The Food Waste Crisis in America

Every year America tosses about 40% of its’ food on an annual basis, costing us approximately 165 billion dollars each year. To put this into perspective, a round trip to the moon costs 750 million dollars. With the amount of food that we waste in the US every year, we could take that trip 220 times. The Antilla Mumbai, being named as one of the most expensive homes in the world, costs about one billion dollars to own. With the amount of money that America spends every year on food waste, we could purchase that house 165 times. The idea of that may be absurd, but it isn’t as outlandish as using 165 billion dollars each year as kindling to light a hypothetical fire that is slowly destroying our economy.

The average American family income of 2018 is estimated to be around $59,055. The same household wastes approximately $2,200 worth of food every year which rounds out to be about 4% of that income. Within 25 years, that will add back up to be the same amount as a years’ worth of pay. It’s easy to brush off an issue like this when the short-term problems are not as intimidating as other pressing issues that we may have going on, however, ignoring something like this will only create problems that are too difficult for us to bounce back from. The first way that we can find a solution for the food waste crisis is by locating the source of the problem. Where is this food waste coming from? Statistics show that 2% of food waste comes from food manufacturing, 16% comes from produce on farms, 40% comes from retailers and supermarkets, and 42% comes from the consumer.

It’s time for 165-billion-dollar question: why is so much of our food going to waste? The same reason for several preventable issues in America that continue to happen regardless of the fact: people are not educated on the matter. America is not educating its citizens on proper food storage or elaborating as to why reducing food waste is so important. We don’t shed enough light on how much food is being wasted and the toll that it is taking on the environment and economy. Not to mention the families that are going hungry. Food insecurity is when a household does not have the means to feed themselves. If we were to reduce the amount of food waste by 15% that would be enough to save 25 million Americans from food insecurity each year.

During the 1960’s, the amount of annually wasted food came to 11.5 million tons. In 1990, the amount of wasted food grew to be 17.5 million tons. Today, American waste has grown by 23.5 million since the 1960’s which means it has grown by 204%. America is now wasting 35 million tons of food each year. A 2015 Tesla Model S weighs 4,646 pounds, which roughly equates to 2 tons. The weight of food that we waste on an annual basis is equivalent to 17.5 million Tesla cars. So where is our food waste ending up? Landfills. 20% of American Landfills are made up of food waste. Organic matter and food waste contribute to 16% of methane emissions in the US. Methane is a greenhouse gas that can trap heat in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gasses are the number one contributor to climate change. Methane is the second most harmful greenhouse gas to our planet, with the first one being Carbon Dioxide. Not only does wasted food make a great paper shredder for billions of American dollars, but it’s also an excellent way to increase our carbon footprint.

With the annual amount of wasted food keeps rising, it also increases the amount of greenhouse gasses that are being released into the atmosphere. This leads us to our final question: What can we do to decrease the amount of food waste? Most of us do not intentionally waste food, and plenty of us even have a feeling of guilt after we end up throwing out those spoiled yogurts that we bought in bulk on an impulse buy two weeks ago. A few of the biggest consumer habits that lead to unnecessary food waste are: Throwing out foods that are not actually spoiled, purchasing so much food that you are not able to eat all of it before it spoils, improper storage, and misunderstanding labels. 90% of food is thrown away too soon, which highlights the importance of understanding when our food is spoiled or not. A helpful tip to know is that the FDA does not legally require stores to use the "best if used by" stamps on their goods, with the exception of baby food. Most food is still edible after the stamped date as the purpose of date stamping is to let the consumer know the optimal time for both quality and taste of the product. The date is not a reminder to throw it away, rather it is just a helpful guide for the consumer.

The best way to determine whether your food is spoiled or not is to learn the symptoms of spoilage for various types of produce. However, often your food will save you the effort of googling images of spoiled veggies by smelling absolutely putrid. (Source: Emilie McGill’s most recent endeavor with avocados). Improper storage is an enormous contributor to food spoilage in the home, so understanding how to properly store your produce could make all the difference. Susan Gunelius, a contributing author of The Swag, wrote in the article dated April 27, 2017 helpful tips for ways properly store food. Gunelius wrote, "Never store your fruits and vegetables in plastic bags or plastic containers. Don’t allow too much moisture to touch your produce. Busy fruits and vegetables before they are ripe. Store ripe fruit away from unripened produce so the ethylene gas released by the ripe fruit does not cause premature ripening in your other fruit and vegetables. Store produce in the proper places such as the refrigerator or on the counter. Toss overripe produce immediately so it doesn’t cause the produce stored near it to ripen too quickly. Before you store it, buy local. The process to get produce to your supermarket is not quick To get the freshest produce that will last the longest, buy from local growers whenever possible. Store produce loosely packed so it can breathe. Avoid storing produce in the door of your refrigerator where the temperature can significantly fluctuate. And lastly, keep produce out of direct sunlight."

Purchasing too much food after you make a "quick" run to the grocery store is something that a lot of us have experienced. Sales draw us in and fuel our justification for an impulse buy because "we’re saving so much money!", when it is really causing us to lose money via wasted produce. An option to help you determine how much food you will need for the week is easily figured out by meal planning. Keeping a calendar of your meals and recipes will allow you to know exactly what you will need and how much of it you will need. Small changes are what will make all the difference in lowering the amount of food waste. The most important step in solving any problem is simply by educating people.
Many people are unaware of the food crisis in America because it is not talked about as much as it should be. Food waste is contributing to the waste of valuable resources. The production of food alone is costing 10% of the U.S. energy budget, 80% of freshwater, and one entire HALF of U.S. land. The annual amount of food waste in the U.S. is not just about food. It is also about the waste of valuable resources that goes into the production of our country’s food. The food waste crisis in America is proving to be costlier than we could have ever prepared for, and it is wildly important that we begin to make change. Reducing the amount of food waste that we acquire every year would not only save us hundreds of billions of dollars, but it would also help the hungry, reduce dangerous greenhouse gasses that are destroying the environment, and save us from wasting tons of valuable resources.

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Solutions to Consumers Wasting Food

Food Waste: Solutions to consumers wasting food: An Annotated Bibliography "Characteristics of Food-Wasting Consumers in the Czech Republic." According to the food waste issue, and solution, summarized in this article, the amount of food that managing household consumers waste is due to economic status, age, and education. The study suggests that wealthy consumers and young consumers waste more food, while elderly groups waste much less. Solutions to food waste summarized in this article include creating technical devices to help younger people with food management. Solutions for economically active people include balancing work-life, expanding food delivery services, and creating a healthy work environment that supports food waste prevention. A solution for consumers with higher incomes includes expanding meal plan companies, or ready-to-eat food. These findings are similar to my other sources, which claim that consumers are the cause of food waste.

According to a survey held in this article, Fifty-one percent of households in Great Britain are not concerned about food waste, while forty-nine percent are concerned about food waste. This study suggests that most consumers are not aware of the impact food waste has on our environment or farmers. This article provides consumers with solutions to food waste, which saves money as well, such as planning meals one week in advance instead of purchasing mass quantities. Another solution summarized in this article includes splitting the cost of food that needs to be eaten quickly, due to an earlier expiration date. This source supports my other sources by illustrating methods of reducing food waste due to consumers lack of knowledge and presenting results from a conducted survey.

According to this article, working with retailers and manufacturers can help consumers reduce food waste. For example, when a consumer buys produce, their behavior changes when looking at the label of the product. Working with retailers to change labeling, such as expiration dates, can help reduce food waste by assuring the customer that the food is healthy to eat. This article goes into detail on how consumers don’t understand ??best before’ and ??use by’ date marks. Educating consumers on expiration dates can play a huge role in saving food. This study suggests that 25% to 32% of food-waste can decrease by educating consumers on product expiration dates. However, this seems to contradict the information in my other sources by suggesting that food waste is due to retailers, and consumers are the victim.

Unlike most of my other sources, this article suggests changing our eating habits can improve food waste. Rowland suggests avoiding certain foods can improve food waste. The study conducted in this article indicates that animal products require more calories to produce compared to the nutrition they provide when consumed, this is because animals consume more crops. Perhaps most importantly, the article suggests a solution to decreasing food waste is moving away from animal products and following a vegetarian diet. Rowland suggests that moving to a vegetarian diet will put an end to consumer food waste and retail food waste. This seems to contradict the information in my other sources by suggesting a major change in consumers diet to reduce food waste.

According to this article, a digital solution can help reduce consumer food waste. Milner suggests that shoppers are getting bored of traditional grocery shopping because of advancements in technology such as virtual reality, and self-driving cars. Many retailers plan to implement technology in their physical stores because of consumers’ expectations. A solution to food waste is Electronic shelf label, which lowers prices for items with approaching expiration dates. This advancement in technology not only reduces food waste but saves consumers money. Also, technology such as ESL educates consumers by displaying food waste reduction as shoppers purchase items. This source is consistent with suggestions from my other sources but includes a different approach to solving consumers wasting food with the use of technology.

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Food Waste in the Food System

Food Waste is an interesting issue that plays a major role in the food systems around the world. It is an ongoing problem for food systems because of all the factors which contribute to the amount of food that goes to waste on a yearly basis. The food system is complex, and this makes it difficult to track just how much food is going to be wasted every year. From the consumer’s perspective on food waste to the cafeteria’s around the world, food waste is a significant element of the food system. The focus of this paper is to look at various factors that surround how food is wasted and determine a possible course of action to reduce such waste.

The term "food waste" can be defined any number of ways, but for the purposes of this research endeavor we can define it as food that is thrown out that could have been eaten.1 This is an important distinction from other forms of the definition because it allows for more clarity when looking into the food system. On the consumer level, the United States are responsible for over a third of all wasted food, per the NRDC 2012.1 This is not necessarily a surprising fact considering the U.S. is one of the worlds leading developed countries. However, this is a reality very few Americans know about due to the poor efforts made to reduce food waste awareness. In a study from the International Journal of Consumer studies, it was found that several obvious factors contributed to food waste when in the context of household food. This included: poor pre-shopping planning, in-store behavior, food date labels, meal planning, etc.1 These factors directly correlate to the reasoning behind how consumers view the problem of food waste. From the study they discovered that many of the people in the study consistently overestimated the monetary value of food.1 Essentially stating that, while they are aware of the environmental impacts of food waste, they still believed certain foods to have greater value versus others. Overall, the participants seemed to have a good grasp on the idea of food waste, yet a great amount of food still gets wasted even on the most basic level of the food system which is the household.

Taking a step up, food waste also plays a major role in the organizational setting of the food system. Grocery stores, local markets, restaurants, and other large retail environments create a whole mess of food waste that contributes to the food system for several different reasons. These organizations create food waste for reasons such as, "cosmetic imperfections, overstocking, over-purchasing, damaged packaging, toxic or unsafe foods, or past ??sell-by’ dates."2 Particularly, grocery stores and restaurants, both create the most amount of food waste because they have standards which must be upheld and then there is the so-called "consumer waste" factor which also plays a role. In 2008, it was reported that $47 billion worth of food was wasted in the U.S. from the likes of grocery stores and other retail environments.2 This number shows how much food was wasted over the course of a year in the U.S., and how big a part food waste plays in the entirety of the food system.

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Food Waste: Facts, Statistics, Solution

There are 10 facts you should know correction we should all know about wasting food. 1 fact is ? of food is produced goes to waste. About $1 trillion of annual food waste weighs 1.3 billion pounds. Fact 3 one billion hungry people could eat on less than a quarter of food that's been wasted in the US, UK, and Europe. Fact 4 China is the largest area that food is never hardly eaten Fact 5 25% of fresh water is used to grow the food that the people never. Fact 6 did you know if the country where food waste it would be the 3rd largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and USA. Fact 7 in half the developed countries are mostly all food waste taken place in your home. Fact 8 the retail store is less than 2% total food waste. Fact 9 in your home food waste is worth 700 per year to the average of UK families ($2,275 in USA.) Fact 10 2.3 billion people are joining earth by 2050. That requires a 60-70% increase the global production of food. Or the easiest way is to JUST STOP THROWING AWAY GOOD FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The problem with wasting food is people buying food and forgetting they bought it then when it goes bad its a waste of even buying it. If you really want food get the food you will be eating not food you think you will eat. There are homeless people out there that could eat that food. But the more better part is we can also be half the solution. A staggering of $2,275 each year is of families equivalent in the US. My mother always told me to never waste food that homeless people could eat instead. I always hated the fact that food is expired and is wasted just because people are too stupid to know how to cook. I prefer to get the things i´ll be using soon that is not going to expire in a week or two. When I used to live in Milan Illinois I went to elementary in Thomas Jefferson, When it was lunchtime and you get milk and dont drink it you half to put it on the stand and not throw it away. I don't remember if we did that for food. I think Danville should do that too and with certain foods that havent been opened or used or eaten. The creatures that live in Freshwater is always hoping for survival for healthy lives. The most wasted food category is the fruits and veggies about 45% of that, roots and also tubers. Example from this website they say ¨The equivalent of 3.7 trillion apples and 1 billion bags of potatoes.¨ The farms on developing countries are losing more food and transportation in roads, refrigeration are slacking off. The choices you make in restaurants you should choose wisely and think you will like something new and not like it make sure you ask what they think about the food. Sometimes it can be a decrease in a accidental spill or spoiled food loss.

A lot of times the crime of food waste happens in our kitchen. In this website they say ¨water is about 21%, cropland is 18%, and fertilizer is 19% of food waste.¨ When farmers grow their crops a lot of times it badly goes to waste but the birds and mice usually take care of that job by eating the food. A lot of times people want to try something knew that's fine but if you don't like it try to give it to someone around you if you didn't take a bite out of it and just tore a piece off. Wasting food and throwing it out makes rats, stray dogs, and stray cats go looking into your garbage because they know you throw away food. When I see someone throwing something away that they could of asked me if i wanted it makes me angry because it could of been in someone else's stomach.

In my house I make sure there's nothing going expired, well I at least try. I try to make sure if there's a expiration date in a week or two on a food product I try finish eating it so it don´t go to waste. A lot people should start carining at least a little bit more about the food waste around the globe. When it comes to food waste you should stand up and fight do something about it. Food wasting is no joking matter it's destroying our planet. The people on the streets is really terrible when homeless people starve everyday while people sit there and waste food and don't realize what homeless people are trying to survive on. You should remember you can´t reuse food when you waste it.

If people think before you throw food away. Some thinks you can put in the freezer to last longer that's fine as long as your not wasting the food. The food people buy at stores should be what they want not what they think they will eat and not finish. When you cook something once and don't eat the amount you cooked I would put it back in the refrigerator and eat it next time you get it out if you eat in less than 2 weeks later. The water we waste affects our energy, production, packaging, and transporting the food. The limit of food I have at home is crazy until the bread is gone the next day when we just got it. That's my grandma she eats anything and everything that's food she will feed on food until there's nothing left. Americans waste about 150,000 tons of food each day. Americans that waste food all around the world are not realizing the purpose of our global society. I´m very reasonable with my family and friends if they throw something away that could be eaten.

A lot of times if you don't want to waste food don't feed something to your dog that's not good for it to eat. When you think of wasting food stop and think what you can do if it's still good. But if the food is moldy and gross throw it away and remember the next time you get it to eat before it goes bad. The food in this world is produced for us to live healthy and not starve. Starvation is the world's worst popular culture. The fact that people waste food is sick and unhealthy for people in the world. The popularity of food waste is bad in the United States.

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TV Programming:Reality TV

Reality television has been around for quite some time. These shows are very popular among society. You can stay caught up in the celebrity drama, and you can see other ordinary people making a fool of themselves. However, there are a few things that people don't think about, or don't know about reality TV. Three topics often discussed about this type of media are what they are, what influences they have, and the question of whether it really is reality or not.

Reality TV is a type of TV programming that involves regular everyday people. As in Steven Reiss's article, '... reality television--ordinary people compete in weeks-long contests while being filmed 24 hours a day (Reiss)." The shows follow the lives of celebrities and regular people. Sometimes, it appears as a game show where the contestants are on opposite teams against each other in a battle of wits or smarts. Other examples include makeovers, talents, or even which guy is the cutest for the girl. People from all over the world can join in these shows and they have a chance to prove themselves on national TV.

In most shows, they are completely open to the people, meaning, they are unscripted and unrehearsed. They don't make up scripts for anyone nor do they practice before every show, it's all completely improv. Yet this doesn't mean they're all totally real. In Winifred Fordham Metz article, 'All of the concepts were created by someone (usually the producer), the people who populate the show were auditioned or hired in some way, and, while the footage may be real, it is usually extremely edited (Metz)." This is why these shows are so popular, as they can see how these people would really act if they were put into these situations. The pressure of the show brings out their real emotions and they reveal intimate details about their lives.

The influences of these shows can be very beneficial to the population that watch them. First, it can help us prepare for the real world, a big example of this being marriage. One big stereotype of marriage is that it's always perfect. People don't fight, you always get along with your spouse, and life is just happy in general. As Sadie Gennis states:...Marriage doesn't necessarily mean 'happily ever after" in the traditional sense. The couples on the show fight, hide money from each other, and even go to therapy-but how much they love each other is never in question. None of the couples on the series have the idyllic newlywed year they imagined, but thanks to watching their ups and downs, I'm far more prepared for the reality of marriage. (Gennis) Marriage doesn't automatically make you happier as a person, it's just a very nice change and it's a chance for you to become more patient and loving. Reality television is not afraid of putting this out there, as they have lots of fighting couples.

People can also get negative influences from reality TV, especially the women. In Holly Peek's, 'The Impact of Reality TV on our Teens,"she says, 'Many reality shows depict women idealizing beauty and thinness, giving the impression that a woman's value is based on her appearance, and that popularity is derived from beauty (Peek)." All of the exercise shows, where the contestants are trying to get skinnier than they were before, effect many to believe that if they don't get down in weight, they are worth nothing. Therefore, many young girls feel that they aren't the 'perfect size" as they do on TV, and then that's when the problems start.

Perhaps the biggest concern of all is whether it's truly reality. Sometimes, it is real, as the people on the shows are being themselves, and demonstrating their talents. The makers of the shows try to make it 'true to life," like the situations they put people in. On the show Survival, real people get stranded on this island, and they only have their wits and their skills to help them survive. People can't really fake being under that much pressure, and they truly are not reading from a script. It's not rehearsed before either, as they are not on a specific schedule. On other shows, such as American Idol, it's all mostly true. As Opinion-Outpost Blog says, "American Idol" may have its unreal moments, but all those winning singers are legitimate. Kelly Clarkson, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson - they were all found by "American Idol." Even the least successful winner - Lee DeWyze, according to The Boston Globe - released a major debut album after his victory (Opinion)." So, it may have it's unreal moments, but most of this show and others has legit stuff that happens.

There are also many points about it not being reality. The makers of the show are 'all powerful" and they can manipulate many different things in the show. Frankenbiting is a very common one they use: 'We often take different clips and edit them together to sound like one conversation, sometimes drastically changing the meaning. It's so common we have a name for it: frankenbiting. If you see someone talking and then the camera cuts away...you still hear their voice, that's likely frankenbiting (Crouch)." Not everything that the people say is actually what they're saying. To make it more dramatic and exciting for the audience, they put in sentences that no one actually said. Especially when they put in an insult, or an exclamation, people seem to like that more.

In conclusion, reality television can be really good for society, but it can also be dangerous for others. The topics discussed were what they are, the influences they can have on people, and the question whether it really is reality or not. These are some things about reality TV that most people don't know, and they are very important topics as each generation is affected differently, by them. Since society likes them so much, they are probably not going to leave any time soon, but you should make the choice for yourself whether you will be influenced by them or not.

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Thew Growing Issue of Food Waste

Food waste for the past several years has spiraled upward; the United States Environmental Protection Agency recently stated that just the US trashes a whopping "133 billion pounds" almost every year. To put this in a easier perspective that’s the equivalent of about 15,647,058,823 gallons of milk when using the average weight of a gallon of milk. The wastage of our food is negatively impacting a variety of areas but the most affected area is the environment. The major negative impacts of food wastage in the environment are the severe air pollutants released from the food in landfills and the over usage of natural resources used in the production of our food specifically land and water.

From the start of the food supply chain to the end there is food products being wasted when they do not meet certain physical and aesthetic criteria when harvested, when damaged during distribution, and when consumers buy in bulk but don’t actually eat the large portions. The wasted food in turn ends up landfills creating piles of food waste where decay occurs and the lack of oxygen and microorganisms break down the waste into a different form of matter in this case air pollutant gases like methane and carbon dioxide. Air Pollution from the wasted food products just in the US according to the United States Environmental protection agency makes for "18%" of the overall emitted methane gas originating from landfills with decomposing foods. Methane emissions is only one of the greenhouse gases that makes up for "50%" of the pollutants emitted from landfills but the agency further adds that this greenhouse gas is more concentrated than carbon dioxide; methane gas is "28 to 36 times" better at conducting the greenhouse effect and lasts longer in our planet’s atmosphere. Carbon Dioxide makes up the other "50%" of the gases originating from large landfills with wasted food products which in turn contributes to the greenhouse effect. In the bigger picture it is not just the US that is being affected by the greenhouse effect, for the effects of these greenhouse gases are affecting the globe, and it has already been established that greenhouse gases contribute a major role in the planet’s climate. The greenhouse gases hold the capability of creating warmth for the planet by holding infrared radiation which in turn would not create a dilemma if there is not a large increase of these gases, but if the amount of food wastage increases like it has been the emissions as a result could grow since food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA stated that the 16% of methane emissions from landfills was accountable for 10% of the total greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 accounted for 81.6% of the total greenhouse gases just in 2016. According to the group of scientific researchers containing Kevin D. Hall , Juen Guo, Michael Dore, Carson C. Chow they discovered "US per capita food waste has progressively increased by €?50% since 1974".

Another area of the environment negatively impacted by food waste is our natural resources like fresh water and land. Due to many food products requiring raw resources like water and land when food is wasted and sent to landfills we are also wasting the sources that were used to produce the food. The group of scientific researchers also stated that "Food waste now accounts for more than one quarter of the total freshwater consumption" in the US. One group of researchers from various universities in Europe found that globally 25% of food that is grown is thrown away in production, distribution, and consumption ; the researchers further mentioned that the 25% makes up almost a quarter of the water that used to grow the products. The water used in growing the foods is not the only water being wasted after harvesting producers tend to wash the products with water and once distributed retailers will also tend to display them under water misting systems. Consumers might also be using water again to wash the food products before consuming or preparing to be cooked and if wasted all the water used on the is also being thrown away.

Water is not the only resource being wasted when wasting food because land is additionally used in the enormous amounts of food produced it is creating an over occupation of land. The group of researchers from various universities in Europe claim that "1.53 billion hectares" of earth’s land is already occupied by crops and if more is to be occupied it will involve degradation of the environment. In the continuous expansion of cropland there is a rendering that involves making the land suitable for the crops which in turn can negatively impact habitats and their biodiversity. The new cropland may no longer be suitable to sustain the species that once was present in that habitat. The over occupation in turn can create a depletion of soil which holds the nutrients necessary for the growth of other plants aside from crops. This continuous need for more land might continue to be an issue since populations sizes are predicted to increase the researchers from Europe cite the UN and state that "In the future, food production will also be affected by both projected increases in population in many regions (UN, 2011)". It’s only logical that with food production being affected by the population increasement the demand for the land needed to produce it might increase.

Although though the dilemma of food waste might be to complex to complete solve entirely there is potential relief that can be administered to the specific issues it poses in the environment. One way to diminish effects of the emission of landfill gases or LFG like methane and carbon dioxide is the conversion of these gases into renewable energy. To elaborate on this the gas can be processed into forms of commonly used energy sources like electricity, or processed into a fuel so that it may be utilized instead of other fuels. The EPA mentions that only " About three-fourths of currently operational projects in the United States generate electricity from LFG" but the issue with this is that this is only 75% of the US and the environmental effects are global so to relive this we might want to exponentially expand the amount of projects we convert to this energy . The EPA further adds that "Directly using LFG to offset the use of another fuel (for example, natural gas, coal or fuel oil) occurs in about one-fourth of the currently operational projects. LFG can be used directly in a boiler, dryer, kiln, greenhouse or other thermal application." which does pose as a solution but it holds the same issue as the previous solution the agency mentioned and would require them same form of relief. In regards to impacts on natural resources like water and land a switch to a more efficient food supply chain might be of some help but would more than likely require political or federal actions which would could take a large period of time. In the end though enacting regulations that limit the production specifically of the most overproduced products could alleviate this issue. One important consideration is bringing awareness to individuals about the wastage of food having a direct link with the wastage of resources like land and water he or she might then reconsider whether not to buy a product in bulk for cheap and later possibly having to trash it.

Individuals should realize the general importance of food products before wasting them and that these valuable commodities that are being thrown away are used to feed and nourish us individuals. It’s important to know that these food products themselves are a source that individuals need on a daily basis. When these valuable foods go wasted or thrown away there are consequences like wasting the resources that when into making the food we eat and polluting the air from rotting food in our landfills. Individuals be warned that the emissive wastage of our food products has detrimental impacts on the environment.

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The Negative Impact of Reality Tv

Reality television, which began in the 1990s and gained popularity in the 2000s, claims that it portrays the real life of people; yet, to maintain a high level of entertainment, villains, heroes and drama are created within a narrative (Darling, 2004) and many elements of these shows are, at least partially, scripted (Murray and Ouetellete, 2004). Contrary to fictional characters being played by actors, reality tv is a genre that places unfamiliar faces in some staged situations with sporadic endings.

Furthermore, reality tv stars must portray themselves and there's no actual scripts, though they are sometimes told what to do in order to get a specific media message across, whether it be negative or positive. It can be debated that the popularity of reality tv has dropped but, there is strength in numbers and audiences don't want to watch phony, scripted television shows. Reality is what draws us in as viewers. Nevertheless, the gamble is that these shows are promoting a false sense of reality to today's culture.

Unscripted reality television has turned out to be so well known and enormous that there now exist various classifications under the umbrella of Reality TV. A few examples of subgenres in reality television include : talent shows (Dancing with the Stars, The Four, and America's Got Talent); game shows (Iron Chef, Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune, Fear Factor, and Jeopardy!); docusoaps (Love & Hip Hop, Black Ink Crew, College Hill, Teen Mom, and Jersey Shore); courtroom programs (The People's Court, Paternity Court, and Divorce Court); makeover and lifestyle shows (Botched, Dr. Pimple Popper, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and House Hunters); dating programs (Flavor of Love, For the Love of Ray J, The Bachelorette, and The Millionaire Matchmaker), and reality programs ( Growing Up Hip Hop, Keeping Up with The Kardashians, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and T.I. and Tiny: The Family Hustle). The purpose of this study will be to focus one of most popular subgenres, docusoaps and its effect(s) on young adults' sexual behaviors.

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Does Reality Tv Effect Society

For many people, the first thing they do when they get home is turn on the television. There are different genres to choose from, Sitcoms to Games Shows to Documentaries. But what about Reality TV? Many people around the world watch some type of Reality program whether it's catching up with the latest celebrity to conducting a social experiment. Nearly 4 in 10 people are drawn to some type of reality program which equates to about 39%. With the evolving technology and its contributions to television, many viewers are too focused on the screen rather than their surroundings. Reality TV especially, has become extremely popular over the past 10 years and has had a great impact on the younger crowd. With Reality TV evolving and potentially becoming a pursued life or dream for many individuals, does it affecting our Society especially young adults? If Reality TV is perceived meaningless and fabricated by an abundant amount of people, should television industries continue to produce them or should they just scrap them? Since television plays a huge role in our society, one should be aware of their productions and focus on other aspects rather than financial growth.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act which amended the Communications Act of 1934 by extending and improving broadcasting facilities to further education. This would eventually lead to the formation of both the National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS). President Johnson's actions resulted because of his supported effort to fund educational television through the National Defense of Education Act in 1958. After the death of President John F. Kennedy and having to step up from Vice President to President, Johnson was determined to make his own mark for moving Americans forward. Unfortunately, the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 failed to provide decent financial support for noncommercial educational broadcasting systems however, it succeeded in bringing high-quality radio and television programs to U.S. audiences. Without the efforts from President Johnson, media would be faced with extreme degrees of power and control if not outside the grasp of market forces or confining commercialization. Since then, television has expanded to create all kinds of viewpoints and genres which sparked the creation of the first reality show in 1973.

On January 11, 1973, PBS launched the very first Reality TV series 'An American Family". It showcased an American family, The Louds, as your average middle class people residing in Santa Barbara, California. During this time, comedies and family oriented shows were very popular and seemed to be the most successful among the industry. To produce a program where viewers essentially know a great amount of detail about someone else's life was a big risk. The show only aired from the month of January to the month of March in the year 1973. With hours of footage, the show ran for a total of 12 seasons on Thursday nights at 9:00 p.m. Over the course of the series, An American Family drew in around 10 million viewers during their short season. An American Family was a hit! By including scenes of family interaction and struggles that many families face, people were able to connect on a different level compared to scripted programs they were used to. As a society, this created a new social norm in which one is entertained by the lives of those who may be different from their own. This was the spark needed to produce the vast amount of Reality based programs that are available today like Keeping Up with the Kardashians and America's Funniest Home Videos.

As of 2017, Reality programs are the second most popular genres viewed in the United States with Drama taking first ('Most Popular TV Genres U.S. 2017 | Statistics"). Since 1973, the reality industry has continued to blossom and create a variety of reality based shows. Now there are a wide range of genres to choose from within the reality category such as Documentary, Lifestyle, Legal and Transformation/Self Improvement. With the creation of An American family, corporations were able to take a small idea and transform it into a new way in which many Americans can be quite controversial about. Why might Reality shows be controversial? Programs such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Jersey Shore have racked in millions of viewers throughout their seasons mainly because they are '...just mindless entertainment, like so much of the mass media we consume," (Cohen). Many individuals, majority consisting of parents, find these shows to be inappropriate, idiotic and just pointless due to the fact that it's mainly about another persons life that does not pertain to one's own life. Whether that be the case, just as many people think Reality TV has no impact on any certain individual because it is all for entertainment purposes. If there is vast difference of opinions about reality television, has it really effected the society?

Believe it or not, reality programs have a great impact to society. Not only have they made millions of dollars for the individual industries but they have changed how many like to receive their source of entertainment. As stated earlier, unlike scripted shows there are '...emotional truths that are more realistic and moving," (Hirschorn) entwined within Reality TV. By depicting scenarios in which many can relate to, industries have been able to include cultural and economical issues whilst still keeping it entertaining. Reality TV is more then just a source of entertainment, its a form of information. Being that it is the most liveliest genre out there, it is the best way to include topics that are controversial but still including both sides' opinions. For many, reality shows are just a good example of '...quality satire," ( Poniewozik). People are tired of seeing the same boring family dramas and lacking sitcoms all the time. Most are humored by the failures seen on TV which could inspire many other Americans to pursue in their own dreams. Society has been able to take beneficial aspects from reality television such as individual improvement and dream making, to help map out their life. Many people benefit from watching others and by viewing their good or bad actions tend to know the general outcomes of different situations. If Reality TV is all in good humor, then why do some individuals speak poorly of reality shows?

While some believe Reality TV is harmless, many individuals find it to be pointless and degrading to society. Since reality television seems to be popular among the younger crowd, with a vast amount of '... nudity, profanity, and other inappropriate behavior" (Rankin) portrayed throughout the show, it should not be easily accessible to young viewers. Many of the behavior seen on these programs inspire people to believe if the people on the show can do it, so can they. There has been a shift in society ever since Reality TV boomed over the last 10 years. For many, what they see on TV must be true and in some cases it is. Even though reality television derives on the fact that it is not scripted at all, that may not always be the case. As for the younger viewers, studies have shown many are '... more involved with people they see on television than with their neighbors or families" (Breyer). With more and more people focusing on technological aspects more than what's around them, they are loosing the general people skills that everyone should know. There should be a line between what is real and what is faked for entertainment purposes. It may be in all good humor for some, but the outcome should be the main priority.
With reality television continuing to grow, has it had an effect on society? Some people would agree because it has changed the norm for some people, while others say it's all for good humor. Depending on what one might agree with, there are good and bad aspects to both. Without the help from President Johnson, who knows how Reality TV would've turned out or if there would be such thing as Reality TV.

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The Future of Reality Tv

About a decade ago, many network executives predicted that fans would quickly lose their appetite for reality programming. Little did they know, the reality genre would be thriving, and showing no signs of it slowing down.

During the early 1990s, reality TV reemerged as something refreshing and exciting. Ten years later, it began trending, and by 2010, it had become embedded in American culture (Poniewozik, 2010). However, many pinpoint the 2007-2008 television season as reality TV's rise to the top. That year, the non-fiction writers and actors went on strike, forcing networks to seek out ways to keep viewers' attention. Either way, reality TV has redefined what television entertainment means. Gone are the days of viewers strictly relying on scripted programming for primetime entertainment. The endless stream of candidates makes it much easier and cheaper to find reality show quality talent. In his article, What's Right with Reality TV, James Poniewozik (2010) wrote, 'The New York Times estimates that at any given time, there are 1,000 people on air as reality TV stars" (p. 4). While that may not be a huge number, it shows that reality TV is trending upward. Within the next few years, reality TV will completely dominate network television primarily due to the high television ratings, the reality genre's evolution, and the networks choosing to fund cheaper reality shows.

Showcasing the positive and negative aspects of ordinary people's lives has helped boost reality TV's ratings. Viewers living in the reality and social media era are accustomed to excitement and translucence, not privacy (Mirrless, 2016). Instead of spending quality time dissecting scripted plots, viewers are tuning in to watch the thrilling unpredictability of reality TV. For the last 10-15 years, the popularity of reality TV has exploded and matured at a remarkable pace. Mirrlees writes, 'Since the turn of the millennium, the North American reality-TV production sector has grown immensely, and it is a boon to TV networks as they compete for viewer attention, ratings and ad revenue in a period of TV industry transformation" (Kraidy & Sender, Murray & Ouellette, as cited in Mirrlees, 2016 p. 1).

Ratings are used as a tool that measures the success of a program. In the past, reality producers have collected the rating data and used it to develop new shows. During the 2010-2011 TV season, reality TV accounted for more than half of the primetime ratings (Nielsen, as cited in Mirrlees, 2016). The research provided by Nielsen confirms the power shift from scripted to unscripted programming. Networks typically ride the ratings wave and launch spin-offs centered around some of the most well-known reality stars. These bonus shows are often more diverse and place reality stars in an entirely different sub-genre. For example, one reality personality went from a competition-driven show to a spin-off that featured his life as a single father. The assortment of successful shows is what propels reality TV to have such a strong value within the television market (Brunsdon et al, as cited in Hill, 2005). The reality genre continues to grow and has birthed numerous sub-genres. These categories keep fans interested and include the following: competition, love, law and order, cooking, health and fitness, travel, hidden camera, and home improvement. Networks cast a wide net in hopes of capturing viewers from all walks of life. Fans appreciate and benefit from having a plethora of reality programming options. Audiences lock in and become obsessed with the lives of normal people who are put in extraordinary situations. Between new weekly episodes and daily reruns, cable television has been flooded with reality shows. In its primary sense, reality TV's thumbprint is all over network television. Reality shows often propel cast members to opportunities outside of reality TV. Networks are eradicating daytime soap operas in favor of talk shows that feature former reality stars.

Talk shows are starting to take aspects from reality television and incorporate them into their programming. Sharon Osbourne, the wife of the famous Ozzy Osbourne, starred in a reality show called The Osbournes. For the last few years, she has been a co-host on the Emmy Award-winning talk show The Talk. Tamar Braxton, star of the reality show Braxton Family Values, was once a co-host on the talk show The Real. Reality TV has given regular people a shot at fame while keeping budgets low and advertising revenue high. Networks often choose reality programming because the production cost for the average reality show is typically cheaper than traditional scripted shows. Reality shows do not require seasoned writers or actors, so producers can be frugal with that part of the budget. Without overspending, producers strive to put together a cast that audiences respond to and support. Creating shows that viewers relate to gives smaller networks like Do It Yourself (DIY) an opportunity to compete with the likes of Home and Garden Television (HGTV). According to Mirrlees, 'On average, an hour long reality TV show costs a studio between $350,000 and $500,000 to make, while one episode of a fictional TV show costs anywhere from $1 to $2.5 million" (Adalian, Eidelson, Gornstein as cited in Mirrless, 2016, p. 2). It is very common for a scripted TV show to go over budget. The scripted TV series The Get Down budget reached $120 million and rivaled that of a major motion picture. In an effort to save money, the network was forced to cancel the show and rethink its financial strategy.

Production companies use many methods to meet budget demands. They often cancel scripted programs and replace them with cost-efficient reality shows. Another way they cut costs is by exploiting their non-unionized labor force (Mirrless, 2016). Potential cast members are presented with ironclad contracts that hold them accountable for all injuries that may happen during filming. Additionally, each year trained actors can't find work and choose to take unpaid unscripted reality jobs (Peterson, as cited in Mirrlees, 2016). Producers welcome these actors, because free labor saves the production company thousands of dollars. Some professionals recognize that in this business, opportunities don't always come with a paycheck attached. They bank on the publicity creating future employment opportunities and enhancing their portfolio. Essentially, reality shows are cheap to produce and have excellent ratings, which equal a profitable revenue stream for networks. In conclusion, the battle between scripted and unscripted programming will be non-existent in a few years. Reality programming has cemented its place atop the primetime television mountain. More and more fans are becoming obsessed with following the lives of regular people who gained fame through reality TV. The genre's vast assortment of shows is continuously evolving and gives demanding viewers plenty of options. Networks will continue to seek out ways to cut budgets and maximize their profits. The popularity of reality TV has networks abandoning the traditional scripted television programs in favor of the cheaper reality shows.

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Realistic Behaviors on Reality TV

It is difficult to obtain a set of realistic behaviors out of reality television characters because when they are aware of being followed by cameras and observers, they tend to change their manner in a way that you can no longer get the natural behavior from each character that you would like for research as if they were alone. This opens the gateway for error through self-consciousness of the participant. Depending on what you are studying or observing and the variables of the participant group, which can include race, moral background, religion, and country of origin, some may feel too violated to answer questions or behave 'normally" due to the pressure of what opinions others may form of them. For example, if you were to gather a group of people and openly ask them a set of questions, their responses may vary and sway to fit a better role for the researchers liking. Consider that, for instance, you ask everyone who brushed their teeth on a given morning to raise their hand. This may seem reasonable to believe a large portion would lie and raise their hand despite the fact they maybe they hadn't done so because they feel that they would be considered the odd one out for not brushing their teeth. Counter of this, maybe a large portion did actually brush their teeth that morning and there are only approximately 2 or 3 participants that hadn't. Wouldn't you hate to be singled out like that in an almost embarrassing manner?

This method of observation can still be used effectively, though. To alleviate this source of response bias, one could simply ask participants one on one questions versus in group studies to avoid the influence of peer pressure. Another way to combat the potential self-consciousness bias that comes into play with this form of behavioral study is to create your questions and settings in a manner that does not disclose an individual, or in other words, is respectable and easier to provide an answer or reaction. Thirdly, one must also always gain consent from participants as a way to feel comfortable and for the observer to know the participants are okay with the setting you have them in. Reality television aims to accurately portray human behaviors; however, they do tend to fall short due to self-report/consciousness bias , peer pressure, and accommodating to the environments in a manner fitting to what the goal is. One way you could achieve more honest portrayals of realistic behavior would be to incorporate hidden cameras because if the characters do not know that they are being filmed, then it would be safe to assume you would have a natural set of behaviors being displayed from the characters. One might also withhold what the information and filming will be used for.

This is known as a single blind study, which occurs 'when the participants are deliberately kept ignorant of either the group to which they have been assigned or key information about the materials they are assessing" (Salkind 2010). If you decide to film under a blind approach towards the cast, they will not predict what behaviors are to be expected. This would lead to an effective way of maintaining pure behavioral responses and avoiding forced responses. Another approach is to avoid paying any 'acting" participant, so they could show an unbiased lifestyle because they wouldn't be gaining anything from lying to the camera. If participants consent to merely being observed without compensation, this will show a significant decrease in the risk of adjusting behaviors to appease the audience. Using the methods previously mentioned to combat influences of others and the situation could potentially help to create an overall greater reliability of a reality show to portray honest behaviors.

Work Cited

Salkind, Neil J. Encyclopedia of Research Design. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc., 2010. SAGE Research Methods. Web. 12 Sep. 2018, doi: 10.4135/9781412961288.

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The Food Waste Problem Around the World

Contents

Abstract:
Conclusions
Reference:

Abstract:

My research topic is discussing the food waste problem around the world, uncover the real world food waste situation, and discover and propose potential and possible solutions to help solve the food waste problem around the world. Food waste is an urgent problem in the world both environmentally and economically. I researched much evidence online, proposed solutions from three aspects including production, distribution, and selling to customers.

Regarding the issue of food waste, we can often see advertisements that shows don’t waste food in restaurants, supermarkets or other public places, but when I saw the conversations made by United Nations World Food Programme, I was shocked: there are 18,000 children are starved to death in the world every day, and 850 million people are in starvation or malnutrition... But in the United States, 40% of food will be wasted. "Almost all the hungry people live in lower-middle-income countries. There are 11 million people undernourished in developed countries. (FAO 2015; for individual country estimates, see Annex 1. For other valuable sources, especially if interested in particular countries or regions, see IFPRI 2016 and Rosen et. al. 2016). When a country becomes rich, it invests more and more assets to buy large, extra inventory, resulting in more waste in stores and restaurants. Among them, Europe and North America consume 100%-150% of the country's total population nutritional needs.

There is some way to make the food waste impact on the environment. "Food waste that ends up in landfills produces a large amount of methane a more powerful greenhouse gas than even CO2. For the uninitiated, excess amounts of greenhouse gases such as methane, CO2 and chlorofluorocarbons absorb infrared radiation and heat up the earth’s atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change."(Dana,2015) I was still thinking the majority release of the Co2 was cause the use of automobile exhaust and air- conditioner refrigerators. However, without any knowledge, a lot of garbage is burned, causing more carbon dioxide emissions. Today, more and more countries are disappearing due to the rise of the sea. Every time we burn a kilogram of garbage, one more country will face a crisis of disappearance.

"If you look at land usage, around 1.4 billion hectares of land, which is roughly one-third of the world’s total agricultural land area, is used to grow food that is wasted. Millions of gallons of oil are also wasted every year to produce food that is not eaten."(Dana,2015) We create the food by using lots of natural resources of the earth, and we wasted the food. We threw it away and burned it. We not only the ask for the resources from the earth, but also destroyed it. We are destroying the only land that we can live. A seemingly inconspicuous food actually has more impact than we think. This reminded me to think of the butterfly effect. If we waste a piece of bread, and 6.5 million people worldwide waste a piece of bread, how much resources do we need to produce? If a piece of bread and discarded bread are not properly disposed of, how much do we need to deal with the bread we have discarded?

Farmers discard potatoes simply because their shape and size do not meet the needs of the supermarket. But many of the things they abandoned were available to humans, they used them to feed their animals. By deforestation, we use the not much left the available water and discharge more of the waste just to create more food. But in the end, we discarded these foods. "The population of the earth is expected to rise to 9.8 billion by 2050." (Food Aid Foundation, 2018) At the end, when we have no holes to waste, what else can we have? Food is the basics of human survival, and the food is the head of food. It is an important commodity related to the national economy and the people's livelihood. It plays an immeasurable role in the stability and unity of the country. But we only look at the immediate interests and ignore some of the practices that allow the planet to continue to grow. Thus, I will start my discussion around the issue of food waste, regions and solutions as follows.

You may not know, but food waste is an urgent problem around the world. It goes without saying that people need food to be fed, if people cannot get food to eat, people will be hungry, even starving to death. Global hunger is real, according to statistic in 2013, there are 1 billion people suffered chronic hunger, 1 in 7 people is hungry, 2 million children died because of hunger, one third of food is wasted, majority of countries in Asia, South America, and Africa are in different level of food shortage, and Pacific islands countries as well. There is $2 billion GDP loss to developing countries because of hunger, and the food production needs to grow by 70% in order to meet our population demands. ("Fixation with food safety means so much of it goes to waste - Independent.ie", 2013)

Statistically, it is almost unrealistic to promise 70% of food production growth based on our current situation, due to so many people are suffering hunger, the negative impact of food waste is even more terrible. Food waste is a global issue. According to data in 2015, just in the United States, there were 35 million tons of food goes to the landfill every year in the United States (Lee, 2018). Quoting from the data source, "On average, every family in the nation loses $1,600 to $2,000 each year to food that is purchased but not eaten. That loss is more than what it costs to feed a family of four for an entire month." (Lee, 2018)

Since there are various factors in different level causing the food waste problem, we could make changes in different stages of the process. From food production to distribution channels and stores, and customers. From the food production aspect, we need to balance the demand and production, use the right amount of natural resources to produce a reasonable amount of food which is needed. From food distributing aspect we need to improve our food distributing process, if oversupply happened, we can redistribute the food to where people and market in need, we could use government support and post more information on the online trading platform to facilitate this process. From customer and selling ends, restaurants and supermarkets should identify where does food waste issue happen, and cut down the waste, by doing so they could also cut down their own cost.(Dana, 2015)
Moreover, "Developing countries were more likely to lose or waste food at the upstream phase due to lack of proper harvest techniques and infrastructure. (Dana,2015)" Thus, there is no doubt that to avoid more food being wasted, how to improve the harvest techniques and infrastructure is an important issue that the developing countries should be concerned. Last but not least, leftover food still could fed animals and livestock, it is a way to save precious resources. If the food cannot be reused at all, then we should find a way to recycle it in a good manner rather than sending it to the landfills where they smell and rot. (Dana, 2015)

Conclusions

"Every year, approximately $400 billion worth of food is wasted. Not only is that money wasted, but that food also could have gone to people in need. By 2030, the total cost of food waste could be as high as $600 billion; Not only is this an economic problem, but it is also an environmental problem. If the food had been composted properly, it would have emitted carbon dioxide, which is a less potent greenhouse gas. It is important to cut down on food waste for both the economy and the environment. "??€ Food waste: An Economic and Environmental Problem, 2017??‰I can't control the behaviors and thoughts of other people, but I know that only when I start from myself can I really influence others. Like my mother, she taught me not to waste every drop of food since I was a child, because the cultivation process of the peasants is very hard, and we should cherish every resource from the earth. I remembered this lesson and reminded them not to waste food every time when I went out to eat with my friends. I know it's hard to do, but if we don't do it, the environment of the world will not be changed. If the government and the factory pay attention to this issue, we can see the hope that the environmental problem will really improve.

Reference:

Fixation with food safety means so much of it goes to waste - Independent.ie. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.independent.ie/business/world/fixation-with-food-safety-means-so-much-of-it-goes-to-waste-29622726.html
World Hunger News. (2018). World Hunger, Poverty Facts, Statistics 2016 - World Hunger News. Retrieved from https://www.worldhunger.org/world-hunger-and-poverty-facts-and-statistics/
Food Aid Foundation. (2018). Hunger Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.foodaidfoundation.org/world-hunger-statistics.html
Dana. (2018). The Environmental Impact of Food Waste | Move For Hunger. Retrieved from https://www.moveforhunger.org/the-environmental-impact-of-food-waste/
Food Waste. (2017). Food Waste: An Economic and Environmental Problem.Waste Wise Products Inc. Retrieved from https://www.wastewiseproductsinc.com/blog/food-waste/food-waste-an-economic-and-environmental-problem/

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Problems of the Global Food Waste and Countermeasures

Despite the fact that we produce more than enough food to feed the entire world population, why is that one in every nine people are starving around the world? The answer is simple we never learned not to waste food. It’s a shocking fact that a third of the world’s food is wasted each year. The actual figure is 1.3 billion tons of food, which is enough to feed a billion hungry people. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, if all the food wasted or lost in Latin America, Europe and Africa alone could be saved, it can feed approximately 800 million people. Be it rich or poor, every nation is wasting food indiscriminately. What’s more, the wasted food is filling up landfill sites it’s buried and left to rot, which causes greenhouse gases, eventually leading to a global warming and climate change.

According to Elliot Wooley, a food science and ecology professor in Loughborough University in Britain, in undeveloped and poor countries, most of the food waste occurs in the field or during storage and transportation. Due to poor harvesting methods and bad storage and cooling facilities, some materials, time or energy are wasted at early stages of food processing. For example, some harvested crops suffer from bacteria and pests and tomatoes are easily busied or even go bad. Therefore, modern agricultural technology should be applied to improve the technology, the quality and efficiency of production. Properly constructed grain silos can reduce the loss to rodents and insects from 20 percent to a mere 1-2 percent. Tomatoes, if transported in crates instead of burlaps, can be prevented from bruising and going bad.

Supermarkets are also one of the contributors to the food waste. They discard stuff that’s past its sell-by-date and they often refuse to sell vegetables or fruit that are wrong shape or look damaged. Roughly, a fifth perhaps-or twice that-is judged to beneath commercial standards. It is put to use as animal-feed or compost, or simply thrown away in a landfill. This fruit waste from supermarket is so serious that creating a market for unwanted fruit and vegetable is practicable. There is no denying that the degraded food is less attracting although it has the same taste and health benefits. Therefore, the emerging companies in this field should overcome three operational challenges. The first is to systematize distinctions in quality that can allow useful pricing. The second is to efficient distribution, since the degraded food is more easily to be deteriorated. Third, there is profitability. Small growers have often found substandard produce too costly to handle. Maybe government support is necessary at the early stage of such food market.

However, the biggest culprit for creating food waste is us. In Europe an incredible 53% of food wasted comes from households, which results in 88 million tons of food waste a year. People tend to buy so much food because of shopping impulse. And they waste so much food because they bought more than they needed. There is an economic term: Quantitative Eating which means finding a diet that works for each individual and preventing from the waste or obesity. Nowadays, this concept is not on the paper and it comes true. Liquid lunch is a new kind of food. It is a healthy, cheap drinking meal. Extracted from algal oil, soybeans and hyacinth beans, it has only around 400 calories, costs around $3 and is as nutritious as processed food and meat, providing energy for half of the day. A startup called Soylent sells such product. Some young consumers who try it say that they prefer it with both flavor and texture, however others say that Soylent makes them gassy. In conclusion, reducing the global food waste has a long way to go. Mutual efforts from human beings and technology definitely plays a role in it.

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Hamlet Mental State Analysis

Contents

Soliloquy
My points

Hamlet mental state can be perceived as mental madness; this is seen as the most accurate assessment. Hamlet certainly displays a high degree of instability throughout much of the play, but his madness is pointed out to conclude that he actually loses his mind. His language is wild, but beneath his words often lie acute observations that show the sane mind working bitterly. Most likely, Hamlet's decision to feign madness confuses his enemies and hide his intentions.

Soliloquy

(I,ii)- King claudius uses pretty language to make his recent marriage to Gertrude. Claudius then says he has received a message from King fortinbras demanding denmark give up the lands old Hamlet won. Claudius ask why he is still dressed in mourning clothes. Gertrude wonders why he seems so upset. Hamlet says he is upset,and that his clothes can’t capture his true morning.

(I,V)-Hamlet,Horatio,and marcellus keep watch. Meanwhile, From inside the castle they hear the roar of revelry. Hamlet condemns claudius’s constant merrymaking saying that it makes the noble Danes look swinish and corrupt. The ghost appears and beckons Hamlet to follow it. But Horatio and Marcellus hold him back; they think the ghost may be a demon laying a trap for him. Hamlet breaks free of them and follows after the ghost.

(II,II)- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were summoned by Elsinore to figure out why Hamlet is so melancholy. Gertrude remarks that Hamlet’s mania probably comes from his father's death and her too-hasty marriage to claudius.After a long-winded ramble about Hamlet’s madness, Polonius reads love letters Hamlet sent to ophelia. Claudius and Gertrude agree that lovesickness is causing his behavior. Claudius then proposes that they have a stage meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia And spy on it to test his theory.

(III,I)- Hamlet agonizes over whether to kill himself "To be or not to be". He thinks men would almost always choose suicide over the "slings and arrows" of experience except that they fear what might happen in the afterlife. He observes that such thinking turn people into cowards,and action into inaction. Suddenly Ophelia enters and tries to return the gifts Hamlet gave her. He denies having ever given them.

(III,ii)- Hamlet gives directions to actors preparing for thuis e play. Hamlet has written a play that closely reflects what he believes happened between his father and Claudius Hamlet tells Horatio in an earlier scene that the ghost he encountered revealed that Claudius killed his father and is appreciative of his discretion. Hamlet suspects that he will strongly react to the play.

(III,iii)- claudius says hamlet is a danger and orders rosencrantz and guildenstern to prepare to leave for england. Hamlet is headed to Gretudes room, where polonius will hide behind the tapestry. Hamlet enters. He draws his sword to kill claudius and to be revenged; But if he kills claudius then he will go to heaven.

(IV,IV)- Fortinbras's army marches toward Poland. He sends a captain to Elsinore with a message of greeting for the King of Denmark.By sending the captain to greet Claudius, Fortinbras shows he means to keep his word not to attack Denmark.

The captain runs into Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern, and happily tells them the land about to be fought over is worthless. Hamlet asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to go on ahead. He bitterly compares himself to Fortinbras and his soldiers. They go to die just for a chance at honor, while he, with much greater reason to act, has failed to revenge himself on Claudius. Hamlet vows "from this day forward may all my thoughts be bloody" and promises to focus only on revenge.

My points

(I,ii)- in this scene hamlet says he will remember the ghost and keep his promise in revenge to his mother and claudius for their evil doings. It is also mentioned that his relationship with his mother became turbulent since he resents her from marrying her husband’s brother. Those are a few examples of his emotions which led him wanting revenge.

In this scene Hamlet is angry. He shows no affection towards his mother's since the marriage. The only thing that keeps him angry is thinking about his father ghost. He knows now he has a purpose to seek revenge.

(I,V)- claudius was his father’s killer; he was sure of it but he beats himself up. Hamlet seeks for evidence in order to have a reason to kill claudius. Hamlet is bitter, cynical, and full of hatred towards his uncle sexual intentions towards his mother after his father died.
Hamlet lost it at this point. He finds every little thing to not like about Claudius to hate. But hamlet needs more of a reason to kill him. At this paint he would kill Claudius for his dad.

(II,II)- while hamlet contemplates life and death, there is another prince who wants to attack denmark for revenge in result of the murder of fortinbras's father. Hamlet’s late father murder fortinbras's father which cause clash between young hamlet and king Fortinbras.

Hamlet shows doubt towards himself. He contemplates life and death because he lacks confidence. Now there are two people who want revenge for Fortinbra, making it harder for hamlet to cope with his mental state.

(III,I)- "to be or not to be: that is the question" young hamlet doesn’t seem to have a moral or religious objections to suicides. Self- slaughter is not an option because it is forbidden, he was afraid that it will bring bad consequences to his family. He thinks about matters that applies to humanity as a whole.

Hamlet eventually became sad. He wishes to suicide, but he knows he will go to hell to be punished and not finish his father’s legacy. He realizes that he must stick through the pain and focus on the tasks.

(III,ii)- in act 1, as ghost appears hamlet felt erratic, nervous, and had an unpredictable behavior. Hamlet kept his true expression of anger every time he encountered the ghost of his late father. Anger and mortality sets in along with frustration and loneliness, although hamlet didn’t die; he was poisoned by an enemy from his dark and miserable past.

As his father's ghost appears hamlet remembers why he’s angry. Hamlet blood boils after hearing how his father died. He feels rage and madness inside himself,making it difficult to contain.

In conclusion, hamlet was a man driven by grief and revenge for the wrongs that were done to him. A lot of things were blamed to him without any good reasons; a lot of hateful people took their revenge for something his father did. This took a lot of him but it can be said that hamlet was not crazy.

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Method in Hamlet’s Madness

In this tragedy, Shakespeare explores the ways in which Hamlet express his emotions of rage and grief. Madness can be an infectious disease that has the ability to spread like a viral disease, if it’s not removed from the root of the problem. It starts very slowly and unassuming with an idea and before you know it after a while infects another, and it keeps doing this repeatedly until the madness has contaminated everyone. At any given moment during the play, the most accurate assessment of Hamlet's state of mind probably lies somewhere between sanity and insanity.

Hamlet certainly displays a high degree of mania and instability throughout much of the play, but his "madness" is perhaps too purposeful and pointed for us to conclude that he actually loses his mind. His language is erratic and wild, but beneath his mad-sounding words often lays acute observations that show the sane mind working bitterly beneath the surface. Most likely, Hamlet's decision to feign madness is a sane one, taken to confuse his enemies and hide his intentions Hamlet devises the plan to end the marriage of Claudius, the new king/ his murderous uncle, who he believes has killed his father to become the new king, and married Queen Gertrude Hamlet’s mother. The change in Hamlet’s behavior is hard to deny that his mental soundness had taken a dramatic turn for the worst throughout the course of the play from good to evil. Prime example of his feeling beginning to change is when his worried mother asks why his grief ??seems ... so particular’ (1.2.75) with him, Hamlet ignores her main point (why does he grieve more intensely than other bereaved sons?) and snatches at the idea of ??seeming’: Seems, madam? nay, it is, I know not ??seems.’ ’Tis not alone my inky cloak, [good] mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forc’d breath, No, nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected havior of the visage, Together with all forms, moods, [shapes] of grief, That can [denote] me truly. These indeed seem.

In the beginning, he is seen as the grieving prince and a well-respected young man, and then his father’s ghost, who in my thoughts presence had change Hamlet persona from that point on, tells him that his uncle murdered him. Hamlet then becomes furious and vows to have revenge on Claudius. Ophelia, the girl that Hamlet is supposed to love, starts to get the backlash of his malice; she is no longer treated in a loving manor. Hamlet even goes so far as to tell her, "You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not" (Hamlet, 116-118). I believe Hamlet is not speaking from his heart but from the deep dark place he has begun to reside in and it seems he is unable to leave. It becomes to be obvious after his display of emotions at her funeral proves that he did actually love her, he told everyone, "I loved Ophelia; Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantities of love make up my sum; what wilt thou do for her." (Hamlet, 270). Hamlet also turns from a normal person into an evil man; this even affects his physical upkeep as he walks around dirty with his clothes disheveled. Another example is that For they are actions that a man might play, But I have that within which passes show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe.’ (1.2.7686)

Hamlet embodies the fact that the fruits of revenge can be disastrous and short lived since his revenge mission finally led to his own downfall. Hamlet is blinded by his own feelings of being looked over for the throne by the deceitfulness and murderous nature of his uncle. Hamlet’s outward displays of emotion are untrustworthy, Hamlet reasons, because a person could ??play’ or mimic them. Indeed, even his own sincere demonstrations of sadness are compromised because it would be easy to feign them. So while Hamlet’s mourning clothes, sighs and tears ??seem’ to express his grief, Hamlet insists they are not significant: his inner feelings are his true meaning. This relationship between ??mad’ and ??madness’, ??performance’ and ??reality’ preoccupies Hamlet throughout the play. When he discovers that his uncle has murdered his father, Hamlet interprets the news as a lesson in deceitful appearances: ??meet it is I set it down / that one may smile, and smile, and be a villain!’ (1.5.10708). However, the tragedy complicates any easy moral distinctions between acting and authenticity. Hamlet himself, despite his petulant outburst against ??seeming’, cannot escape the human impulse to perform. Not only does he successfully adopt an ??antic disposition’ (1.5.172) to deflect attention from his revenge plot, but his endless soliloquizing makes him all the more theatrical, even as he meditates on ??that within which passes show’.

At the very moment Hamlet insists that his mourning is authentic and internal, he seems deliberately to parade his grief for all to see. The possession of evil can also bring out the thoughtless, mad, and foolish monster in a man and ruin his reputation and life. Prince Hamlet lacks control of his anger even in front of his best friends, as well as Horatio, his best friend of all. ) His friends can clearly see that he is losing his mind. It looks as if; even the poor gravedigger from town knows that Hamlet has gone mad. Once Hamlet confronts him, the gravedigger doesn’t recognize Hamlet, and he says, "Hamlet is mad and sent to England why, because ??a was mad. A shall recover his wits there, or if ??a do not, ’tis no great matter there Twill not be seen in him there. There the men are as mad as he." (Hamlet, 150-155) The clown, or gravedigger, was talking about the mental state of Hamlet with Hamlet right in front of him. Hamlet was starting to show the signs of his intended act of insanity was becoming is normal behavior and becoming harder to convince the people of Denmark that he was surrendering to the madness within his own mind. Hamlet was within his rights to have the feelings of betrayal of the death of his father King Hamlet and the premature marriage of Queen Gertrude to his uncle Claudius, especially since he murder the king out jealousy and want to have the political power that the crown held in Denmark. The problem was Hamlet allowed his grief, frustration, bitterness to fester into a deep dark place that grew into madness.

The Merriam Webster Definition of Mad (Entry 1 of 4) 1 : arising from, indicative of, or marked by mental disorder ?”not used technically 2a : completely unrestrained by reason and judgment : unable to think in a clear or sensible way driven mad by the pain mad with jealousy b : incapable of being explained or accounted for a mad decision 3 informal : intensely angry or displeased 4 : carried away by enthusiasm or desire : extremely or excessively fond of or enthusiastic about something Definition of madness 1 : the quality or state of being mad: such as a : a state of severe mental illness ?”not used technically fortifications against an inner darkness, the threat of madness that crouched above him throughout his life.?” Robert F. Moss b : behavior or thinking that is very foolish or dangerous : extreme folly an idea that is pure/sheer madness c : ecstasy, enthusiasm d : intense anger : rage Although, the two definitions are so what similar the differences of being mad and/or madness is the depth of how serve a person is in the current state of mind.

In the case of Prince Hamlet it is my feeling that he start his journey being upset and mad at all of the current events that were taking place, it was the length of time he obsessed and planning his revenge on King Claudius and everyone else he felt caused the premature death of his father king Hamlet deserves to die. Hamlet single handily drove himself into the state of madness and like dominos its affect was a rippling one that one started could not be pulled back or stopped until the last one dropped.

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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Character Analysis

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a tragic play focused around the protagonist’s quest to seek revenge against his father’s murderer. After it is disclosed that Hamlet’s uncle killed his father, Hamlet is blown to the core and driven to the line between sanity and mania. Throughout the play, Hamlet portrays an elevated sense of instability, but his mania is, perhaps, too resolute and purposeful for the reader to deduce that he actually lost his sanity. Towards certain characters, Hamlet exhibits erratic and wild language but underneath the surface, his ill-mannered words are a part of his plot to seek revenge on his father’s killer. Hamlet feigns his madness to hide his intentions to kill Claudius and confuse the allies of the King.

Throughout the play, Hamlet displays many attributes indicative of lunacy; however, his motive and drive to seek revenge is uncovered in the beginning when he is visited by the ghost of his father. After his father’s ghost tells him that he was murdered by Claudius, Hamlet decides that he will need to feign his madness and display erratic behavior in order to successfully carry out his plot to kill Claudius. However, this unstable behavior is merely a ruse to trick those in cohorts with Claudius: Polonius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. These are the only individuals convinced that Hamlet is truly mad, and Hamlet strives to use this against them in his quest to slay Claudius. While Hamlet puts this ploy on, the reader is affirmed that Hamlet is, indeed, sane because he acts normal in front of people he believes is on his side. For example, Hamlet is normal around Francisco, Horatio and Bernardo because he does not feel the need to fool them into thinking he is insane and incapable of murdering his uncle. The fact that Hamlet can control his alleged insanity shows that he is not consumed by mental illness and that his madness is nothing but a ploy for Claudius’s allies.
Furthermore, even though Hamlet was filled with rage towards Claudius, he gave up a chance to kill him early in the play when he was praying. Hamlet suspected that if he murdered Claudius in a church, then Claudius’s soul would be purified of all evils and would go to Heaven. Hamlet did not want this fate for his father’s assassin so he delayed his plan to enact revenge. Another instance where we vividly see that Hamlet does not cross the line into madness is when he asks his mother to leave his uncle and help him avenge his father’s death. Disappointed that his mother married Claudius only two months after his father’s death, Hamlet tells his mother that his madness is not actually a madness but merely a craft to get revenge. He then proceeds to ask her not to reveal this to Claudius so that he can continue to use his madness as a cover for his true purpose.

Hamlet uses the false pretense of insanity to try to trick Claudius and his cohorts into falling into his scheme of revenge. While Hamlet exhibits high sense of instability at times, he is truly a bright individual with a secret agenda and is only forced to act differently in order for his plan to work. However, while this quest for revenge and his presumed insanity drove the plot, it also resulted in great forms of tragedy for himself and those around him. His bloodlust for Claudius not only resulted in his death, but also in the end of many persona including his own mother who drank the poison that was meant for him. His quest for revenge fueled to him accidentally killing Polonius, and his death turned Ophelia to madness and her eventual death as well. Shakespeare effectively develops the overarching thematic question of the line between sanity and insanity in Hamlet, but through Hamlet’s actions the reader learns that Hamlet’s psychotic episodes were part of a ruse all along.

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The Question of Hamlet’s Madness

The question of Hamlet’s madness has been analyzed regarding the profundity of his "madness" and whether or not it goes to the extent of his beliefs. WIth this in mind, Hamlet is a play on how the Prince of Denmark,Hamlet,plots a scheme to essentially kill his father’s brother, however, his plans take a turn to self destruction of himself and others throughout the play.

Furthermore, an essential part of his plan was to implement the concept of madness, but the unanswered question was it all for show or did Hamlet in reality go "mad". Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s spree of insanity to prove one can put on the actions and face of madness ,yet it’s difficult to depart from it. Considering this, the meaning of madness is diverse in each way it is described and used throughout the play. In a like manner, Shakespeare uses the contributing factors of Hamlet’s "madness" and its aftermath to explain the extent of which his madness goes and who and how each character is affected.

In spite of this, the prospect of Hamlet’s "madness" is among acting sane and permitting people see him as insane for the duration of each act and scene. Considering the different meanings of madness or insanity, Hamlet portrays each definition of madness that vary from genuine madness and wise foolishness. Madness can be explained as foolish behavior, state of frenzied or chaotic behavior, or state of being mentally ill. Notably, the whole origin of his madness came from the hate and revengeful state of mind he has toward Claudius as well as his mother,Gertrude. For example, Hamlet uses the meaning of madness as being mentally ill in the beginning of the play and he does this by luring Claudius into a false sense of security. With this intention, Hamlet uses his sorrow and grief about the loss of his father to turn it into enmity towards Claudius.

The writer of this publication, Shakespeare, states "Haste me to know it, that I with wings as swift/As meditation or the thoughts of love/May sweep to my revenge" This actively illustrates how the ghost who claims to be the former King Hamlet uses the grief that Hamlet feels to seek what he wants most from the earthly world which is vengeance of soul. More importantly, Hamlet also shows his madness when he contemplates his purpose and presence on Earth which can be interpreted to be suicide. According to the play it states, "For who would beat the whips and scorns of time, Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely/undiscovered country from which no traveler returns" This line in the play gives an incite to what Hamlet presumes about death or the thought of sleep and never awakening is to escape the dreads of life. Additionally, he also leads the reader to believe that denial is madness and that the only person he thought highly of has been taken from him. Another way his madness is being shown is by his impulsive behavior towards people. Another way that madness is shown is through Hamlet’s actions. According to the play, it states " How now a rat?" He draws his sword and stabs it through the tapestry, killing Polonius. This shows how his imprudent actions are ignited by fury and frustration. Indeed, it shows how sudden Hamlet seems to act giving little thought to the consequences of his actions.

Hamlet’s usage of madness and revenge has an outcome of destruction towards himself and for many others apart of his game. Throughout the play, Hamlets seems to use each character as a pawn in his little game of vengeance. For one thing, the death of Polonius by Hamlet sent panic waves to Claudius which then caused Claudius to make the decision to send Hamlet off to England to be killed. With this in mind, Hamlet switches the letter so that instead of him being killed that the handlers of this letters shall be killed which was Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. This demonstrates that in reality Hamlet was not mad per say instead he used wise foolishness to commit acts of madness. In the play, it states "I sat me down, Devised a new commission, wrote it fair/That on the view and knowing if these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving time allowed " This depicts how his madness gives him an edge to get away with things even though it means sacrificing his colleagues lives.

Another example would include the death Laertes. For instance, the duel would have never happened if Hamlet would have not killed Polonius therefore not causing Laertes to blame Hamlet. Another death caused by Hamlet’s driven insanity would be his mother, Gertrude. This happened by Gertrude drinking to Hamlet’s success in the duel against Laertes. In the publication, it states "...I pray you, pardon me./The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. (dies)" This shows how it all leads to Hamlet’s impulsive action to kill anyone who stands in his way of him murdering Claudius.This shows how each character is tied to one another causing a domino effect. Moreover, Hamlet directly and indirectly causes the death of several characters and himself due to him being driven by chaotic activity also known as madness and his motivation of revenge and death. The whole characteristic and thought of Hamlet being mad has been perceived to be elusive and evanescent.

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Madness and Religion in Hamlet

Contents

Paragraph 2- background
Paragraph 3- body 1
Paragraph 4- (body 2) murder without reason is against religion
Paragraph 5- (body 3) not killing Claudius while he was in prayer (act 3, scene 3)

Shakespeare’s Hamlet contains many literary elements and motifs, which explains the many analytical possibilities. From the beginning of the play, the readers follow Hamlet through his personal battle to find where his loyalty lies, with God or with his deceased father. The ghost of the king asks that Hamlet kill Claudius, and discusses the murder in the context of his faith. "Let not the royal bed of Denmark be a couch for luxury and damned incest." (Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 5) The king’s ghost wants to get revenge on his brother, but also wants to stop the corruption that is happening within the kingdom under Claudius’ rule. Hamlet was driven to madness because of the conflict his religious belief system had with the plan to kill his uncle, Claudius. "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness."- Friedrich Nietzsche Hamlet was so set on avenging his father, he ended up disregarding his own mental state. Hamlet's mental health deteriorates in the play due to the conflict his religion provided when given the task to seek revenge for his father’s death. (need to rework the thesis)

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In Hamlet, The king of denmark has mysteriously died. The king returns as a ghost to inform Hamlet that his brother, Claudius, had murdered him in order to gain access to the throne. The ghost of the King gives Hamlet the task of avenging his death, in order to allow his ghost to carry on from Purgatory to heaven. The story of Hamlet takes place in Elsinore, Denmark, and is set in the late middle ages. Hamlet was written between 1599 and 1601. The setting mostly takes place in and around the royal palace. During this time period, Denmark was a generally Protestant Christian nation. The protestant religion became one of 3 major branches in christianity. After a series of religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, Protestantism spread throughout the world. (britannica.com) In the 16th and 17th century, Mental illnesses were believed to be a form of sickness caused by devils and the supernatural. There were different types of practitioners who offered their help to those rich enough to afford the treatments. (historicengland.org) People who suffered from mental disorders were seen as dangerous, so in most cases they were locked up to protect society. During this time, mental illness was very intriguing topic. This concept is distinct in many of Shakespeare's plays, but is especially evident Hamlet. (preceden.com)

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Hamlet wasn't sure if the figure was a ghost of his father or a demon
Hamlet had already mourned the death of his father, and now he must be reminded of his death once more as the ghost stand there before him. The ghost of the king instructs the prince to kill Claudius in order to allow him to pass onto heaven. Hamlet comes up with a plan to act mad so he can spy on his mother and uncle, however, he is still skeptical of the ghost and its request. He must make sure that the spirit was not in truth a demon, tricking him into committing a heinous act against God. "The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape; and perhaps out of my weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits, abuses me to damn me." (Hamlet, Scene 2, Act 2) Hamlet understands that his task to kill Claudius could jeopardize his entry into heaven if Claudius did not end up being the man who murdered his father, and also understood that spirits other than God should not be spoken to. Although seen as the spirit of his father, Hamlet was hesitant to trust the figure. "First, any spirit that is not God is not to be trifled with. The Bible repeatedly and firmly condemns seeking out the dead. Second, and crucially, diabolical spirits can and do take on kindly appearances. This can mean looking like angelic beings or, perhaps, deceased loved ones. All spirits are to be tested against what we know from Scripture." (relevantmagazine.com)
Hamlet wants to trust that what the ghost of his father says is true, and wants to honor his father by carrying out the task, but by becoming so indecisive on what he believes is right, he ends up jeopardizing his own mental state of health.

Paragraph 4- (body 2) murder without reason is against religion

Hamlet's indecisive manner is shown within the two major roles that he holds as a believer and as the prince of Elsinore, Denmark. Throughout the play, Hamlet is torn between the two important aspects, and finds himself unable to come to a conclusion on whether he should honor his father's request, or allow the higher power to take control of the situation. It is ironic that Hamlet doesn’t kill Claudius while he is is in prayer because before Hamlet enters the scene, Claudius says that he doesn't believe his prayers will repent his sins.

"But to confront the visage of offence?
And what’s in prayer but this twofold force,
To be forestalli?d ere we come to fall
Or pardoned being down? Then I’ll look up.
My fault is past. But oh, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn, "Forgive me my foul murder"? (Act 3, scene 3)

Hamlet did not want to kill Claudius without knowing for sure that he was the one who murdered his father. Through his beliefs, murder can not be pardoned with unless cogent reasoning is given, but this brings conflict because Hamlet must spy on the people close to him in order to gather the information needed to follow through with his plan. Hamlet stays true to his religion by trying to control his behavior and balancing his feelings with his religious beliefs. "The spirit that I have seen may be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me." (Hamlet, Scene 2, Act 2)

Paragraph 5- (body 3) not killing Claudius while he was in prayer (act 3, scene 3)

Hamlet does not kill his uncle when he is asking for forgiveness in the church (Act 3, scene 3) because he does not want to send Claudius to heaven. However, his religious beliefs hold back on his desire for revenge. He could have killed Claudius, but wouldn’t have the opportunity to make Claudius pay for his sins, as Claudius did with his father.

He remembers that Claudius killed his father without giving him the opportunity to make a confession for his sins, and because of that, King Hamlet must await his entry to heaven in purgatory. Believing that Claudius is praying for forgiveness, Hamlet knows that if he in
Hamlets sees that because the King appears to pray, he is probably confessing. Hamlet decides that if he were to kill Claudius while he was in confession, it would allow Claudius to go to heaven. Hamlet stops himself because he’d rather send Claudius to hell.
He has no problem with the immorality of robbing a man of his salvation. Hamlet is capable of imitating King Claudius' cruelty.

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Hotel Rwanda Conflicts Analysis

Hotel Rwanda is a film that follows the acts of Paul Rusesabagina, a Hutu man who helped his fellow Tutsi neighbors and family in the wake of the Rwandan Genocide, by housing them in his hotel, the Hotel des Mille Collines. Throughout the film Paul progresses as a person and becomes protective of not only his family, but also his neighbors. As Paul shields his family and friends within the hotel he is faced with various problems such as protecting the people from the Interahamwe militia, seeing the death of thousands of Tutsi’s, and having to manage an uncooperative hotel staff . As tensions increase the UN decides to evacuate all the non-native born vacationers in Rwanda. This comes with a new wave of refugees fleeing the crisis as it reaches its climax. In the midst of all of that , Paul takes charge and continues to supply the people of the Hotel with goods. Pauls only sort of defense are his close ties to the Hutu General, and the UN Peacekeeping forces, who can’t even fire at the troops. While he has some close encounters with the Interahamwe Militia Paul inevitably uses his skills and sleight of mouth to get a lot of the Tutsis a UN protected bus to leave the hotel safely. In attempt to save the most amount of people Paul separates from his family so that he would not have to leave all the Tutsis behind. Unfortunately the bus/van gets ambushed and is forced to turn back. From that point forward things start to go bad, as resources are getting more and more sparse at the hotel and the people are forced to drink the pool water. Paul soon finds out that the hotel will be attacked within a few days and all his help and allies have backed out from the war zone. In a desperate attempt to save everyone Paul goes to General Bizimungu and convinces him to help bring the people at the hotel to safety. With the help of the general and his forces Paul is finally able to get all the people behind Tutsi rebel lines just in the nick of time.

When looking at the Rwandan Genocide it is apparent that a lot of the material can help explain some of the key concepts in the chapter about Ethnicities. At the crux of the Rwandan Genocide is the two “major” ethnicities in Rwanda. The first and largest being the ‘Hutus’ who make up 85% of the population, and the ‘Tutsis’ who make up 14% of the population. The Tutsis are a minority group but still had control over the Rwandan government for the most part. There was also the Twa ethnicity that only made up 1% of the population. This mix of ethnicities made Rwanda one of the many Multiethnic states in Africa. I.D. cards of citizens were used to distinguish among the different races. The conflict itself is at the base an example of ethnic cleansing and genocide. The goal of the Hutus was to get back at the Tutsis for the years of suffering they endured, in part targeting one particular ethnicity. They got their revenge in the form of mass killing, hence the name the Rwandan Genocide. The whole conflict is a prominent example of the importance of how the communication of different ethnicities can prove fatal.

To understand the conflict we can look into the movie Hotel Rwanda which gives a first person point of view of the conflict. One example is the various decision that the character had to make throughout the span of the film. When Paul made the decision to stay behind while his family went away to safety was ne of valor and respect, and can for the most part be considered morally right. Paul knew that himself, being Hutu, was the only person that could help the people at the hotel.This proved to be true when Paul was able to convince the General to help the Tutsis, an act that could not have been done if there were no Hutus present at the Hotel. It could be said that in making decisions ones family and neighbors should be regarded equally. If there comes a time to make a decision, the larger populus should be valued. Hence 20 neighbors should morally be valued over 5 family members. When it happens at a larger level, such as a nation, the decision becomes a lot harder. Even if a greater population is at risk, it is important to note that one country suffering can affect that country’s allies. Thus decisions must be made strategically and with a global mindset. However, at the crux of the situation a nation has the obligation to protect its own citizens first instead of putting them at forceful harm. Throughout the film the character had to face a plethora of obstacles, especially the Colonel and his ultimatum to either help the people or maintain his title as a silent observer. If the Colonel were to have ordered his troops to fire at the Interhamwe soldiers he would have been doing the wrong thing logically and legally. It is the Colonels duty as a silent observer to just maintain the peace, unless he is directly threatened. In order to uphold this title and the job the Colonel would have to follow the job entitlements, which he did. If the Colonel had ordered his troops to fire the consequences would have been dire at the least. His somewhat 300 soldiers would not be able to defend against the whole of the ruthless Hutu Interahamwe fighters. They could of been easily overtaken and disassembled. Just the mere act of not fulfilling his duties would discourage other nations to trust the credibility of these “Peacekeepers.” In the end the impacts of his actions may have been worse the initiative to do it in the first place.

Just as important as the movie is the real life conflict. When taking a closer look it is prevalent that there were 5 major actors in the Rwandan Genocide; each must be carefully examined to see how the conflict started and how such a tragedy was ignored. Rwanda has had a troubled racial climate since even before Europeans swooped in and made things worse. The Tutsis were the ruling elite beforehand and the lower class were the Hutus, but there was no clear differentiation between the two. The origin of the different statuses is unknown, though a few theories exist. When the Germans took over the territory and the Belgians after World War one, they cemented the Hutus and the Tutsis as a race. They used ideas of phrenology and other pseudo-scientific things to designate the entire population as either Hutu Tutsi. The Tutsis are a pygmy tribe of the region and make up only a sliver the population they're the Hutus are a much larger group population wise making up more than 80 percent of the population today but the Tutsis continued to hold power under Europeans even after World War Two where the monarchy tried to solidify power by having independence granted. The Hutus after having been controlled by the Tutsis for so long now stood the Tutsi monarchy and violence spread focusing on Tutsi houses hundreds of thousands of Tootsie homes were burnt in the ensuing couple of years of strife the country became fully independent in 1962 with a Hutu led government over 300,000 Tutsis fled in Rwanda after the 1959 revolution some setting up tutsi-led regimes in neighboring countries throughout the African Great Lakes region. The refugees had become well-organized so they made their biggest attempt at retaking Rwanda from the Hutus, a large Tutsi force called the Rwandan Patriotic Front (or RPF for short) invaded from Uganda. After three years of fighting foreign countries managed to convince both sides to negotiate with each other. In 1993 a transitional government was established that was supposed to give some representation to the Tutsis in a forthcoming coalition government. These Accords happened in a neutral Arusha Tanzania and were abided by for one meager year. The presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were travelling by plane in April of 1994 when the plane was shot down. No one knows who shot down the plane but all passengers including the two presidents were killed. Juvenal Habyarimana had been president of Rwanda for 21 years and at such a crucial time in Rwandan history his presidency was helping to maintain stability in the wake of the Arusha Accords. The Rwandan Civil War started up immediately right after he was killed but with a new component. Now the enemy of the Hutu majority wasn't just seen as Tutsi refugees or insurgents, but those who were full citizens. Shooting down the president's plane radicalized the Hutu military establishment. Hutus in distinct positions of power called for the extermination of what they called Inyenzi which means cockroaches and was originally a term for Tutsi insurgents, but now was being used more broadly to refer to all Tutsis. While the Rwandan army continued the civil war on the frontier Rwanda as a whole fell into the abyss of genocide they killed indiscriminately on a scale never seen before or since in the entire continent of Africa with mass media broadcasting the explicit call to kill. The United Nations despite having blue helmeted troops stationed throughout the country to maintain peace after the Arusha Accords who were powerless to do anything. While the genocide erupted nothing was done to bring the killing to an end. Though, many people campaigned for intervention but that would mean becoming involved in the Rwandan Civil War as a whole and taking a side. This state of affairs continued until the RPF fought its way through the world wanted an army who was preoccupied with the genocide. The RPF took over Rwanda on July 15 1994 instituting rulership by an RPF party that continues to this day. Four months of genocide ended by the insurgents winning the civil war the killing had taken around 800,000 lives almost a third of the Rwandan Tutsi population.

What most people would take from the most in this conflict is the reaction of the world to the mass killing of hundreds of thousands of people. Though many fingers were pointed no one really took action until after the fact. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest hidden instigators in the Rwandan Crisis was the French government. After the conflict had been resolved a lot of countries pointed fingers at France for a few reasons. The first being the fact that the nation was accused of training the Hutu military and providing them with weapons in the wake of the conflict. Furthermore, when the crisis was unfolding the French government turned its back on the nation for the most part. If these allegations were true than the French government would make France more culpable for the genocide. That doesn’t, however, leave the rest of the international community clear of blame. Though the Security Council did send some 5,000 troops to the place of battle, action was taken too late. Belgium had warned of this type of incident occurring, and even sent its own troops to protect the people, but when the Security Council had met they were afraid to recognize the situation as what it was. In official documents they did not even use the terms genocide, in fear that they would be obligated to respond to the situation. The International Community had been aware of the conflict ever since Late-April, but did not respond until the most harm had been done. The United States nearly eradicated the word genocide form their vocabulary and took upon the motto, “see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil.” After the fact the international community rallied together to make sure that such a situation would never occur again.

The Ministry of Health, and the UN Consolidated Appeals have addressed the situation by sending aid to Rwanda. Though many nations try to lend a helping hand after the fact, it is obvious that the blame is one shared by the whole international community. The UN Colonel brought up an strong point that the main reason for the ignorance of the Rwandan people was their race. The idea that racism was a major player in this situation, however, is not alien;the time was the early 90’s and racial barriers were still in the process of being completely brought down all around the globe. However, racism only played a little part in this equation as, many countries were unwilling to send their own troops to go fight in a war that wasn’t their own. Thought racism was prevalent in the 90’s it wasn't as strong as most people started to pass down the ideologies of equality. The U.S. itself even sent troops to Somalia to aid in conflicts, but they got dealt a bad hand that lead to the deaths of innocent U.S. soldiers. This was probably a poster-child of what would come if these countries blindly sent their troops to fight in a war that was not their own. Though race cannot be completely thrown out of the window its effects were at best minimal.

What can be said is that Rwandan Genocide has impacted the globe and how nations approach situations like these. Almost everyone agrees that the situation was mishandled and that more could have been done to prevent it. THough nothing can be done to change the past the future is looking more bright because of new legislation that is crucial to stopping genocides. 10 years after the fact world leaders adopted the Responsibility to Protect in order to address situations like that in Rwanda. In extreme cases where the government is clearly at fault, it can be said that R2P (abbreviation for Responsibility to Protect) should override sovereignty. This would be most justified in situations where immorale acts are taking place, or places where the government is doing nothing to aid a situation. A situation that would follow the criteria of such an act would be the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and Burma. The extreme amount of deaths occuring and utter lack of governmental protection of citizens would make this a prime example of where R2P could come in play. Another example could be Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria. These groups have been targeted and killed in mass numbers and the international community is doing little about it because of ISIS’s hidden rule in the middle east. These situations are still prevalent today and the longer these conflicts remain unresolved, the more people die. Though it may not be a fix-all solution to genocides, the Tutsis can rest assured knowing that the lives lost will not be in vain.

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Importance of Healthy Sleeping Habits

What is one of the biggest things everyone needs to survive? The one thing that everyone needs is sleep. Sleep is a recurring state of mind and body for several hours every night. Sleep can also take the form of a nap. Many people have different sleep schedules depending on where they work or what time they can fall asleep. Many people also have trouble falling asleep. Although sleep has benefits for everyone, many people may experience disadvantages such as sleep paralysis and exploding head syndrome.
Sleep is very important because it helps regenerate energy. Everyone needs sleep to stay sane and healthy. Sleep helps us process new information and improves brain memory. It also helps with metabolism and balancing hormones. Not enough sleep leads to moodiness and poor immune function (Importance of Sleep). Naps, similar to sleep, increase alertness and energize the mind. Although taking short naps helps freshen the mind, long naps will interrupt the cycle of a normal sleep. If an individual is not getting enough sleep, naps are not a good substitute. It is better to fix the sleep schedule in order to get back on track. If a nap lasts longer than 20 minutes, it can cause REM sleep and an individual will wake up feeling sleepy for the remainder of the day (Jeff 23). Maintaining a good sleep schedule is great for health. An irregular sleep schedule can make someone feel tired, drowsy, and not in the best mood. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time will help your body’s internal clock stay on track. To help this schedule get into place, an individual must gradually sleep around the same time for a couple of nights. It is not good if the individual sleeps at a certain time without gradually getting to it first (Cduford). Following a sleep schedule is important so that the sleep stages are not interrupted.

There are five stages of sleep in the sleep cycle. The first four stages are "non-rapid eye movement" (NREM) sleep and the last stage is "rapid eye movement" (REM) sleep. The first stage is the lightest stage of sleep in the sleep cycle, and the second stage is a deeper sleep than the first stage. It is harder to be awakened in this stage than the first stage. The third and fourth stage are called "slow wave sleep" (SWS). In these stages, it is very difficult to wake the sleeper up. The fifth and last stage of sleep is REM sleep and this is where dreaming typically takes place. The breathing in this stage is inconsistent and the heart rate is up. Dreams in the REM stage are more remembered than the dreams in the NREM stage (Stages of Sleep). It is rare to remember dreams, even though the average time of dreaming is two hours (Brain Basics). If an individual wakes up during REM sleep and it is during their dreaming, they will remember it for a short time, but will soon forget what the dream was about. Many dreams are good and happy, however there are scary dreams which are called nightmares (Stages of Sleep). Nightmares usually occur during the last third of the sleeping cycle. They can make an individual wake up during the night and lose some sleep, which leads to even more nightmares because of sleep loss (Nightmares). Nightmares are similar to sleep paralysis and exploding head syndrome because of the fear it causes.

Exploding head syndrome is a type of sleep paralysis (EHS). This is when an individual with this syndrome hears an explosion sound in one’s own head when they are about to fall asleep or wake up. Although the sound is painless, it causes fear and surprise. This can disturb the sleep of an individual. EHS can either happen multiple times in one night or every once in a while. This syndrome happens more frequently in women than in men (Exploding Head Syndrome). Sleep paralysis is a type of parasomnia which is a disorder of the nervous system during sleep. This disorder is temporary. It happens when a person is lying in bed and is unable to speak or move. Sometimes the person may hallucinate and imagine sounds or see things and objects. The individual is aware of what is happening and breathing is still normal. Sleep paralysis is usually caused by a lack of sleep. To prevent sleep paralysis from happening, six to eight hours of sleep will slim the chances of experiencing sleep paralysis (Sleep Paralysis).

In conclusion, sleep is very important for the mind and body. There are pros and cons to the amount of sleep an individual intakes. The amount of time he or she sleeps for a nap can affect the energy the individual has for the rest of the night. Sleep paralysis and exploding head syndrome are both parasomnias that have affected many people during one’s lifetime. Following a consistent sleep schedule can really affect how a person lives and behaves.

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Rwandan Genocide in Hotel Rwanda

The film Hotel Rwanda (2004), directed by Terry George is a work of art that shows the Rwandan genocide from the perspective of one person; it really shines a humanistic light onto this horrific event. The film is set in 1994 in the Hotel des Milles Collines, in Kigali in the relatively newly freed Rwanda. The division of native people into Hutu and Tutsi had become an integral part of Rwandan culture. The civil war between the started in 1990, but the 100-day genocide happened in spring and summer 1994. The civil war was fought primarily between Hutu government forces and Tutsi rebels. The rebels ended up winning the war (their party continues to govern), after 500,000-1,000,000 deaths, and many more Tutsis seeking refuge in neighboring countries .

The main character in Hotel Rwanda is Paul Rusesabagina, the house manager of Hotel des Milles Collines, is a Hutu man married to a Tutsi woman, named Tatiana. His hotel is usually filled with rich white people who respect him (he prides himself on this since they generally don’t respect the native population). The film starts at just about the same time as the genocide begins. Paul believes that the peaceful native population will not be hugely affected by this new type of conflict, and that the UN peacekeepers will protect them. This is false; the Western world abandons Rwanda, leaving the innocent people there to perish. Meynardie 2 As the situation deteriorates, Paul makes the hotel a place of sanctuary, and hides anyone seeking shelter, Hutu or Tutsi, as well as he can. He befriends Colonel Oliver, a leader of the UN peacekeeping initiative and Pat Archer of the Red Cross, who help get people out of the hotel and to permanent safety. Photographer and journalist Jack Daglish attempts to bring the situation in Rwanda to the attention of the global media. Towards the end of the film, the foreigners left in the hotel are taken out of the country and back home, but the Rwandans are left behind. The UN attempts to get a group of refugees (including Paul’s family) to safety, but they are attacked and have to turn back. After this, Paul contacts the Rwandan army general, Augustin Bizimungu; he tries to bribe him, and when that doesn’t work, he threatens him with being tried as a war criminal. Finally, the remaining people hiding in the hotel are escorted to safety behind Rebel Tutsi lines. This film shows not only the history of this event, but the heroism of one man.

It shows the side of history that we don’t like to see. The part where the first world, developed, western nations saw what was happening, saw hundreds of thousands of people dying, and did precious little to stop it. This film is beautiful because it sheds light on an event that we don’t teach in schools and because it makes it personal. As the audience watches the film, they feel what these people are going through, they fall in love with Paul’s family, and they want to scream at the people who aren’t doing anything to fix the situation. You should include this film in History through Film because this is a story that we aren’t told. In our school system, we are told the stories where America is on the right side of history. This is the second largest genocide since the Holocaust, and we just don’t talk about it. These Meynardie 3 are stories that need to be told. These are stories that aren’t being told. This film is beautiful because it lets the audience be part of this terrible thing that happened and this wonderful person who managed to make it just a little bit better. It is terrifying not only because of the horrific events that it portrays, but also because before I first saw this film, I didn’t even know that the Rwandan civil war, much less genocide, happened.

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Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation on Human Effectiveness

Contents

Human Effectiveness
Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation and Their Significance
Conclusion

There has been a long-standing perception in many corporations that incentives like money and rewards are the best way to motivate employees to work more productively and effectively despite the significant amount of studies showing otherwise. As a result, employees began leveraging their time for their families and their own personal enjoyment and development. Although external rewards are also vital, what these companies often overlook is the importance of freedom, leisure, and fun to the improvement of performance in the workplace. This topic was picked to give light to the modern day corporate world of its complacency and reliance to traditional mode of motivation, and to encourage more researchers to dig deeper into this issue. This research aims to enlighten the readers that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in relation to human effectiveness are equally important when used properly according to their purpose, most especially, at work.

Human Effectiveness

Performance effectiveness of humans or employees can also be called productivity in the workplace, also generally known as "the amount of goods and/or services produced per hour of human labor or the actual measure of job performance" (Dunnette & Fleishman, 2014). The productivity or effectiveness of each member of an organization is extremely important in any company’s growth and further development. It is the driver of profit which is the primary reason for the existence of most organizations. According to Dunnette and Fleishman (2014), since these organizations are driven by profitability, more often than not, they also view their employees the same way and entice them with monetary rewards alone. These are wages, bonus, salary increase, profit sharing, and the like which are usually viewed as motivators to increase the productivity of the workforce (Dunnette & Fleishman, 2014). Alarmingly, they did not discuss the implications of internally drawn motivation aside from those controlled by the management externally.

Extrinsic Motivation

As mentioned, monetary rewards or pay-per-performance has been one of the most common forms of incentive due to the notion that people would do anything for money. However, experiments revealed that controlled motivation or extrinsic rewards only work for simple repetitive and habitual tasks with a definite goal, but not for solving analytical problems wherein incentives may even result to worse outcome (Boedecker, Lampe & Riedmiller, 2013). This is a dangerous method of reinforcement as along the way, people may be trained to become mere robots working in a singular path, limiting their potential for exploration and innovation. This is a threat to the advancement of humanity since it contradicts the analytic side of humans that explores and discovers new solutions. On a contrary, a study about increase in pay, extrinsic motivation, performance and creativity in the workplace disputed the negative notions about this particular type of motivation (Gerhart & Fang, 2015). Scholars Gerhart and Fang (2015) contested that there is a lack of substantial evidence to prove the insignificance, or in some cases, negative effect of extrinsic motivation to human effectiveness or productivity. Unless the findings had been concretely, empirically, and thoroughly studied, its importance should not be undermined (Gerhart & Fang, 2015). Unfortunately, few studies had been done to thoroughly explore extrinsic motivation alone.

Intrinsic Motivation

Modern motivational studies have laid the foundation to a more intrinsic approach to the improvement of human effectiveness. Human beings naturally seek their purpose in life and it need not to be reinforced. However, when they no longer feel fulfilled and useful, they start feeling demotivated (Petelczyc, Capezio, Wang, Restubog & Aquino, 2017). The challenge here is how the management could externally encourage their employees to be intrinsically motivated toward the whole organization’s success. In the book entitled "Managing to Have Fun", the importance of fun, play, and enjoyment was highlighted by its author, Matt Weinstein, founder of PlayFair Inc an organization that assists corporations in the development of fun-centered management. For almost 30 years, they have been dealing with giant companies like AT&T and Zenith Data Systems (Weinstein, 2004). He stated, "we teach our clients that the intentional use of fun on the job can help them improve employee morale, heighten productivity, create a more people-centered corporate culture, and ultimately, increase profitability" (Weinstein, 2004). This also improves employees’ morale, engagement, effective stress management, productivity, creativity, work-life balance, flexibility, resourcefulness, and all myriad of things leading to better performance (Petelczyc, Capezio, Wang, Restubog & Aquino, 2017). Companies such as Google, Facebook, LikedIn, and Zappos that are well-known leaders in their respective industries today, use the concept of intrinsic motivation to foster better performance (Petelczyc, Capezio, Wang, Restubog & Aquino, 2017). Their employees have the freedom when to work and how they will accomplish their tasks, and were given no fixed work schedules. According to Howard, Gagne, Morin and Broeck (2016), "autonomous motivation influence performance and well-being more than controlled"; hence, this sense of power and freedom in the work place breeds locus of control and self-efficacy in employees.

Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation and Their Significance

Even though the self-determination theory proposes balance in both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in varying degrees, the study of Howard, Gagne, Morin and Broeck (2016) stated that "the presence of external regulation (extrinsic) appears unimportant when combined with autonomous (intrinsic) forms of motivation". Which means the power of extrinsic motivation in human effectiveness or productivity in the workplace, when compared to intrinsic motivation, the difference is so significant that the former almost becomes detrimental. However, there has not been enough available studies that dig deeper into extrinsic motivation alone to further explore its significance. Although it is widely practiced, it continues to fall behind when compared to its counterpart intrinsic motivation. Notably, their study also revealed that those who were not given any motivation at all performed the worst (Howard, Gagne, Morin & Broeck, 2016). This means that motivation, regardless of its nature, is still very important in fostering human effectiveness in the workplace. On a contrary, a strong 40-year meta-analysis of 9 studies was conducted by Cerasoli, Nicklin, and Ford (2014) which embarked a great emphasis on the importance of these two types of motivation, and proposed to simultaneously consider them both in designing strategies to improve human effectiveness. They added, intrinsic motivation is more of a predictor of quality, while its counterpart extrinsic motivation is more of predictor of quantity (Cerasoli, Nicklin & Ford, 2014). Therefore, both are important because both quantity and quality are vital in ensuring optimal performance and profitability.

Conclusion

As the landscape of today’s modern work environment continue to become more diversified and competitive, managements are faced with challenges on how to maximize their pool of talents to drive their company’s success. Unfortunately, it is no longer feasible for organizations to stick to their authoritative, top-down, money-driven, traditional stance alone. Instead, they have to look into the roles and goals of their workforce and design a more fitting motivational strategy to foster optimal human effectiveness and productivity. Intrinsic motivation encourages more creativity, resourcefulness, and higher quality of products and services. Extrinsic motivation is useful in mechanical or repetitive tasks where quantity is more important than any other factors. Despite the large number of research promoting intrinsic motivation while undermining the role of extrinsic motivation, there is a growing number of studies showing that these two types of incentives are equally important if each of their individual purposes are considered. Nevertheless, further studies are highly recommended to explore how both can be utilized, instead of just merely comparing them.

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Effects of Reinforcement on College Students

Contents

Abstract
Effects of Reinforcement Schedules on College Students’ Levels of Intrinsic Motivation
Methods Participants
Procedure
Analysis
Results
Discussion

Abstract

This paper explores the effects that fixed-ratio reinforcement has on college students’ levels of intrinsic motivation. Participants were asked to complete a word search and their levels of motivation were measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) (Gymnastik- och idrottshi gskolan). Those in the experimental group were rewarded with candy after finding each word while those in the control group received no reward during or after completing the word search. Before completing the word search, stressors that could affect students’ motivation were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Intrinsic Motivational Inventory was used to measure motivation after completing the word search (Cohen 1994). Participants in the experimental group were found to have higher IMI scores than those in the control group. Due to potential confounding due to personality differences, Future studies should be conducted to determine the effects that personality differences have on intrinsic motivation levels while doing a task.

Effects of Reinforcement Schedules on College Students’ Levels of Intrinsic Motivation

In the field of developmental psychology, psychologists are interested in what motivates students. Many students find it difficult to do well in a class if they do not find that material to be interesting, and the same goes for students in college. However, if a professor were to incorporate some sort of reward, students would probably be more likely to do a task faster and pay more attention to the task than if they received no reward at all. This begs the question if students will be more motivated to do a task if they are rewarded compared to being not rewarded at all. One study conducted by Haywood & Switzky (1974) suggests that extrinsic motivation is more likely to lead to better task performance. The results showed that children who were more naturally extrinsically motivated performed consistently better when they received reinforcement from an external source compared to children who were naturally extrinsically motivated (1974). Therefore, children who are naturally extrinsically motivated may be more likely to respond to goal-oriented tasks while children who are naturally intrinsically motivated may be more likely to self-reinforce. To focus on how influential reinforcement schedules were on levels of motivation in rats, Belke et. al. (2016) either restricted or did not restrict the amount of food that they gave rats, and their level of extrinsic motivation was measured based on how fast they were running on their wheel (2016). The number of rats that had an unrestricted amount of food that continued to run was greater than the number of rats that continued to run when the amount of food they were given was restricted (2016). This evidence, similar to the increased performance of the extrinsically motivated children in the first study, provides reasoning to believe that extrinsic motivation is heavily influenced by reinforcement schedules.

Mahoney (2017) further investigated reinforcement schedules and their effect on intrinsic motivation in an academic setting. In the study she conducted, she studied how giving bonus points on quizzes at fixed intervals differed from giving more bonus points on later quizzes for taking a higher number of quizzes (2017). Students who were given an increasing number of bonus points on consecutive quizzes for taking more quizzes ended up attending class more often and taking significantly more quizzes than the students who were in the fixed reinforcement schedule group and the control group (2017). The results of this experiment provide supporting evidence that extrinsic motivation helps feed into individuals’ overall intrinsic motivation, as those who received 3 bonus points on the first quiz and zero or one bonus point for each consecutive quiz took significantly more quizzes than students who received 5 bonus points for each quiz they took (2017). This research also suggests that immediate external rewards are a greater source of extrinsic motivation than fixed-interval rewards.

Cohen et. al. further investigated the effects of fixed reinforcement schedules on adherence to riding a stationary bike studied 92002). Participants either rode the bike for 45 minutes or until they were too tired to keep going until the 45 minutes was over (2002). In the first part, the external source of motivation was a video, and in the second part of the experiment, money was used as a source of extrinsic motivation, with each of the conditions used in the second part of the experiment were the same as those used in the first (2002). The results showed that there was no significant difference between the conditions in the first part of the experiment, but that money significantly increased the amount of time that the participants spent riding (2002). Therefore, fixed-ratio reinforcement may be more useful to use in an experiment than fixed interval reinforcement, particularly if the dependent variable is a ratio variable.

Reed (2001) looked at the effects of the connections between the response and outcome on human perception of causal validity. It was found that the response rate was higher for variable ratio schedules than variable-interval schedules, indicating that variable ratio reinforcement schedules have more significant effects on motivation than variable interval reinforcement schedules (2001). Once the results from the Cohen et. al. experiment demonstrated that variable ratio reinforcement schedules had more significant effects on motivation than variable interval reinforcement schedules, other psychologists were trying to figure out how to accurately measure levels of motivation.

Sawyer et. al. used the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory to determine which of four active learning techniques (writing-to-learn, text-based cooperative learning, multimedia cooperative learning, and multimedia writing to learn) was most effective in motivating students to learn (2017). Given that this was used in a school context, it would prove to be very useful for measuring the amount of motivation that college students have when completing a task.

The current experiment is being conducted to determine if those who are subjected to reinforcement will have higher motivation to complete a task than those who do not receive any reward at all. Specifically, an investigation will be done to determine if a fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule is more effective than no reinforcement in motivating participants to complete a word search. Based on the previous research, if this concept were to be applied to the number of words participants found in a word search based on the fixed-ratio reinforcement schedules and candy was used as an incentive rather than money, it would be best to predict that the more frequently participants are rewarded, the higher their levels of intrinsic motivation will be.

Methods Participants

In terms of participants, around 15 individuals will participate in this experiment. Individuals of any age and gender will be allowed to participate as long as they are current students at Moravian College, currently enrolled in at least one psychology course, and are at least 18 years or older during the testing period so that they can give consent to participate in the experiment. Materials Informed consent forms will be the first of the materials used in this experiment. They will contain information about the specific procedures of the experiment, any benefits or risks that the participant could have experienced if they choose to take part in the experiment, what the dependent variable was and how it was measured, and the availability of counseling services to the participant if needed. In addition, the informed consent will emphasize that participants’ involvement in the experiment is completely voluntary and that they could stop the experiment and leave at any time if they feel uncomfortable continuing with it. The researcher’s contact information will be included and the form will mention that there are counseling services available to all students if they feel they need them after completing the experiment.

The first questionnaire, The Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen), will be administered before starting the experiment. It is a 10-item questionnaire that assesses students’ mental health by taking into account the feelings and thoughts they have experienced in the past month. The scale used to answer the questions is from 0 to 4, with 0 representing Never,’ 2 representing Sometimes,’ and 4 representing Very Often.’ The responses to questions 4, 5, 7, and 8 will be reverse-scored, and then a total of all the scores will be calculated.

The questionnaire given after the experiment to assess participants’ levels of motivation will be the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Scale within the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (Gymnastik- och idrottshi gskolan). Several qualities of the participants will be measured using this inventory, including

interest and enjoyment
perceived competence
effort and importance
pressure and tension
perceived choice (Gymnastik- och idrottshi gskolan).

All statements followed will then be reverse-scored. Items of the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Scale will be measured using a Likert scale, with a score of 1 indicating a statement is not true at all,’ a score of 4 indicating a statement is somewhat true,’ and a score of 7 indicating a statement is very true (Gymnastik- och idrottshi gskolan). The individual scores of each participant for each statement will then be averaged so that each student’s motivation will be represented by one score. All subscales of the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Scale will be used in calculating motivation scores except for the value and usefulness subscale and the relatedness subscale. The word search given after the Perceived Stress Scale will contain a total of thirty terms with half of the words being basic terms used in the field of psychology and the other half of the terms being more advanced terms in Psychology to ensure that students of all levels will not find the word search easier or harder than others. They will be specific to the different psychological perspectives and will include terms coined by psychologists such as Albert Bandura, Sigmund Freud, Howard Gardner, Urie Bronfenbrenner, Diana Baumrind, Ivan Pavlov, and Jean will Piaget, Erik Erikson, and Abraham Maslow.

Procedure

Participants will be randomly assigned to groups using a random number generator, with those assigned an odd number being placed in the control group and those assigned an even number being placed in the treatment group. Those in the control group will not be given a piece of candy as reinforcement during or after completing the word search, whereas each participant in the treatment group will be given a piece of candy after each word they find in the word search. There will be two surveys given to the participants, with the Perceived Stress Scale being given before the experiment to assess participants’ initial motivation levels and the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Inventory being given to participants after they will have completed the word search or after ten minutes will have passed. A confederate will be used to hand out the Perceived Stress Scale, the Post-Experimental Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, and the crossword to the participants. To address the Hawthorne effect, the confederate will not be in the room while the participants are completing the Perceived Stress Scale, the word search, or the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory, and will give instructions over the PA system.

Analysis

The results of these scores will be analyzed by taking the mean and standard deviation of the calculated score for motivation for both the control and the experimental group. The average motivation score for the control group was 2.55 ?€“ 0.06, and the average motivation score for the experimental group was 6.53 ?€“ 0.09.

Results

The results will show that participants who received candy as reinforcement will have higher scores on the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory than those who did not receive any candy as fixed-ratio reinforcement.

Discussion

These results suggest that fixed-ratio reinforcement is more effective than no reinforcement in increasing motivation in college students. This means that this method is more useful in increasing levels of motivation in college students, but this does not mean that this method of reinforcement would be effective in increasing motivation levels in people of all ages, as this experiment is only being conducted within a sample of college students.

Although measures are taken to account for any design flaws that may occur due to the design of the experiment, errors could still occur due to several factors. The first factor that is not accounted for in this experiment is the differences in the personality of each participant, as this is determined by their genetics and cannot be changed or influenced using any ethical methods. This factor could lead individual scores to be noticeably lower or higher than usual, causing those with a mental illness to potentially score lower than those without a mental illness. In addition, depending on the processing speed of the students that decide to participate in this experiment, they could experience more or less pressure and tension while completing the word search. These changes in the individual scores could skew the averages that will be calculated to find their overall scores. In addition, those who process information slower may or may not finish the word search. Therefore, it is difficult to decide whether extra time should be given to individuals who have slower processing. If it is decided that extra time should be provided to these individuals, permission to view their disability documentation and official documentation of their disability would have to be obtained from them ahead of time. Otherwise, the experiment would be unethical due to the regulations set forth by the ADA.

In terms of future research, two separate investigations should be conducted. One investigation should be conducted to determine if personality was a confounding factor in motivation levels, and another experiment should be conducted to determine whether individuals with slower processing speed would still experience higher levels of pressure and tension, lower competence, and lower interest and enjoyment while doing the crossword puzzle. Lastly, it should be investigated whether personality differences do have an effect on motivation when fixed-ratio reinforcement is used to determine if this was a confounding factor.

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In-Depth Look at Organizational Motivators

In psychology, motivation is defined as, "a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior" (Myers & Dewall, 2016). Motivations are derived from a mixture of nature and nurture and they determine what we choose to do and how we choose to do them. Psychologists have presented many different factors that influence motivation and concepts of motivation. Motivation is a highly applicable concept to our daily lives.

There is one area where motivation plays a particularly large role and that is in organizational settings, namely the workplace. Work motivation has been defined as "a set of energetic forces that originates within as well as beyond an individual’s being, to initiate work-related behavior, and to determine its form, direction, intensity, and duration" (Tremblay, Blanchard, Taylor, Pelletier, & Villeneuve, 2009). To determine work motivation, one can look at attention, effort, and persistence.
When considering types of motivation, the types that are most commonly assessed are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is defined as the desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake. Extrinsic motivation is defined as the desire to perform a behavior to receive rewards or to avoid punishment (Myers & Dewall, 2016). These are motives that drive human behavior.

Intrinsic motivation explains why people want to engage in behaviors rather than why they have to engage in behaviors. Intrinsic motivation has also been defined as the innate human desire to apply and advance one’s skills through practice (Hannam & Narayan, 2015). Individuals that identify as intrinsically-motivated are usually more curious, more cognitively flexible, and more willing to accept new knowledge. They are often more likely to be creative and research to find answers. Intrinsic behavior promotes behavior because of satisfaction. Intrinsic motivation affects many workplace outcomes and functions of the workplace. Findings suggest that intrinsic factors were more influential in training retention than extrinsic factors (Lloyd, Bond, & Flaxman, 2017). Individuals that are intrinsically motivated genuinely care about the work they are doing and look for better ways to do the work. These people have a sense of fulfillment for the work they do. Intrinsic motivation is about pursing something worthwhile and directing activities toward a meaningful purpose (Thomas, 2000).
While the popular belief is that companies exist solely to make a profit, that may not be the case. The missions of successful organizations are centered around the quality of their products and services, value, and employee-friendly workplaces (Chalofsky, 2010). While many people say they go to work for the money, money is not what motivates us to work. It is needed to function but typically money comes after work-life balance, satisfaction, and learning when it comes to motivators. One study suggests that work-life balance is the first priority for 78 percent of workers and 70 percent of males reported being willing to give up pay for more time with families (Chalofsky, 2010).

One theory that goes hand-in-hand with intrinsic motivation is self-determination theory. Self-determination theory suggests that we are intrinsically motivated to engage in behaviors because they fulfill psychological needs such as: autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Beal & Ghandour, 2010). As humans, we must meet these psychological needs and the workplace is one of the most important settings to achieve these needs. Many Americans work 5 or more days a week and this is a huge part of our daily lives and routines, which makes it a perfect place to work towards meeting these needs. Self-determination theory also suggests that intrinsically-motivated behaviors lead to well-being. Jobs designed to meet these psychological needs lead to overall effectiveness and greater well-being (Beal & Ghandour, 2010). SDT looks at the nature of the motivation and assumes that humans are active and growth-oriented. This theory applies to activities individuals find interesting, challenging, or pleasing and will distinguish between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation (Tremblay et al., 2009).

Another theory that supports the intrinsic motivation and well-being connection is called Affective Events Theory. Affective Events Theory suggests that engaging in enjoyable work behaviors daily leads to positive affect, which then can lead to well-being. Level of intrinsic motivation is task specific and can influence affect and cognitions while performing a task which suggests that positive affect associated with intrinsic motivation leads these individuals to view their environment as more favorable (Hannam & Narayan, 2015). Overall, outlook differs with intrinsically motivated individuals which means they may be more likely to do something they enjoy.

Two aspects of organizational behavior that Maslow, Hersberg, and Aldefer advocated for are more critical in today’s world than ever. These aspects are intrinsic motivation and growth (Chalofsky, 2010). Since the 1970’s theories have evolved regarding intrinsic processes. Csikszentmihalyi, an author, conducted research about intrinsic motivation while studying people’s work behavior and looked at many different types of occupations. He found what he called a flow, which consists of fun, sense of mastery, and potential for growth (Chalofsky, 2010). Albert Bandura takes these studies a step further and his social cognitive theory looks at what motivates us towards goals and behaviors, based on our level of competence. Bandura suggests that performance-goal orientation comes from extrinsic motivational interest and people who see themselves as having greater abilities pursue learning goals that meet the need of self-enhancement (Chalofsky, 2010).

Extrinsic motivation in the workplace refers to things such as money and gift cards. Many companies look to implement incentive programs when performance is not up to par. It is suggested that often employees can view this as a manipulation tactic (McKenna, 2011). Pay compensates employees for their time, effort, and skills but does it really affect how well employees perform or use these skills? Economic Agency Theory supports the use of compensation to further performance and motivation. This theory suggests that if employees are given more pay they will be more motivated to behave in ways that benefit the organization. Extrinsic motivation is related to rewards received (Olafsen, Halvari, Forest, & Deci, 2015). When a workplace activity is not intriguing, it may require extrinsic motivation to elicit a desired behavior. Self-determination theory looks at four types of extrinsic motivation including: external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, and integrated regulation (Olafsen et al., 2015). External regulation is very similar to operant theory as it looks at motivation to receive rewards and avoid punishment.

Equity theory can also explain the issue with using extrinsic motivators. Equity theory is when employees are motivated to maintain consistency between their outcomes and their counterpart’s outcomes to determine salary (Carr, McLoughlin, Hodgson, & MacLachlan,1996). The higher paid employee would view changing workplace behaviors as impractical and any changed behavior would likely be short-lived. There are many instances of extrinsic rewards systems in workplaces that have not produced desire results. Research suggests that in relation to extrinsically-motivated individuals, intrinsically-motivated individuals produce greater results and are more beneficial to organizations.

Being able to understand motivation is key to being able to use motivation to your advantage. In an organization, understanding what motivates your employees is key to success. When a company knows what motivates their employees, they are able to provide opportunities or activities to meet these motivational needs. Fortune’s 100 Best Places to Work is a list of best organizations to work for in existence. These organizations are great to work for because of their organizational cultures and policies that promote meaningful work and a supportive workplace instead of benefits and financial perks (Chalofsky, 2010). Organizations are continuously hearing requests from employees about what they want in their work environments. The most common request is more control over work and more work-life balance, as well as personal growth in their work. Recognition for need of organizations to meet new workplace demands of this century are increasing (Chalofsky, 2010). Alignment of purpose, relationships, values and activities create meaningful work for employees and provide them with intrinsic motivation.

Motivation is useful for the simple fact that it has been shown to predict behavior in the workplace. Intrinsic motivation is a predictor of creativity and creativity is important to an organization because it is associated with enjoyment and interest in tasks being performed. Employees that are individually motivated also view their organization as more favorable and positive (Hannam & Narayan, 2015). Their level of motivation will influence their thoughts and affect while performing tasks. When employees view their environment as favorable, they have less environmental stressors. Intrinsically-motivated employees are also more likely to view a work task as an opportunity rather than a chore. This will result in better outcomes for the organization. Intrinsic motivation is also related to positive outcomes, like goal attainment (Olafsen et al., 2015). Baby boomers have been questioning meaning and purpose in their work and studies found that executives that lost their jobs but were still financially comfortable still valued meaningful work independence over everything else (Chalofsky, 2010). Overall, motivation creates better environments. Not only is performance better and more productive but environmental stressors are reduced and creativity is promoted.

Tremblay and his fellow researchers (2009) used the Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale (WEIMS) to discover the applicability of motivation in different work environments. The WEIMS consisted of 18 items to assess intrinsic motivation, integrated, identified, and external regulations. Results from this study found that there is applicability of motivation in different work environments. This shows the importance of assessing motivation to improve work environments.
Research suggests that extrinsic motivation is not as powerful of a predictor of performance and job satisfaction as many would believe. One study examines outcomes associated with extrinsic motivators such as pay. Results supported that monetary rewards did not enhance intrinsic motivation and, in fact, as profound implications for organizations attempting to better motivate their employees (Olafsen et al., 2015). Researchers did find a strong positive relationship between need satisfaction and intrinsic work motivation and found that extrinsic motivators were not related to need satisfaction (Olafsen et al., 2015).

Research is also pointed towards intrinsic motivation as a powerful predictor of performance and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction in the past generally increased as people aged form their twenties to their thirties and in 1973, almost half of workers between the ages of 30 and 40 reported being very satisfied with their jobs. Now job satisfaction between these ages is no higher than among the 18 to 29 age group. Generations X and Y are questioning meaning and purpose of work more than those before (Chafolsky, 2010). This is the reason many organizations are trying to provide a more work-life balance, an intrinsic motivator. One study looked at salespeople from different firms. They were given questionnaires to determine their engagement in learning orientation and performance orientation. Results of this study indicated that those with a learning orientation worked smart and hard while those who had performance orientation just worked hard. Because salespeople are generally motivated with extrinsic means to meet targets and goals, not achieving those targets result in no incentives. The study suggests that the negative implication associated with not reaching the goal is worse than not receiving the incentive because it demotivates the salespeople (Chafolsky, 2010).

Another study looks at job attitude and motivation differences between volunteers and employees from similar organizations. The expectation was that volunteers would report greater intrinsic motivation, job satisfaction, and less intent to leave the organization. Researchers also expected them to report their activities as more "praiseworthy" than employees. Research findings confirmed this expectation (Pearce, 1983). They also found that professors that were uncommitted to their jobs showed a positive relationship between salary and job satisfaction (Pearce, 1983). This finding suggests that employees that are uncommitted to their organization will be motivated more extrinsically.

Not only is commitment higher with intrinsic motivation, there is also a retention of information in the training process of individuals with intrinsic motivations. Trainees that perceived more intrinsic value in attending training showed more motivation to attend and learned more from the training (Lloyed et al., 2017). Sense of recognition, an intrinsic motivator, also has been demonstrated to predict training retention more so than extrinsic factors (Lloyd et al., 2017).

Beal and Ghadnour (2011) conducted research to examine intrinsic task motivation as a positive affective event. The study looked at how processes of affect can be altered by routine work conditions. This includes work tasks that are intrinsically rewarding. The expectation as that intrinsically motivating tasks viewed as enjoyable would result in positive affect. Findings indicate that yesterday’s intrinsically motivating tasks has a continued positive effort on the next day’s positive affect (Beal & Ghadnour, 2011).

Research discussed heavily supports the idea that intrinsic motivation predicts job satisfaction, affect, performance, and training retention. The next question is: How can organizations implement this knowledge into their systems? The first key is to assess motivation in the workplace. The assessments of motivation must be practical, flexible, and accessible through many different means (Tremblay et al., 2009). Objective measures are typically preferred because they minimize human judgment. Self-report measure can be used to measure employee motivation, as well as peer ratings (Tremblay, 2009).
Organizations can start directing their activities towards a meaningful purpose. Keeping in mind that it is not so much about the tasks as the purpose of the task that creates meaningfulness is important to accomplish this. Managers can raise the intrinsic motivation of their employees through means of education, measurement, and creative action (Thomas, 2000). Managers can make sure employees are learning lessons of intrinsic motivation and recognizing types of intrinsic rewards. They can also take regular note of their employees’ sense of meaningfulness. Managers may then help employees focus energy on factors that improve intrinsic motivation (Thomas, 2000). Organizations can redesign jobs and job activities to implement more intrinsically-motivating activities as well.

Increasing motivation in current employees will definitely benefit the organization in the long run but it is also necessary to look at incoming employees. Hiring individuals that exhibit behaviors related to intrinsic motivation will help the organization further it’s mission. An organization that values its mission and values will especially benefit from employing intrinsically-motivated individuals. Public sector organizations usually have missions with broader scopes and more profound impacts (Wright, 2007). These organizations will typically attract individuals that want to perform in a more altruistic manner. These organizations will typically place less value on financial rewards than on helping others and the people they serve. When employees feel like they are contributing to the public service mission of their organization, an intrinsic reward is provided by the organization (Wright, 2007).

Another way an organization can motivate employees from an intrinsic perspective is by increasing performance-goal commitment. Goal commitment determines the extent to which the employee is determined to reach a performance goal. Employees with high goal commitment are more likely to confront obstacles and reach the goals quicker and more effectively. These goals must also be viewed by the employee as meaningful (Wright, 2007). When organizational managers meet with their subordinates to determine a goal, they will feel more involved. This goal will be more meaningful if the employee has a say in the goals they set. They will feel more intrinsically motivated.

Research suggests that motivation is crucial in determining how to improve the organization, as well as the performance of employees within the organization. When employees are motivated by something other than pay, an extrinsic reward, they feel like their work is more meaningful. When employees find meaning in their work, they retain information, feel more satisfied, and have a positive mood. There is a long history of organizations providing extrinsic rewards to improve their employees’ performance and to meet company-wide goals. The research suggests that intrinsic motivation is the key to performance and satisfaction. Employees now are becoming more concerned with these intrinsic motivators than ever before. It is time the concept of motivation is applied in all organizations for the betterment of their employees’ well-being and the success of the organization.

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Intrinsic Motivation in the Classroom

Intrinsic Motivation is defined as the motivation to engage in an activity for its own sake (Schunk et. al p. 238). This is in contrast to external motivation where the activity is the means to an end. In my experience as an educator I feel that students are highly motivated by external motivators, but when it comes to internal motivation I find that very few of my students show evidence of any. I would love to improve my impact on students’ lives by supporting increased levels in internal motivation and finding reward in the process of learning and growing rather than doing so just to gain some kind of reward. In the following pages I will be reflecting on the research of internal motivation in the classroom and then reflecting on implications for my teaching practice.

My experience in education started in an early childhood setting, and has since transitioned into upper elementary school. One large hurdle that I have found is motivating students. I noticed very early in my transition that students in fourth and fifth grade tend to be very difficult to motivate. I am often asked "what do I get if I do this?". Whereas students in preschool were motivated, excited, and proud of mastering a new skill. Reflecting on this made me wonder how internal motivation changes as students become older. Gillet, Vallerand, and Lafreniere (2011) studied levels of intrinsic motivation for students at different ages and reflected on the changes in levels of intrinsic motivation as well as the impacts of autonomy support and the correlations to motivation levels for students. Findings showed that there is a drop in intrinsic motivation for students ages 8-14 that slowly begins to increase again and stabilize in early adulthood, although levels are still lower than students at young ages. One drawback however was the difficulty in determining if and how much of the decrease in intrinsic motivation was reflected on an increase in external motivators. Domencio and Ryan (2017) also study the impacts that external motivators have on intrinsic motivation. They studied intrinsic motivation through the Self Determination Theory and reflected on how levels of self motivation decrease when external motivators are introduced. Early research studies of intrinsic motivation suggested that once external motivators are introduced the level of intrinsic motivation is decreased even when the external motivators are removed. External motivators also limited the level of spontaneous interactions that subjects had with the challenge or task.

These readings caused me to reflect on my own practices and how I am supporting and limiting students’ levels of intrinsic motivation. In every educational setting I have worked in, PBIS has been a heavily used system to motivate students both academically and behaviorally. It relies heavily on external motivators though. Although I see how it improves behaviors, I have seen limitations on the impacts that it has on students academic achievements. It turns the tasks into a means to attain something (a point, a sticker, a high five etc.) rather than focusing on the process of learning, growth and discovery.

This peaked my interest in interventions to increase the levels of intrinsic motivation for my students. I found that interventions to minimize the decrease in motivation relate back to opportunities and support for student autonomy. This can be done in the classroom through routines and structure where students have the opportunity to make impactful decisions about their learning process and subject matter. Hang and Reeve (2010) explore how different instructional styles support student engagement to increase autonomy while also allowing for structure in the classroom environment. The two note that teachers who support autonomy do so by "nurturing inner motivational resources, relying on non-controlling informational language, and acknowledging the students’ perspective and feelings" (p. 589). The balance between structure and and student led classrooms can be difficult but can be done with clear expectations, guidance, and modeling. Stefanou and Turner (2004) also examine ways that teachers, classroom structure, levels of control, strategies, and practices impact levels of autonomy in learners. They discuss the importance of providing students with opportunities to make important decisions in the classroom rather than meaningless decisions that have little impact on their academic. Choices in procedure vs. choices in actual content being learned. They also discuss how the environment in autonomy supportive classrooms allow students to manipulate learning materials themselves, inquired about student wants and responded to student’s feelings of frustration with support. Personally, I know that I am really strong in providing structure in my classroom. Where I experience frustration is finding ways to meet the demands of the standards and building curriculum material requirements, while also providing opportunities for choice and student autonomy- even though I know this practice produces higher levels on intrinsic motivation and ownership for students. That is where I am currently when reflecting on my own practices in relation to this subject. I find that adding disabilities into the mix makes it even more difficult. Nevertheless, I will continue to work on increasing opportunities for autonomy in my classroom.

Two factors that I find to be crucial in my own classroom experience in relation to motivation are confidence and anxiety. Corpus, Wormington, and Haimovitz (2016) note that students with high levels of motivation, also show higher levels of success with external motivators, and students with the highest levels of intrinsic motivation, also have low anxiety levels. When I reflect on my students and their anxiety level as it relates to academics it makes more sense why they tend to perform better when provided with external motivators. They know they are different then their peers and experience such high levels of failure that it is difficult for them to take risks. Their frustration is high so when a task feels rigorous they automatically shut down in fear of failure. It is difficult for them to push through without an extra "payoff" for their efforts. Corpus, J. H., & Wormington (2014) in earlier studies also concluded that in order to build quality motivation in students, that first we must build competency for students in the context of school. This is where it is more challenging working with students with disabilities. I continue to work to balance building higher levels of intrinsic motivation, while also supporting their need for external motivators and opportunities to own their learning experience with confidence.

In summary, intrinsic motivation is a key factor in success levels for students, however teachers have a high level of responsibility in creating environments and providing classroom structure that supports autonomy in order to build success and natural interest in the learning environment. As educators we also must know our students and how their experiences, emotional state, and attitude toward learning will impact their level of motivation, and support their learning at their different levels of motivation. In the following section I will outline two learning goals for my students and explain what strategies I will use to support student success, and how these goals and or strategies relate to intrinsic motivation.

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Black and White Remember the Titans

In the movie Remember the Titans, written by Gregory Allen Howard, the audience is taken back to the 1970's where racism was abundant in United States culture. At T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, football was a significant part of the town. But when their school board was forced to integrate an all white school with an all black school, the town was put to the ultimate test; give up a special hometown tradition, or break the racial stereotypes that society has expected of them. The stereotypes throughout this movie, communicates that black and white people are supposed to hate each other in this point in history. Although these stereotypes were forced upon the athletes from their town, they were still able to see past skin color and become a successful team and in some cases best friends.

Herman Boone, a black head coach, was hired to coach the school's first integrated football team. Controversy was created throughout the town when this decision was made simply because Coach Boone was a black man and he was appointed the head coach position over Bill Yoast, a white man, who then became the assistant coach. The fact a black man held a leadership role in their town was unheard of and had many people mistreating him and his family. Although coach Boone was hated by the town for getting the coaching job, he had a worse situation to deal with. Coach Boone may have gotten the coaching job, but he didn't have a "team" yet. All he had was a group of talented athletes who were consumed with racism and didn't know how to play together.

To begin solving this problem Coach Boone took his team to a football camp at Gettysburg College. When the team first got onto the bus the team had all white players in one bus and all black players in the other. Coach Boone immediatly trying to unite the team had everyone evacuate the buses and then grouped all his defensive players in one bus as well as all of his offensive players in another bus. This was Coach Boone's first step in developing a unified team. One night in the cafeteria, as he was still trying to unify the team, Coach Boone asked one of the white players to share some thoughts about his black teammates. After that, he was looking for volunteers to share some thoughts, but all of them refused. As a result, Coach Boone made everybody spend time with a teammate of a different race in order for them to learn about their home lives and family.

The players might not be aware of it, but this is when their views of their teammates begin to change and they are becoming aware that the racial tension will not help them win games. This is when these stereotypes that were placed on them by their town began to crumble. The next morning, Coach Boone brought his entire team to the Gettysburg Cemetery. This was one of the most significant parts of the movie. Coach Boone began to tell them about the thousands of men who died in that battle during the civil war. He continued stating 'They were fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves. Hatred destroyed my family. You listen and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were." In this moment, Coach Boone emphasized the importance of the boys overcoming the stereotypes. By the end of the training camp, they became a unified team who started respecting each other and especially Coach Boone.

When camp was finally over and the team went back to school, the appreciation they had for eachother did not dissapear. The players became examples for their school by showing that you can overcome racism. Coach Boone sculpted a team of leaders not only on the field but also in the classroom and to the whole town. This team played a great role in bonding blacks and whites in the society.

Remember the Titans really illluminated the idea that breaking a stereotype can and will happen. The stereotype that black and white people have to hate eachother is so significant in this movie because its proven that it doesnt have to be true even when segregation was a huge part of the US culture. Although racism today is nothing like how it was during the 70's it still happens. But for the most part the stereotype has been broken throughout society, and it is no longer forced upon black and white people today.

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Rip Van Winkle:Family Life

I hate you. I love you. Go away. Come back. I need you. I want you. Get out of my face. You disgust me. I never want to see you again. We have all used these phrases and words in an argument. In the heat of the moment, in hard times, in trying times, in desperate times, these words come out time and time again eventually driving someone in your life away. We then as a human being feel lost, confused, sad, and alone. As a human you spend your life trying to find yourself and the person you are meant to be. In this case, for Winkle, he spends his life after leaving a nagging wife trying to find himself in an unusual way. As like all humans Winkle goes through the emotions of an unpleased wife, losing himself, and finding his way on his own.

In Rip Van Winkle, Winkle has been scolded by his wife for several years, he then has enough of it, takes his dog, and a gun and goes into the woods. When you read this you automatically think some sort of self-harm about to happen, which is what we all do in today's time. This isn't the case with Winkle, he was lost, confused, sad, and alone. He was struggling to understand whether he was still himself or is he another man completely? Couples dispute all the time, break-up, divorce, split up, and one always goes off and feels lonely, lost, confused, and sad. They also feel like another person and have trouble understanding who they are after they've been through something like that. I argue that today's culture and the culture back in 1800's with Winkle are still carrying the same meaning as to how a person can change going through an event in your life like this. Everybody loses their way from time to time.

Winkle and his wife have disputed for years on end, day after day, night after night. Winkle cannot seem to please his woman anymore. After some time, Winkle decides to grab his gun and dog, take off into the woods, and sit there going through memories in his wallet. This sets up in your head that Winkle is fixing to play back in his head all the good times, analyze where it all went wrong, and then administer self-harm with a gun. He does not. He sits against a tree, feeling the emotions, remembering, and seeking. Is Winkle himself or somebody else? Can he find his way back? The opening gives a strange vibe with Winkle's view historically. Winkle, in fact, did not use books nor sources, just the words in his head to create such a powerful poem depicting the mind of the readers.

Winkle travels through the woods for years of his life after leaving. There is no man who does that in today's time after leaving a woman. In today's time people argue that some people change completely, some people go back to old habits, some even result in to illegal activity, but not one man has just gone into the woods to figure himself out with his dog and gun. I can argue that there is similarity between the event then and how an event would be now. Winkle does not go against his wife's control. Despite what others may say, Winkle still lived his life, and he lived it the way he wanted too. Men today sometimes get to the point where they do not simply care, and once they are out of the situation, they are in they go on about their lives, but sometimes other men are destroyed from this. But today the situation can go either way. It depends if the person if feeling sad, lost, lonely, or confused, and if they are trying to find their self, or another person completely.

Winkle fell asleep in the woods for 20 years. Two decades, a revolutionary war, and some changes later he wakes up. Whether he has found himself after sleeping for so long, I cannot answer that, what I can give you though is time stops for nobody. Time goes on. Things keep moving forward. Whether a person is here or not, nothing stops for anybody. Winkle's ex wife and children grew older and changed, the world changes around him, everything but Winkle changes because he was asleep. Winkle was tired and sad, sleep was his go-to. His wife had turned him into a lazy, worthless man some may say. I could argue the opposite. Winkle was a very well-respected man in the community, he was always helping others, so I ask myself which version is Winkle? Is Winkle the man he wants to be in the community and just trying to get out of a marriage he never wanted to be in like most men today?

Suffering identity issues is arguably one of the most difficult things for a person to go through. When Winkle jets off, he is in question of his entire life. The man has been nagged at for several odd years that he does not know of anything else. The wife nagged and complained which made his identity questionable, while the community loved him and thought highly of him which made him feel like somebody. Let's argue this, back then a man suffered from knowing who he was when he was shown two different outcomes from two very different parties, now in today's time its almost exactly alike, but the two different parties are usually of friends and family instead of a whole community that they had helped recently and for years past.

When going through life changes there is some psychological part that plays inside of the person. A person experiences several life changes, some good and some bad. You and I can argue this statement all day long, but at the end of the day you are not the same person you were when an event like Winkle experienced happened. With identifying yourself, comes with depression, anxiousness, anxiety, self-consciousness, fear, sadness, loneliness, stress, and most importantly mental distractions. Winkle felt the fear, sadness, loneliness, stress, depression, but he carried on anyways. Any person would beat their-self up about feeling this way, while Winkle never argued against his wife's wishes, he got what he wanted and left. There was no therapist, medication, psychological evaluations, therapists, or cognitive therapy done for Winkle. His therapy happened when he sat down against the tree and went to sleep for twenty years.

Rip Van Winkle was a man lost and confused. He needed to clear his head of all things. He falls asleep for twenty years as his coping mechanism after leaving his wife who thought he was lazy and avoided all labor work as much as possible. When Winkle wakes up, he finds out that his wife is dead, but he feels no emotions from the news. Winkle is not sad, nor does he show any anger or ill will about his wife's passing. Psychologically one would, but for some reason that is yet unknown of Winkle he feels nothing. Some would argue with me that the sense of not feeling any emotion with an event like that is cruel, but the man was asleep for all those years, that remembering who he was would be more than enough trouble for him to get through. I prove a point when I say, every body's state of mind is different. Do you see yourself mourning over the death of a wife you left twenty years ago, or do you see yourself wondering what happened around you and who you are now? Think about it.

Today and back then, still carry the same meaning of what happens when a person goes through a traumatic event such as Winkle's. Each person has their own coping mechanism when such events occur throughout their lifetime, whether it be therapy, gym, walking, running, cooking, doing crafts, reading a book, everybody is different, much different than Winkle going to sit in the woods with a gun and his dog and fall asleep for twenty years. I will finish my argument with this quote stated by Marcel Proust, 'Why, when we regain consciousness, is it not an identity other than the one we had previously that is embodied in us? It is not clear what dictates the choice nor why, among the millions of human beings we might be, it is the being we were the day before that we unerringly grasp.

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‘Rip Van Winkle” and ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

Washington Irving is the author of two short stories that share a handful of differences. Both stories can be found in 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon" and are said to be based upon German folktale. 'Rip Van Winkle" and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" each tell their own respective stories, that are quite different from each other, especially when it comes to the setting, theme and conflict in each. As the paper progresses the differences of these stories will be brought to light, so there can be a better understand of the elements in each story.

The first difference that can be seen in the two stories is the setting. 'Rip Van Winkle" is set in the Kaatkill Mountains. 'They are a dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family and are seen away to the west of the river, swelling up to a noble height and lording it over the surrounding country, Every change of season, every change of weather, indeed every hour of the day produces some change in the magical hues and shapes of these mountains, and they are regarded by all the good wives near an far as barometers." (Levine, p.31) This exert from the text, is very descriptive in telling about how beautiful and radiant the area is. Everything seems to be in place, and those that inhabit the area are content with their living situations. In 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" the setting is much different. The overview of the area is not as perfect in the eyes of others as that of 'Rip Van Winkle". The text from, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" states that, 'not far from this village, perhaps about three miles, there is a little valley, or rather lap of land among high hills, which is one of the quietest places in the whole world “ the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in upon uniform tranquility." (Levine, p.41) This description of the setting is not necessarily negative, but it is much less vibrant than that of the other story. It depicts the area to be very quiet, even eerie in a sense. The settings of the two stories differ, but each are fitting for the specifics of the respective events that happen throughout both stories.

The theme of the two stories have their differences as well. 'Rip Van Winkle" has multiple themes that are recognizable to the reader. One of those being freedom, the ability to make your own decisions. After awaking from the deep sleep, Rip Van Winkle's wife had died, which gave him much more freedom than what he had ever had due to the kind of person that she was. Change is also an important theme of this story. Before the deep sleep his town was quite small, and he was a subject of George III. When he awoke, he returned to a town that was unrecognizable to him due to the expansion and new buildings that lined the streets. He was also a citizen of America under George Washington upon his arrival, which was much different than being a subject. The theme of change repeats itself constantly in this story. Rip Van Winkle's life was changed forever when he awoke. As an alien in his own home, he had a completely new identity and he made the best of it by telling his stories of the past to others. In 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" the theme is different for the most part. The theme of marriage is quite evident throughout the whole story, which is not the same with 'Rip Van Winkle," in fact Rip was happy to come back to his wife being gone. Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones were both hoping to marry Katrina Van Tassel. One wanted her love in a genuine way, while the other just wanted to marry her for her father's money. Change was somewhat talked about, but it was not what the whole story was based upon which makes the two themes differ.

Lastly the conflicts of the stories are found to be different. The story of Rip Van Winkle has a conflict of man vs. nature. Rip goes off into the woods and meets these strangely dressed men and choose to drink the concoction that they made, which resulted in his deep sleep. He woke up to new surroundings, the area around him was not the same which confused him. When he finally returned to town, he was even more confused, the text reads that, 'strange names were over the doors, strange faces at the windows, and everything was strange. His mind now began to misgive him, that both he and the world around him had been bewitched." (Levine, p.36) The conflict caused Rip to think that there was something wrong with him, that he was now a stranger in the place that he was most looked up to. The conflict that was experienced in 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" was man vs. man instead of man vs. nature. This conflict is very easy to see due to the competition that there was between Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones due to their desires to marry the same woman. This conflict is supported by the statement from the text that reads, 'such was the formidable rival with whom Ichabod Crane had to contend (Brom Bones) and considering all things, a stouter man than he would have shrunk from the competition and a wiser man would have despaired". (Levine, p.49) Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones were both determined to win over Katrina and they didn't care what stood in their way, especially each other. This was a conflict that was relevant throughout the whole story, until the choice was made. Rip Van Winkle struggles with nature and the changes that happen to the area around him in twenty years of deep sleep, while the men from sleepy hollow struggled with each other.

After reading and understanding each story they have their own unique differences in setting, theme and conflict. Although they were written by the same man, Washington Irving, he did not make the books have similar story lines or allow the only difference to be the characters. One thing that his writing did do was help to better realize the changes that were happening in America at the time. The statement, 'Rip Van Winkle" and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" explored the social and cultural changes occurring in America at the time," (Nilsson, 2011-12) was made in an article about short stories growing up. Both stories tell a unique tale that allows for greater learning to the reader. When comparing the two stories, the conflicts in each made all the difference in the meanings of the stories.

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'Rip Van Winkle" and 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". (2021, Mar 09). Retrieved November 8, 2025 , from
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Rip Van Winkle, Composed at by Washington Irving

Rip Van Winkle, composed at by Washington Irving. A short story that mirrors a lesson that a lot of changes can happen as time passes by. That environment and society can change too. All through the story Rip Van Winkle, it symbolized numerous qualities of mythology. Truly an intriguing setting.

The story's setting is one colossal occurrence of mythology. The story happens back in time around the nineteenth century in Europe. Like an instrument to indicate to readers how definitely things may change after some time. By setting it back in time, it additionally helps readers experience by giving them a trace of what things resembled back in time.

Occasions that happen in Rip Van Wrinkle demonstrate to enormous qualities to mythology. For example, Rip falls into a deep sleep and awakens to a radically new world before him. At the point when Rip awakens, he says "I have slept here all night" which clarifies he has been dozing in that spot for long enough for his surrounding to change. Before Rip fell into sleep, he said '...a little village, of great antiquity, having been founded by some of the Dutch colonists, in the early times of the province..." and wound up returning to his town in which was presented a bigger and increasingly crowded city.

The ethical significance of the story is as referenced before the impacts of progress, and despite the fact that some awful things may happen, there will or can generally be a positive result. An occasion in this story incorporates when Rip returns to the town which has modernized into a progressively crowded city. At first, Rip felt as his "heart died away at hearing of these sad changes in his home and friends, and finding himself thus alone in the world. Every answer puzzled him too, by treating of such enormous lapses of time, and of matters which he could not understand". As time went on, Rip ends up at long last accepting with the new condition of his town and "resumed his old walks and habits; he soon found many of his former cronies, though all rather the worse for the wear and tear of time; and preferred making friends among the rising generation, with whom he soon grew into great favor". This story speaks to the difference in one's condition, and their adjustments as Rip did.

Irving's story demonstrates the significance of mythology and how they are utilized to stress the occasions of a story overall. The setting and major plot of the story affect the readers perspective, in addition, the result of the story. Rip Van Wrinkle uncovers that putting a story back in the old days with certain events can leave a good feeling and idea of the environment to the reader. The mythological qualities that were contributed by composing this story emphasized the story's importance and ethics. Overall teaching us readers a lesson of how time influences life in the most creative, and fictitious way possible.

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“Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

Washington Irving was an American short story writer and historian. He is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". The main character in 'Rip Van Winkle," falls asleep for many years then wakes up to see that everything around him has changed drastically. This is important for the American mythology because Irving used these short stories to explore these myths and legends. In Irving's 'Rip Van Winkle," the characteristics that are implemented into the story are that it is set in the past, is filled with strange or exaggerated characters, and there is a positive message about a nation and its people.

First, Irving implemented the characteristic that the story is set in the past. For instance, when Rip noticed the difference in the ruby face of George Washington, 'The red coat was changed for one of blue and bluff, a sword was held in the hand instead of a sceptre, the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and under-neath was painted in large characters, General Washington" (Irving 39). Seeing the significant change in George Washington to General Washington shows it was set i the past during the time of George Washington's life. Another example is when major U.S. events have happened while he was asleep, 'How that there had been a Revolutionary War -that the country had thrown off the yoke of old England-and that, instead of being a subject of his Majesty George the Third, he was now a free citizen of the United States" (Irving 48). He was asleep during one of the major wars that took place in the United States which further proved that it took place during the past. Overall, Irving used the idea of an American mythology to explore the idea of mixing myths and legends with the idea of the values associated with the United States back in the past when the U.S. was starting to form into a developed nation.

Furthermore, Irving implemented the characteristic that the story is filled with strange or exaggerated characters. One example was when he met the strange folks in the mountains, 'What seemed particularly odd to Rip was that though, these folks were evidently amusing themselves, yet they maintained the gravest faces, the most mysterious silence, and were, withal, the most melancholy party of pleasure he had ever witnessed" (Irving 28). The way that they were dressed was described in detail and their clothes were heavily exaggerated.

Additionally, another example was 'The appearance of Rip, with his long, grizzled beard, his rusty fowling-piece, his uncouth dress and an army of women and children at his heels, soon attracted the attention of the tavern politicians" (Irving 40). Perhaps of the most strange characters in the story was Rip as he was the one who fell asleep for twenty years. Overall, the story is filled with dozens of strange and exaggerated characters but as Rip went through his exploration of the changes from his time to twenty years later, he saw how much more developed and sustained the community was.

Finally, Irving implemented the characteristic that the story has a positive message about the United States of America and its people. One example was, 'He was surprised to see any human being in this lonely and unfrequented place, but supposing it to be someone of the neighborhood in need of assistance, he hastened down to yield it" (Irving 25). Another example seen in the story is, 'As he approached the village he met a number of people, but none whom he knew, which somewhat surprised him, for he had thought himself acquainted with everyone in the county round" (Irving 34-35)

In conclusion, Irving implemented the characteristics in 'Rip Van Winkle", that it is set in the past, is filled with strange or exaggerated characters, and there is a positive message about a nation and its people. These characteris that are seen in the story are what make the story more memorable and interesting to the reader. There are many reasons why this specific short story of his is one of his most famous pieces of writing. But one main reason is that it was a different take on the time period as he mixed the myths and legends with the reality of the people back then.

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"Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving. (2021, Mar 09). Retrieved November 8, 2025 , from
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Criticism Dame Van Winkle

I believe, the criticism Dame Van Winkle receives by the narrator and the different characters of the story is unnecessarily crammed with bitter criticism and malice. Hence, in my paper, by focusing on the tone of the tale, I will be arguing that it is anti-feminist. Additionally, I will include that analyzing this anti-feminist tone is important in how we read the text because it will enable the reader to better comprehend the character of Rip Van Winkle and whether or not his actions are legitimized.Although several readers might classify Rip as a Romantic hero because of his innocence and 'everyman" persona, I don't suppose he's all too heroic if we were to consider his abandonment of responsibility and indifference towards his spouse. It may seem to the reader at the onset that Rip is unjustifiably and harshly "hen-pecked" by his despot of a spouse and in this way meriting sensitivity. However, a more in-depth examination of the text I argue reveals that readers should perhaps divert their sensitivities towards Dame Van Winkle. Gazing the text through a feminist lens, it's clear that the criticism presented upon Dame Van Winkle is superfluous and can't be completely legitimized.

We notice multiple instances of disinterest and degradation towards Dame Van Winkle when reading through this anti-feminist lens. The author neglects to give Dame Van Winkle a name and in therefore an identity. For instance, Dame Van Winkle is not even once alluded to by her first name (mention all the names she's called), unlike all like the men in the story who we know to be called Rip Van Winkle, Nicholas Vedder, and Derrick Van Bummel. She also is given no dialogue.Perhaps the motivation behind why Dame Van Winkle is never given a name is because she isn't viewed as a "good wife" and is thus fined for her 'termagant" trait and "hen-pecking" ways. It becomes clear that such is the case when the reader is introduced to Judith Gardenier “ Rip's daughter “ who is depicted as a 'fresh comely woman." Thus, Judith, a duteous spouse and mother, is rewarded for her role as a 'good wife" by being the sole feminine character within the text to be given a name.

Furthermore, Irving accuses the greater part of Rip's failings on the detestable temper of Dame Van Winkle and makes sweeping statements about women. Remarks such as, "a tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only tool that grows keener by constant use" show a typical male mentality toward women who talk their psyches as opposed to playing the noiseless and compliant role supposedly intended for them. Dame Van Winkle is portrayed as a termagant wife (p. 574) with a tart temper and and sharp tongue (p. 575). In fact, Dame Van Winkle was so imperious that Rip often sought after solace outside of his house. When reading through this anti-feminist lens, the reader can finally begin to understand that Dame Van Winkle may have merely been fully annoyed by his lack of initiative to help within the repairs of his home and family and surprised by the depth of Rip's laziness. Perhaps this was Dame Van Winkle's endeavor to get Rip to really accomplish something useful for his own family. Rip's response to being confronted by his spouse was to shrug his shoulders, shake his head, roll his eyes and stay silent (p. 575), and I would argue that doesn't seem like a romantic hero.Now, as a counter-argument, one may say that any wife who 'henpecks" her husband too much risks diverting him off from the relationship by and large.

However, I believe Dame Van Winkle had sensible reason for her 'henpecking" behavior. At the time Irving's text was written, women were dependent upon their husbands as the sole monetary supporter of the family. Dame Van Winkle might not have well-known the extent of Rip's idleness before their marriage. At the time, the wife was expected to stay at home and raise the children. A husband was to produce for the family. By Rip's own admission in alluding to the house, 'Dame Van Winkle had always kept" it [the house] 'in neat order" (p. 579). Rip wasn't willing to produce for his own family, selecting instead to help his neighbors. Since he wasn't satisfying his familial responsibilities, Dame Van Winkle took each occasion to bring his failings to his attention with the hopes of fixing him. Additionally, Rip is forced into the woods to flee. She is the reason that Rip has his adventure; without her, there would most likely be no story. Would Rip even have been satisfied with his bench in front of inn if Dame Van Winkle had been silent?

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Criticism Dame Van Winkle. (2021, Mar 09). Retrieved November 8, 2025 , from
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The Food Waste Crisis in America

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Solutions to Consumers Wasting Food

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Food Waste in the Food System

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Food Waste: Facts, Statistics, Solution

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TV Programming:Reality TV

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Thew Growing Issue of Food Waste

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The Negative Impact of Reality Tv

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Does Reality Tv Effect Society

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The Future of Reality Tv

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Realistic Behaviors on Reality TV

Work Cited

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The Food Waste Problem Around the World

Abstract:

Conclusions

Reference:

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Problems of the Global Food Waste and Countermeasures

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Hamlet Mental State Analysis

Soliloquy

My points

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Method in Hamlet’s Madness

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William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Character Analysis

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The Question of Hamlet’s Madness

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Madness and Religion in Hamlet

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Paragraph 4- (body 2) murder without reason is against religion

Paragraph 5- (body 3) not killing Claudius while he was in prayer (act 3, scene 3)

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Hotel Rwanda Conflicts Analysis

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Importance of Healthy Sleeping Habits

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Rwandan Genocide in Hotel Rwanda

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Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation on Human Effectiveness

Human Effectiveness

Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation and Their Significance

Conclusion

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Effects of Reinforcement on College Students

Abstract

Effects of Reinforcement Schedules on College Students’ Levels of Intrinsic Motivation

Methods Participants

Procedure

Analysis

Results

Discussion

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Intrinsic Motivation in the Classroom

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Rip Van Winkle:Family Life

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‘Rip Van Winkle” and ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

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Rip Van Winkle, Composed at by Washington Irving

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“Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

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