacs elegy is an outpouring of the deep sense of loss that Whitman felt after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The Presidents death was a great shock to the poet; it overwhelmed him in a very personal way. Whitman recognized Lincolns excellence and importance. When Whitman first heard of the assassination, it was the spring of the year and the lilacs were in bloom. The poem is heavily symbolic. In this first section, Whitman introduces two of the three central symbols used in development. The poet appears in†¦show more content†¦The poet mourns and shall mourn with the arrival of spring. Spring, with its character of rebirth and life, will bring reminders of the dead Lincoln - thought of him I love. When Lilacs Last is an elegy on the death of Abraham Lincoln as well as a philosophical poem on death itself. Through the symbolic use of a star, a lilac, and a bird, the poet journeys through grieving love to a final acceptance of death. In spite of the involved symbolism, Whitmans method of arriving at the truth of death follows a pattern far less artificial and more typically human. The acceptance of Lincolns death, as well as an understanding of deaths place in the human pattern, is attained only after an encounter with love and grief. Whitman does not forsake the mournful sense of loss once the full meaning of immortality and peace in death is understood. He discovers them to be compatible parts of a more complete realization. There is agonized emotional distance to travel for the poet to grasp an understanding of the notions of rebirth and immortality that he finds in death. There is room for a thoroughly human awareness of grief. The poets personal sorrow that is found in Lilacs. The treatment of death in Lilacs indicates how deeply grieved Whitman was by his war experiences and by Lincolns assassination. In the Lincoln elegy, the poets beliefs are challenged by exposing the emotions to attack by grief. In

Perception Is A Matter Of Interaction Between The World...

Perception is a matter of interaction between the world and the self; the self is a person’s being that separates them from anyone else in the world. At its simplest, the world gives people events; in return people give those events meaning by interpreting and acting upon them. Perception, it is a mental impression meaning it is perceived by our five senses. It is an active process consisting of three processes; selection, organization, and interpretation. Also perception involves age, culture, and personality. Even though perception is largely cognitive and psychological process, how a person perceives people and objects around them affects their communication. Active processes are continuous, they blend into one another, and also they are interactive and affects each of the other two. The active process through perception is given massive amounts of stimuli taken in by human’s senses, a person will only select a portion of the incoming information to organize and interpret. A person will select information based on salience; meaning in the condition of being prominent. People organize information that they select into patterns based on proximity, similarity, and difference. People tend to find salient things that are visually or aurally stimulating and things that meet a person’s needs and interests. Expectations also influence what information a person will select. Through selection a person takes in information through all five of a person’s senses, but as humans theShow MoreRelatedIn My Younger More Vulnerable Years, I Often Thought About1490 Words   |  6 Pagesthis shift seemed arbitrary, but soon I realized this new investigation of life uncovered deep connections absent in death. In fact, I came to believe the self can only exist within its own realm of perceptions, and that any separation from sensual experience would result in the complete dissolution consciousness qua individual. The Relative Self All human thought exists relative to existence, (I feel as though this assertion is in no way a radical one). Memories, interpretations, explanations,Read MoreThe Role of Others in the Formation of the Self Essay1416 Words   |  6 Pagesothers play an important role in the formation of self. When we interact with others, make comparisons with others and live out our social roles we seem to be affected – so we assume that so is the formation of our â€Å"self†. In reality, it isn’t affected. With an idealist view of a non-physical self, that also possesses continuity and unity it can be exposed how flawed this view of self is, and how others play no role whatsoever in the formation of the self. However, our sensory knowledge which is deceptiveRead More The Interrelationship among Self, Others, and Environment1177 Words   |  5 Pagesour interactions with others, has on the formation of these very things. We can divide social psychology into three main categories: self, others, and environment. Each category consists of several additional topics all relating to the broad category under which the subject matter falls. The first category is the self and the primary focus is the exploration of the way individuals form impressions of themselves. Topics relating to the concept of self include self-schemas, self-esteem, self-efficacyRead MoreInfluence Of Self Presentation On The Perception Of The Personality Of A Person1178 Words   |  5 PagesSelf-presentation, as described by sociologists, is behavior that attempts to convey some information about oneself or some image of oneself to other people. People spend most of their time with others, making self-presentation a fundamental part of their behaviour. Everyone consciously or subconsciously wants to influence the perception of their image. This phenomenon is called impression management, a process in which people attempt to influence t he perceptions of other people about a person, objectRead MoreHuman Perception And The Evolution Of Intelligence1394 Words   |  6 Pagesconfused and lost I seemed to be, and no end seemed to be in sight for this confused feeling I felt towards self-awareness The questions of sentient perception have plagued man since the dawn of his very own intelligence. Homo Sapiens are a consciousness species, that means humans have an awareness of oneself and the external objects in the world that surround them. Humans perception of the world around them had rapidly changed with the evolution of intelligence. People were now capable of theorizingRead MoreThe Media s Influence On Society s Attitude Toward Pointing Out An Apparent Ongoing Struggle Between Whites And Blacks1668 Words   |  7 Pagesand geared toward pointing out an apparent ongoing struggle between whites and blacks? Is it because society is only interested in hearing about what is going wrong in the world, or is the media trying to create controversy and increase racial tensions to garner larger television audiences and sell more newspapers? Many stories in the news relate to racism: police brutality, education, crime; the media has a way of portraying these matters or specific inc idents to suggest that a vast majority of AmericansRead MoreThe Problem Of A Social Problem Essay1450 Words   |  6 Pages†¢ My understanding of a social problem is that a substantial group of individuals consider an issue to be problematic and that the matter in question does not reconcile itself between the good of the group and what has been done for society. Although the issue can be advantageous for some members of a culture or community, it can be detrimental to others and therefore must be examined. b) What are some social problems that currently exist in society? †¢ Problems that occur recycle themselves overRead MoreSocial Problems Of A Social Problem Essay1458 Words   |  6 Pages Social Problem a) What is a Social Problem? †¢ My understanding of a social problem is that a substantial group of individuals consider an issue to be problematic and that the matter in question does not reconcile itself between the good of the group and what has been done for society. Although the issue can be advantageous for some members of a culture or community, it can be detrimental to others and therefore must be examined. b) What are some social problems that currently exist in societyRead MoreLife On Screen By Sherry Turkle933 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to social psychologists Wang, Tchernev, and Solloway, people engage with social networking sites in order to meet four basic needs: to satisfy emotional needs about one ’s self-image, to build a knowledge base of issues and to have that knowledge afford by peers, to maintain social interaction with friends and family to form habits of relaxation or catharsis. Each social media account consists of carefully curated and mediated content with the intention of portraying a fragmented orRead MoreLeadership Credibility : Four Traits Tested Through Time1530 Words   |  7 Pagesof individuals to achieve a common goal† (p .4). This is a mutual relationship and of their own volition to be characterized as leader or follower. This has no boundaries that define a leader between groups or organizations that may view one group as evil, i.e. Hitler’s regime or that of good. Perception of an individual, group, or organization is relevant to correlation of the mutual agreed influence it accepts. A leader according to Stogdill’s findings, in (Northouse 2016) â€Å"an individual does

Investor reaction to accounting misstatement - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Investor reaction to accounting misstatement. Answer: 16 January 2018 Mr. Christopher Sampson The managing Director Beachlife Ltd. Level 7, 927 William Street, Brisbane QLD 4000 Dear Christopher I would like to thank you for your prompt response through e-mail. As we always provided you with the best possible solutions, this time also we will assist you in making the decisions regarding the raised issues. We further assure you that the solutions will be complied with the Corporation Act, IFRS and AASB. Yu may be aware of the fact that the intangible assets are not physical by nature. Some of the examples of intangible assets are trademarks, patents, business methodologies, brand recognition and goodwill. The intangible assets can have definite period of life or indefinite period of life. As the procedure for intangible asset valuation like brand recognition valuation is not easy, it requires definite and solid methodology for the purpose of valuation. Further, in case of internally generated intangible asset the asset is not recognized until it is sold. As per Para 63 of IAS 38 and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) brand recognition is the ability of the consumers to identify the brand from distinctive logo or artistic symbol. It also raise the customers expectation with regard to the product quality and assist the company to accumulate the companys attributes and and can campaign for the product accordingly. As the intangible asset like brand are not dealt in regu lar market, various issues generated for valuing the brand. It is further identified that the amount paid as the brand value are generally less as compared to the actual worth of the brand. For example, in the stated issue though the directors want to recognize $ 800,000 with respect to the Sun n Surf Shirts brand, at the time of selling the brand they may get offer for only $ 600,000. For recognizing the internally generated asset like brand, three options are there through which the brand can be recognized in the financial statement in accordance with the efficiencies, effectiveness, integrity and objectivity. As per the options the brand that is externally acquired shall be accounted as goodwill under the financial statement of purchasing company. In accordance with AASB 138 on Recognition of intangible assets, the intangible asset can only be recognized when its value can be measured reliably and the future economic attributes are expected to be attributed to the company. In the given issue stated by you, as Sun n Surf Shirts brands value reliably cannot be measured and the brand has no definite useful life, it cannot be recognised in the companys financial asset. However, it can be disclosed through notes to financial statements. Regarding the 2nd issue we would like to state that AASB 118 Revenue, revenue shall be recognized while it is probable that the upcoming economic benefits will be the inflow for company and the benefits can be reliably measured. Further, the revenue shall be recognized from the below mentioned events and transactions Rendering of the services Sale of the goods Using of companys dividends, royalties and interest yielding assets by others. Further, as per the AASB 137 Provisions, contingent liabilities and contingent assets, the provision is the amount kept aside by the company for meeting the future obligation. Main purpose of the provision is to adjust the current year balance and make it appropriate. Provisions are recorded as current liability under the balance sheet and under the income statement as expense. For creating the provision the obligation shall be probable and it must be at the future date with regard to the date of balance sheet and the obligation shall be legal or constructive obligation. on the other hand the contingent liability is the expected liability that may occur owing to the uncertain event. If the amount of contingent liability can be estimated reliably and the chances of occurring the event is high then the liability is accounted as expenses or loss under the income statement and as liability in the balance sheet. In the given issue stated by you, for selling of equipment by Beachlife Ltd to Goodsports Ltd the seller was obliged to provide maintenance of equipment for 1st year after sales and the maintenance charge was $ 7,500. However, Goodsposts Ltd is entitled to 15% refund of the purchase amount that is ($ 900,000 * 15%) = $ 13,500 if they are not satisfied with the maintenance service of Beachlife. Therefore, the transaction shall be treated by the company recording the sales under income statement at $ 90,000 as the sales taken place as per the AASB 118 and the payment for which is to be received on 30th December that is in the same accounting period. Moreover, as the maintenance charge is the obligation for your company and the amount can be reliably estimated at $ 7,500, this amount shall be accounted as provision in the income statement and current liability in balance sheet. Further, as there is no established probability for the contingent liability amounting to $ 13,500 it shall b e disclosed through notes to the financial statement rather than including it to the financial statement. In case of any doubt or query regarding the issues, you can always contact me in our official contact number or through e-mail. Yours sincerely Ms. Lisa Magenta Manager Magenta and Associates Copy Stewart Hudson Enc Letter Writing Handout Bibliography Bond, D., Govendir, B. and Wells, P., 2016. An evaluation of asset impairment decisions by Australian firms and whether this was impacted by AASB 136. Goodwin, J., Atilgan, Y., Simsir, S.A. and Ahmed, K., 2016. Investor reaction to accounting misstatements under IFRS: Australian evidence. Picker, R., Clark, K., Dunn, J., Kolitz, D., Livne, G., Loftus, J. and Van der Tas, L., 2016.Applying international financial reporting standards. John Wiley Sons. Sinclair, R.N. and Keller, K.L., 2014. A case for brands as assets: Acquired and internally developed.Journal of Brand Management,21(4), pp.286-302. Tysiac, K., 2015. FASB delays revenue recognition effective date by one year.Journal of Accountancy. Wagenhofer, A., 2014. The role of revenue recognition in performance reporting.Accounting and Business Research,44(4), pp.349-379.

The Marriage of Maria Braun an Example of the Topic Film Essays by

The Marriage of Maria Braun by Expert Mary Houston | 27 Dec 2016 The essay about film The Marriage of Maria Braun deals with life in post-World War II Germany and especially the way in which womens lives were changed by the social and political movements that came onto the scene. Throughout the film there are many elements present that help to show the historical representation of World War II and its effects on the people who had to rebuild Germany following the end of the war, two of the most important being the issues of memory and history and how they shape the film, which was indeed a product of the Frauenfilm movement of the 1970's. Need essay sample on "The Marriage of Maria Braun" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Undergraduates Usually Tell EssayLab professionals: Idon't want to write my paper now because I am too tired at the moment. Essay writers recommend: Find Brilliant Papers For Sale Here Order a Custom Essay The West German film industry during this time saw many changes in the way that films were made and the techniques used to create the story on film. The Marriage of Maria Braun is a film that delves into the historical world of women's lives following the end of World War II, and brings to light a magnificent portrait of this period of history in Germany. Prior to the 1960's, West German film virtually ignored the working class person and their existence within the context of history. From the 1960's through to the 1970's there was a movement towards a different type of film in West German cinema, where working class characters were portrayed, their problems in the workplace and at home and their relation to German history and the new-found prosperity (Elsaesser 171). Among these film movements that emerged was a new-found interest in female characters and their importance to German history, something that becomes apparent in films like The Marriage of Maria Braun. This film follows the life of a young German woman who, at the beginning, is married to a missing Nazi soldier but is forced to exert her independence in order to survive in a culture that was poverty-stricken and devastated by the recent war, becoming a hostess at an American GI club, where she quickly begins a liaison with black soldier and becomes pregnant. The film progresses with her husband returning from a POW camp and, to stop the dueling between her new lover and her husband, Maria kills the American and soon her husband is taking the blame and going to jail for her crime. The rest of the film follows Maria as she uses her intellect, charm, survival skills and sexuality to achieve success in the Economic Miracle that occurred in Germany during that time. She becomes a business woman, a lover to a very influential and rich businessman, all the while doing every for her husband. Through the use of history and memory the director is able to capture the general feeling of Germany post-1945 (Baca). The storyline of this film is interesting in that it deals with many layers of issues that followed the end of World War II, including the clashing of the old culture and customs and the new ideals that emerged following the fall of the Nazi party in Germany. One such cultural aspect that is seen within the film is the idea of marriage and how it is understood by the characters. The opening scene of this film shows Maria, dressed in a white wedding dress, standing with her husband, Hermann Braun, in front of a judge who is marrying them. An explosion occurs that sends everyone running from the Civil Registry building, and as the buildings fall around them as they are lying on the ground Maria has the judge sign to affirm that they are married. Throughout the film, Maria is dedicated to her husband emotionally, despite the fact that she freely uses her sexuality with other men to accomplish her goals of becoming a homeowner and successful businesswoman. Despite the fact that Hermann and Maria barely know each other they continue to hope for the ideal rather than the reality of a middle-class marriage (Moeller). Just like the Germany of post-World War II, the Brauns are faced with two very different worlds pulling them in separate directions: the world of pre-World War II Germany and the new culture that emerged following its aftermath. Memory ends up playing an extremely important part in the way that they each interact with each other because much of their interaction occurs within their memories of each other during the three short weeks that they knew each other before marrying. Memory is also important to the transition from young, innocent girl to charming, successful woman because it is the memory of the war torn days of hunger, poverty and cold that motivates her to seek a more economically stable life, whatever the cost. In the film her mother freely expresses that she is not the Maria that she used to be, she is colder, a sentiment that Maria Braun knows and embraces because the alternative is to be submissive. In essence, Maria Brauns feelings and marriage perish in the German economic miracle and her experience becomes a parable of West Germany (Moeller). Just as Maria Brauns memory of darker days impel her towards a future shaped by economic growth, so does West Germany seek economic changes in order to shake off the past. Womens rights and the assertion of female power become implicit in this film, and Maria Braun becomes a strong, liberated female character in German cinema. Instead of waiting to be rescued by men, she takes things into her own hands and goes out to make a better life. While she tries to assert that this life is being created for her husband and her, not simply for herself, it becomes apparent throughout the film that Maria Braun is becoming an independent woman who values her own space. She makes decisions about her own body, including whom she will have sex with, and makes the decision to have an abortion when she becomes pregnant with the black GIs baby near the beginning of the film. No longer submissive and inferior to men, Maria Braun pushes herself to the limits in order to make herself an equal with all of the men that she encounters, a concept which the movie portrays as being precisely what post-World War II German men desired. In one scene, she is speaking with her friends husband, Willy, who has left her friend for another woman because she bores him. In this scene,Willy discloses to Maria why he likes his new lover, saying, She is my equal in every way (The Marriage of Maria Braun). This is a concept that was relevant to the Frauenfilm movement of the 1970s, a time when it was the struggle for womens rights on specific issues, such as abortion, coming from the social base, which created part of the need and also the opportunity for these types of films (Elsaessar 185). Coming from this socio-political context, this film is a perfect example of a movie that was made for female viewers who were trying to understand the issues of womens lives in a historical context, specifically the Economic Miracle of post- World War II Germany. This so-called Economic Miracle, or Wirtschaftswunder, was the period in history following World War II when there was a strong boost in the West German economy and it is this issue that is most carefully portrayed in The Marriage of Maria Braun. The character of Maria Braun becomes almost a metaphor for this strong upturn in economic fortune, her life mirroring the transition happening in the West German economy and the rise in capitalism that occurred there. The character of Maria Braun, a woman who is not trained in business at all, rises from the ashes of her post-World War II poverty and the imprisonment of her husband to become a talented and successful businesswoman. How she comes into this fortune, however, is through her use of her sexuality and her need for economic stability. She is able to recognize the importance of capitalism and what its likely impact would be on her, and when she sneaks onto the first-class train car and is told by the conductor that the lone man sitting there is a successful textile businessman from France she becomes intrigued and uses all of her womanly wiles to intrigue him, but it is her fluency in English, which she freely admits she learned in bed, that persuades him to offer her a position as his assistant. She quickly rises through the ranks to become an executive, but still she uses her sexuality, becoming the mistress of her boss. The character of Maria Braun, in essence, suggests that it is difficult to be good in the capitalist world (Moeller). This becomes a statement about the decline of morals and the shift in cultural values following the Second World War. The factor that shapes all aspect of this film is, most definitely, that of the World War II. This films representation of the Second World War goes far beyond that of the events of the war itself, they delve into the world of women during that period which, until the 1970s, was virtually nonexistent in German cinema. The connection between the female characters in this film and the historical backdrop that helped to shape them is evident. The director of the film, Ranier Werner Fassbinder, relayed that he had a fascination with womens roles in history because it works better, when relating something about history, to use women. Men have a prescribed role in the writing of history this is why I dont find men so interesting as figures; while women, taken singularly are often capable of doing things one would not have considered possible (Moeller). The war itself is what shapes Maria Braun into the person that she becomes by the end of the film. In a country torn apart by the consequences of war, Maria Braun learns that in order to survive she must adopt American values or at least pretend to, a metaphor for Germany and how for its own economic stability the country had to turn to Americans (Baca). Not only does the history of her country shape her, but her own history, a concept that is elemental to the success of this film. Memory also plays an elemental role in how the film progresses and how the characters are shaped. The memory of a war torn Germany, the memory of ones lost love as in the case of both Maria and her mother, and the memory of better days seem to flow effortlessly through the film. In one particular scene Maria brings her friend, Betti, to their old school, the place where they met and enjoyed happier times together. Here, she and her friend reminisce about old times, the days before the war when they were carefree and young. They sit amongst the rubble of a building that has been destroyed by bombs and gunfire, a place that no longer resembles the school of their youth, and yet they smile, sing and laugh as they fondly remember it the way it was. This representation of their memories becomes a catalyst for the viewer, because it is here that the viewer begins to understand the reality of the films themes: the war changed Germanys landscape, economics, culture and values forever. Germany would never be the same following the Second World War, just as Maria Braun was never the same young girl that sat in that school with her friend (The Marriage of Maria Braun). While The Marriage of Maria Braun is an example of a movie that was a result of the Frauenfilm movement, it is also the perfect example of how far the West German film industry had come since the end of World War II. Just like every other aspect of German society, the film industry was greatly affected by the war and, having once been one of the most prosperous and technically advanced film industries; it struggled to regain its success in the aftermath of an onslaught of Hollywood films that hit the market (Elsaesser 8). The film industry of Germany was progressively centralized and put under state control in the 1930s and 1940s, practically ceasing all creative ventures in the market (Elsaesser 10). By 1978, when The Marriage of Maria Braun was released, the film industry had come a long way, gaining fame and respect, and creating films that were meaningful and gave insight to German history and memory, and finally financiers were willing to finance such films (Elsaesser 186). The Marriage of Maria Braun is an example of how German cinema transformed in the 1970s and how the memory of World War II was still ever-present in the minds of the German population. Film movements that sought to establish women as important cinematic characters, as in the Frauenfilm movement, and movements towards portraying the working-class population of Germany were evident in the creation of this film and the themes found there. The finale of the film surprises the audience, with Maria finding out that her lover, the businessman who she has worked under for years, has given half of her estate to her and half to her husband while he was in jail as payment, with the stipulation that her husband leave after his release until her lover dies. The half of his estate is payment for his giving up his love so that the businessman can finish out his life continuing his relationship with Maria. After this revelation, the love and passion that they each had for each other seems to wane in the moments before the ending. The final scene insinuates that Maria and Hermann die in an explosion that was a result of an accident with their gas stove. Moments after they have been informed that they now have it all, the two die together, without having ever had a real marriage together. The statement being made here is subtle but interesting nonetheless, because just as Germany seemed to have it all in terms of the Economic Miracle following World War II, the cultural and social values and traditions of middle-class Germany was forever changed, dying in the explosions of the war just as Maria and Hermann died in the explosion in their house. Works Cited Baca, Mariana. "Dressing for Disaster: Clothing in "the Marriage of Maria Braun"" Visual Histories: German Cinema Post 1945. 6 Oct. 2003. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 12 Feb. 2007 Elsaesser, Thomas. "Film Industry-Film Subsidy." New German Cinema: a History. British Films Institute, 1989. 8-35. Elsaesser, Thomas. "In Search of the Spectator 3: Minority Views." New German Cinema: a History. British Film Institute, 1989. 171-206. The Marriage of Maria Braun. Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Perf. Hanna Schygulla, Klaus LWitsch, and Ivan Desny. DVD. The Criterion Collection, 1979. Moeller, H.b. "Fassbinder's Use of Brechtian Aesthetics." Jump Cut: a Review of Contemporary Media 35 (1990). 10 Feb. 2007