Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay Example For Students

Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Essay Premise What would happen if you take an innocent being and place them in the midst of war? Tim O’Brien’s inspiration to write this story came from his own experience. He was drafted into the War and accepted to join the army because of his embarrassment not to, his original plans were to go to Harvard graduate school. Many individuals who go out and fight in the armed forces never expect the situations they have to observe and majority of the time have a life changing effect on the individual that may be irreversible. We will write a custom essay on Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Controlling Idea If innocent beings go into the war inexperienced then the outcome will result losing themselves in the war. Protagonist In Tim O’Brien’s short story, Mary Anne Bell’s boyfriend flew her over to Vietnam so that he could keep her company during the war. Because she was curious about what was going on in the country, she ventured off and began to adapt to the lifestyle of war, which created a meaningful and irreversible change. (McKee 137) Conscious Desire The longer Mary Anne stayed in Vietnam, the more she began to enjoy her new life and assimilate to her surroundings enough that â€Å"she seemed comfortable and entirely at home.† (O’Brien 6)Her desire to be a part of the Vietnamese culture is external in the sense that she is fully aware that â€Å"Everything wants is right here.† (O’Brien 8) Antagonist Despite of his lovesick intentions of brining his girlfriend with him to war, Mark Fossie shows a force of antagonism when he forces his engagement with Mary Anne a bit too early because he noticed that Vietnam was doing no good for her. Mark began to make plans to send Mary Anne back to Cleveland, Ohio when she clearly didn’t want to. Inciting Incident- Mary Anne upsets the balance of forces (McKee 189) when she takes a swim in the Song Tra Bong. She thinks of it as a nice dip in the river, while the medics see it as a threat to her because of the ambushes. Eddie Diamond notices that she will eventually change into the war atmosphere, which is pretty scary. What is the Act of Design The film adaptation for this short story will be in the form of a full length film containing 3 acts that show Mary Anne’s transformation from a soft and innocent women into a cold, hard soldier. Act 1 will include: a detailed intro of how Vietnam during the war is, especially in the medical hootch where the four soldiers tend to the wounded casualties and will show the gory happenings that take place. Then will make a quick, mysterious appearance of the Greenies, since they will be a significant part in the later acts/scenes. We then move on to the four soldiers in Vietnam jokingly tossing around the idea of bringing a girl to Nam and a couple weeks later Mark Fossie flies his girlfriend over, revealing the story’s love motif . Act 2 will include: a scene showcasing Mary Anne’s innocence and curiosity, wandering around the jungle and going down hill to visit the native village. Next will be a turning point, Mary Anne learns how to assemble and shoot a M-16, which made her instantly click with the war atmosphere but for the worse. Act 3 will include: Mary Anne’s mysterious disappearance, Mark spots her with the Greenies the next morning and finds out that she went on an all night ambush. Turning point, he angrily confronts her behind closed door and when their discussion ends, they are officially engaged and Mary Anne is back to dressing like her normal self. Their relationship fades as Mary Anne fails to engage in their future plans (marriage, live in a big house, have kids). The next week Mark Fossie notices Mary Anne’s change and begins to make plans to get her back to Cleveland, Ohio. He wakes up and she is gone and the Greenies disappeared as well. Mary Anne is consumed by the jungle, never to be seen again. .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .postImageUrl , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:hover , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:visited , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:active { border:0!important; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:active , .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5e15139a6ca32ed9288b3dce6ee5291b:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How does Tim Burton create an atmosphere in sleepy hollow EssayLevels of Conflict- Mary Anne has an unconscious conflict, she is unaware that the war atmosphere is affecting her. Mark and some of the other medic take notice and suggest multiple times that she should go back home to Ohio, but Mary Anne believes that Vietnam is the place where she needs to be because it makes her happy. Crisis- Because this short story is told in third hand, we cannot pin point what Mary Anne is going through internally, we don’t clearly know what decisions she has make to take one action over the other. (McKee 303) For the film adaptation Mary Anne’s decisions will be easier to read as we will make her character less mysterious by following her around her walks in the jungle and the late nigh ambushes with the Greenies. Her ultimate decision will be whether she wants to go back home and continue her life with Mark Fossie or stay in Nam. Climax The next action Mark Fossie and Rat Kiley witness created a change that was very clear and required no explanation (McKee 309), they found Mary Anne in a creepy candle lit room surrounded with bones and animal kill. She had a necklace of human tongues, she was mentally gone. The scene in the film will include dramatic scenery, include the creepy music played by the radio, and most importantly, the tongue necklace. To make Mary Anne’s situation clear, the necklace will serve as a symbol to emphasize her being swallowed by Vietnam instead of her taking it in is like she wanted. The novel’s slow impassive speech from the short story will still be in the film to allow the audience to see the irony in the situation yet making it evident that Nam consumed her. Resolution The resolution in the screenplay will occur when we see Mary Anne wander off into the mountains dressed in her pink sweater and white culottes with a face painted green, representing her blending into the land and being a part of Vietnam. You come over clean and you get dirty and then afterward its never the same. She wanted more, she wanted to penetrate deeper into the mystery of herself, and after a time the wanting became needing, which turned then to craving. night patrols. All camouflaged up. Adaptation Strategies Because the short story is told from Tim O’Brien’s memory of a story he heard from Rat Kiley, the movie will be from Mary Anne’s point of view so that we get her side of what happened. Also bringing in more attention to the Greenies. The color green will be a motif as it creeps into Mary Anne’s life. The change in her wardrobe will change to all camouflage and her face will be painted green, instead of charcoal black like in the text. Setting- Time Period: Vietnam War, 1955-1957 Location A military base in the jungle of Vietnam, surrounded by mountains, green life and of course a slow moving river. We will be filming in Kauai in order to save the hassle of actually filming in Vietnam. Significant Symbols The M-16 gun that Mark Diamond gives to Mary Anne represents the war times so every time she has the gun in her hands, she will automatically click into this war hungry girl. The tongue necklace represents Mary Anne’s hunger for Vietnam and the craziness that over came here, this is where the medics realize that the old, sweet, innocent Mary Anne would never be the same again. Mary Anne will also serve as a symbol of the loss of innocence of those who enter the war inexperienced. She represents the innocence that men had to lose going to war. .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .postImageUrl , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:hover , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:visited , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:active { border:0!important; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:active , .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71 .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9614582798f5ef257168d50e9f143b71:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Australian Rules - Directed by Paul Goldman EssaySubplots Mark Fossie brings Mary Anne for his personal pleasure of having her there but as the weeks go by and she begins to adapt to the situations, he struggles to convince his girlfriend to go back home to Cleveland, Ohio. He takes notice that their future plans together are no longer Mary Anne’s priority and fears that he will lose her.

Flaming B-52 Drink Recipe (and Other Flaming Cocktails)

Flaming B-52 Drink Recipe (and Other Flaming Cocktails) Its easy to make flaming cocktails. Essentially, you take a drink recipe and then add and ignite a float of any high-proof alcohol. Most commonly this is 151 rum, but any alcoholic beverage 150-proof or higher will work. Many flaming drinks today are flaming shots, but you can set most drinks on fire. Heres what you do. Basic Flaming Drink Directions Prepare your drink.Warm a little liquor in a spoon. Hold your hand steady so that the flammable vapor can collect right over the liquid.Ignite the alcohol in the spoon and pour it onto your drink.Dim the lights to enjoy the show, then blow out the flame before taking a drink. Be careful! The glass and drink may be hot. Also, pure alcohol burns with an almost-invisible blue flame. Adding a rim of sugar or salt to the glass will help make the flame more visible. Flaming B-52 Recipe If youre ready for something a little more advanced, try my personal favorite, a flaming B-52. This is a layered drink. If you make it correctly, you will have a tricolored drink topped by a flame. B-52 Cocktail Ingredients KahluaIrish CreamGrand Marnier or CointreauShot glassSpoon or a maraschino cherryMatch or lighter151 rum or Everclear Fill the shot glass about a third full with Kahlua.You form layers with the lighter alcohols by slowly pouring them over the back of a spoon (or a cherry), touching the side of the glass just above the liquid. Use this technique to slowly add a layer of Irish Cream over the Kahlua.Add a layer of Grand Marnier on top of the Irish Cream.Pour a couple of drops of 151 on top of the Grand Marnier and light the drink on fire.If you use warmed Grand Marnier, you dont even need the 151.You can drink the lit drink using a long straw, from the bottom of the drink. Its more prudent to blow out the flame before drinking the B-52. Heres a nice YouTube video you might want to watch if you want to see how to form the layers. Once you learn how to layer drinks, you can try this technique with other liqueurs (or sugar water, if you want something non-alcoholic with even more layers). Combinations to try (heaviest to lightest) include Tia Maria, Irish Cream, Absinthe or Amaretto, Irish Cream, and rum. Its a Flaming Density Column While the purpose of a flaming cocktail is entertainment, the layered drink is a good example of a density column. The different layers have different densities, so if they are poured carefully, they will remain separate. The project also illustrates the flammability of ethanol (the kind of alcohol you can drink). If the cocktail is prepared poorly, it shows the miscibility of alcohol and water. When alcohol and water mix, the flammability of the alcohol is offset by the presence of the water. Flaming Drink Safety Fire is fun and all, but you need to be safe. Dont mix or drink flaming drinks if youre intoxicated.You really ought to blow out the fire before drinking the drink. In my opinion, its not worth burning yourself.Dont add spirits to a flaming drink.Use heavy glassware to minimize the chance of the glass cracking.Short or rounded glasses tend to work better than tall, narrow glasses.Dont prepare or serve flaming drinks near open bottles of liquor.Coating the rim of the glass with salt (not recommended for the B-52, for flavor) can add yellow to the flame from the sodium. This can make the flame easier to see, reducing the chance of a burn. Key Points The key to preparing a flaming cocktail is to ignite a high-proof alcohol and float it on top of the drink.Alcohol is less dense than the other ingredients, so it sits on top of the drink. However, it will mix with the next layer over time, so the final float should be added just before lighting it.Alcohol burns with a nearly invisible flame, so its important to make certain the flame is extinguished before skin contact.Prepare a flaming B-52 by layering (bottom of the glass to top) Kahlua or other coffee liqueur, Irish Cream, and Grand Marnier or Cointreau, topped with a bit of 151 rum or Everclear.

Battle of the Sexes

The concept of being a man, and the idea of manliness, has been debatable in recent decades due to acts of feminism. Paul Theroux wrote Being a Man and was very opinionated as he said the idea of manliness was wrong and oppressive. Harvey Mansfield wrote The Partial Eclipse of Manliness, and stated that the concept of being manly has diminished and been overpowered by feminism. Both of these readings have provided valid and doubtful points in the discussion of what constitutes being manly, as well as how North American culture views the stereotypical man. Both authors are very opinionated and biased in their readings as they do not have any outside sources supporting their beliefs, but they do make effective arguments which further their attitude and outlook on manliness. In Paul Theroux’s reading Being a Man, it is stated that man can be categorized as stupid, arrogant, and much like pre-historic cavemen. Theroux continued to say that if someone were born as a man, there would be limits of what he is physically, emotionally, and mentally capable of. His highly personal view of how men act relates to a time when men were expected to aspire to be the so-called perfect man. The stereotypical perfect man is theoretically defined as brash, built, strong, athletic, and overall a poor loser when it involves any form of competition. It is also claimed that the typical man should be stupid, unfeeling, obedient, and ultimately soldierly. Theroux argued that these qualities eventually create poor husbands, sadists, and potentially rapists. Although this could happen, it is very unlikely that the majority of men with those characteristics will end up malicious and violent like Theroux stated. Mansfield’s approach to the deterioration of masculinity faulted women. He believed manliness is dubious as women over the years have been referred to with manly intentions. He felt that feminism has not only succeeded, but dominated current culture. For example, policemen and mailmen are no longer in existence, but rather they are police officers and mailpersons. Mansfield thought the concept of manliness had diminished to the point of becoming obsolete. He felt the concept of manliness, being strong, emotionless, and violent, cannot include women. He wanted women to continue to be meek, petit and frail; the direct opposite of what his ideal man is supposed to be. As a view from people who have rarely been referred to as masculine, many women are able to offer an unbiased honest opinion when it comes to the broad term of being manly. As someone who has never personally been associated with masculinity, I feel these readings present both current and outdated views on what manliness is. Both readings had a similar message of establishing man but they portray them in different ways. Theroux’s reading expressed how he felt uneasy, unsure, and apprehensive when it came to the term manly as he viewed it as degrading. As a woman’s perspective, I feel that the term manly is far from shameful or dishonourable. A manly man is something many women look for in a prospective partner as a shy, emotional, and weak male is undesirable. This is not because women are too concerned with physical appearance and mental capacity, but because women are wired to look for mates with these qualities. This dates back to days of cave men and women when language was limited and appearances were the only means of finding a mating partner. In my view, it appears that Theroux is attempting to understand the term â€Å"being a man† at face value while disregarding the fact, that not everyone associates a man with the qualities he has previously stated. In comparison to Theroux’s reading, Mansfield concentrated more on the aspect of how manly qualities are being given to women. Women are now able to take on the characteristics of being masculine and as a result, the definition of being a man has been altered and is unclear. Mansfield’s reading demonstrates a fear of being second-rate in comparison to female counter parts when in truth he has nothing to be concerned over. In my opinion, his panic of inferiority in unnecessary as women will always be considered the lesser sex. Regardless of how much effort is put into gender equality, women will always be initially seen as soft and sweet while men will be primarily viewed as rough and tough. Both Theroux and Mansfield refer to the same point but in different ways: Are men to just live with this degraded status? If women can take on the characteristics of being manly then what makes a man? Being manly is in no way considered a degraded status from my perspective, but a term of affection instead. As for women taking on characteristics of being manly, I feel they choose to be referred to masculine. It does not deteriorate the idea of men being manly but rather makes women much more like man. The authors have very old fashioned views of how a modern culture should be when they state: a male should be masculine and a female should be feminine.

The Effects of Technology on the Accounting Profession Essay

The Effects of Technology on the Accounting Profession - Essay Example Technologies of inter connectivity has led a high degree of cooperation in exchange of data. Accounting soft wares have brought revolution in accounting and finalization of financial statements. Every time a transaction is proceed into accounting software all accounting activities till preparation of financial statements are performed by the software. Financial statements are available for analysis with every transaction processed. Non- customized soft wares are available for general accounting but large businesses and even some SMEs, like the organization I am associated with, get accounting software customized as per their requirements. Certain areas of core accounting have been immensely affected by Information Technology like preparation of payroll records, calculations and withholding of tax deductions, filing of payroll and tax returns, invoicing, tracking accounts receivables, on line bank transfers, and many others. Information technology has evolved such B2B (business to business) systems that work effectively despite complexities involved. In fact my organization has made such a system as part of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Bills are generated and payments are electronically processed through EBPP (Electronic Billing Presentation and Payment) systems, and accounting of such transactions is facilitated as soon as the bills are generated. One can imagine the impact of speed, accuracy, and savings affected by EBPP system on the accounting systems. Internet has opened lot of opportunities for small accounting firms through business processing operations. Accounting out sourcing is the invention of technological developments that has helped both CPA professional who is providing the work of his client by outsourcing it to other accounting professional who is receiving the outsourced assignment. The point is that at both ends, the provider and the

Civil Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Civil Engineering - Essay Example ew ideas and plans regarding a product or a service and then taking appropriate steps for the implementation of those ideas and plans in the product development process in order to create a new product. Christiansen (2000) found that newly developed products are introduced into the market by a company to get some economic gain. While talking about the concept of innovation, let’s talk about a company which has really embedded innovation in all of its processes and activities. The company which we are talking about is Emaar Construction Company. Emaar is a public joint stock company whose motive is to provide the people with high standard and premier life styles. Emaar has really proved its worth in the field of construction. It has become one of the leading construction companies in the world because of its professionalism and commitment towards fulfilling the customers’ needs and requirements. Emaar is basically a Dubai based Construction Company and has been working effectively and successfully since 1997. Emaar has managed a rapid growth due to its professionalism in satisfying the housing needs of the people of United Arab Emirates. Emaar Construction Company strongly believes in the concept of innovation and stresses on innovative and creative ideas in all aspects of the company. Emaar has completed a lot of outstanding and marvelous projects which were based on innovative ideas. It is due to Emaar’s constant urge for innovation that it has proved to be one of the most successful construction companies of the world. Emaar Construction Company competes in various areas related to construction industry. These areas include building beautiful homes, providing value added services to the customers, master planned communities, various construction projects, and providing the customers with full range of high life style requirements. Emaar’s main competitive strategy is based on creativity of new ideas and Emaar considers innovation and modernization of

Exploring The Jungle: The True Impact of a Literary Masterpiece Essay

Literature is a powerful and persuasive tool. History holds the proof that a well-written novel, even a work of fiction, has the power to profoundly impact society. One such novel is Upton Sinclair’s 1906 expose of the American immigrant, infamously titled The Jungle. The story is of the trials and tribulations of a Lithuanian family struggling to earn a living in the slaughterhouses of Chicago. The issues faced by this family are some of the most disturbing fictional depictions of the lower class, and some of the most well-read in the past century. The Jungle, now hailed as a literary masterpiece, is credited with being the reason for the Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act of the early 1900’s (Ewers). Though Sinclair’s story is revered for supposedly helping to reform a corrupt industry, research of both the current day meat packing industry and life of the twenty-first century immigrant proves that the story actually had very little consequence. In addition, research about Sinclair himself raises a number of questions about his motives and credibility. Although Sinclair’s novel was well received and thought to have made a major impact on society, it actually had very little effect on anything but the American psyche. To further understand what has not changed because of The Jungle, it is first important to understand what the initial impact of the story was, and how it is perceived today. The very famous words of Upton Sinclair explain the forceful impact of his story perfectly, â€Å"I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach (Cohen).† When The Jungle was first published in 1906, it was a series of short stories describing the plight of the main character, Jurgis, and his poverty-stricken f... ...Regulation.† Issues and Controversies on File. Facts on File News Services, 19 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Mar 2011. Hinderliter, Justine. â€Å"From Farm to Table: â€Å"How This Little Piggy was Dragged Through the Market.†University of San Fransisco Law Review. Vol. 40 Is. 3. P. 739-76, 2006. Klein, Julia M. â€Å"Sinclair Redux.† Columbia Journalism Review 45 no 2, 58-60. Aug 2006. Web. 2 March 2011. Preston, Julia. â€Å"After Iowa Raid, Immigrants Fuel Labor Inquiries.† New York Times, July 27, 2008. Web. 2 March 2011. Reed, Lawrence W. â€Å"How a food safety myth became a legend.† Consumer’s Research Magazine. Vol. 78, Is. 2, p. 23-24. Feb 1995. Web. 2 March 2011. â€Å"The Jungle.† New Republic, Vol. 236, Is. 1-3, p.7. 1 Jan, 2007. Web. 2 March 2011. Wenzel 8 Walsh, Bryan. â€Å"America’s Food Crisis and How to Fix It.† Time, Vol. 174, Is. 8, p. 30-37. 31 Aug, 2009. Web. 2 March 2011.

Family in the play Essay

The issues of parentage and family are profoundly of paramount importance in the play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, both as primary forces motivating the plot and as subjects yielding philosophical speculation and debate. Parentage can be defined as the group of individuals descending from a common ancestor and in Victorian England the issue of parentage was largely touched upon. In fact, appropriate parentage was a key to proving ones place as a member of the upper class of that particular era. Through his work, Wilde attempts to express his views on the matter through his so called â€Å"trivial comedy for serious people† and these views, along with integrated examples from the play itself, are what will form the basis of this essay. The issue of family is introduced from the very first Act, where we observe Algernon Moncrief expecting a visit from his aunt, Lady Bracknell, and her daughter Gwendolyn Fairfax. Even though Algernon has devised the act of Bunburying so as to be able to avoid confronting his family members in order to keep up appearances he agrees to meet Lady Bracknell for tea, even arranging for cucumber sandwiches to be made specially for her visit. The extended cucumber sandwich joke further exemplifies the superficiality of Algernon’s relationship with his Aunt when without realizing it; he steadily devours all the sandwiches that have been meticulously prepared for her visit. The arrival of Algernon’s kin, towards the middle of the first Act is signalled by the sound of the electric bell in a way that â€Å"only relatives, or creditors, ever ring in that Wagnerian manner†, according to Algernon. When Gwendolyn and her mother arrive the issue of parenting immediately comes to the foreground. Lady Bracknell immediately urges her daughter to join her in the kindest of manners: â€Å"Won’t you come and sit here, Gwendolyn? † in an attempt to keep her at her side. Her domineering nature, even over her own daughter, is exposed once again when, rather than asking as before, she states â€Å"Gwendolyn, you will accompany me (into the music room)† . Nevertheless, as in mother-daughter relationships of the present day, children always defy their parents and Gwendolyn does so by intentionally staying behind so as to confront Jack about their relationship. Gwendolyn’s determination and conduct during her brief encounter with Jack does show evidence of her mothers affect on her. Therefore, it is proven true that as stated in one of the most famous witticisms of the play â€Å"All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy†. Nevertheless, the instance during the play where the notion of parentage proves pivotal is during Lady Bracknell’s â€Å"interview† of Jack, so as to see if he would make an eligible husband for her daughter. Here, it is noticeable that even though Lady Bracknell is willing to negotiate with Jack on his political beliefs, hobbies and rather â€Å"unfashionable† place of residence she condemns his marriage to her daughter unless he manages to â€Å"produce at any rate one parent, of either sex, before the season is quite over†. To back up her decision she further clarifies that neither herself nor Lord Bracknell would ever allow their only daughter â€Å"to marry into a cloak-room, and form an alliance with a parcel† as she sweeps out in majestic indignation (as designated by Wilde’s stage instructions). On the basis of Lady Bracknell’s words and actions, it is evident that the fact that Jack was abandoned as a baby without any indication of which family line he descends from excludes him as a potential husband for Gwendolyn, proving just how significant parentage was in the Victorian era. It is common knowledge that above all else both parents and family are responsible for the upbringing of their children by setting the right examples. When crafting the character of Cecily, Wilde depicts the norm that occurs when one loses his/her relatives at a young age. In this case, even though Jack is not Cecily’s blood relative, she is his ward and he -apart from being as her legal guardian- acts as her father figure. Out of sheer respect Cecily addresses him as: â€Å"Uncle Jack† and her gratitude is even more evident in her engraving on his cigarette case: â€Å"from little Cecily with her fondest love†. Ward’s were not uncommon in the Victorian era as mortality rates were high and the average life span was a little over 50 years, but Cecily differs from Jack in the sense that she knows which family line she descends from. To conclude, it has been confirmed that the notion of family and parentage is influential throughout the play. First, it is what drives Algernon to the act of Bunburying. Second, it causes ideals to be projected from mother to daughter (from Lady Bracknell to Gwendolyn). Third, the absence of parentage in Jack’s case constitutes a barrier to his marriage to Gwendolyn and finally in Cecily’s case the absence of her family augments her relationship to Jack, as his beloved ward.