Friday, November 29, 2019

JOBS Essays (518 words) - Employment Compensation, Demography

JOBS Using the website www.GlassDoor.com, choose 3 entry-level jobs you plan to have after you graduate college. If your job is a salaried position, take the annual salary and divide it by 52. Write that number here _____________$432____________ this is your weekly salary Divide that number by 40 (hours per week), write it here __________$10.80_________. This is your hourly wage. Option 1Option 2Option 3 OccupationAircraft Maintenance Engineer I.e. Boeing UPS Package handler Fixed Base Operations (FBO) Taxes Taken out Take your weekly salary above and multiply by 2: _________$864__________ This is your bi-weekly pay Multiply this number by .2: ___________$172.8__________ Subtract this number from your bi-weekly salary __________$691.2___________ this is the amount you are actually bringing home every two weeks Bi-weekly salary before taxes $1,048$872.80$1,200 Bi-weekly salary after taxes $838.4$698.24$960 HOME You may rent an apartment for this activity- no living at home. Be certain your choice fits your family size and the cost is below your maximum budget guideline for housing. Also, remember the size of your rental choice will affect the cost of electricity and water. No housing situation includes the cost of cell phone or cable TV. Regardless of your housing situation you must pay your own phone and cable bills. Keep in mind you can have one or two roommates. If you have roommates, you must have a separate bedroom for each person living with you. Go to www.rent.com or www.zillow.com and fill in the chart below for 3 apartments Option 1Option 2Option 3 NamePlanters Walk Southwest VillasThe Vintage At Plantation Bay Location7350 Blanding Boulevard, Jacksonville FL 322445565 Connie Jean Road, Jacksonville FL 322227740 Plantation Bay Drive, Jacksonville FL 32244 Total Square Footage 1210sqft700sqft1216sqft Monthly Cost of rental (if you have a roommate, divide by 2, if you have 2 roommates, divide by 3)$303.33$235416.66 Electricity (use sheet for reference)$107$107$107 Cell Phone (go to a service provider to see how much one cellphone line would be) $32$50$50 Internet/Cable (go to a service provider to see how much one cellphone line would be)$35$45$45 EXTRAS Movies$12$12$12 Going out to eat$30$30$35 Groceries$75$75$75 Buying clothes$25$30$35 Other (list) TOTAL MONTHLY LIVING COST$619$477775.66 TRANSPORTATION Everyone must own a new or used car for this practice simulation. Use the internet to locate 3 potential new or used cars. Go to www.kbb.com. You cannot use Craigslist or your friend who is selling a car or an existing car you already have. When selecting your car, be realistic. Match the car to your life situation. To keep maintenance costs low, purchase the newest car you can afford. Option 1Option 2Option 3 Year of car200720102011 Make of carToyotaFordMitsubishi Model of car4Runner SR5Escape 2WD XLTLancer ES Purchase price11,988$9,000$9,988 Current Mileage109,321104,63362,849 Monthly Payment$229.15$172.46$190.92 TOTAL MONTHLY CAR COST$376.47$282.31$260.54 Which apartment should you choose, based on your expenses and your life situation? Planters Walk-7350 Blanding Boulevard, Jacksonville FL 32244 Which car should you purchase, based on your expenses and your life situation? Ford Escape 2WD XLT Based on your situation what was the most challenging aspect of budgeting your monthly income? Figuring out how much money I should be spending a month and not go bankrupt.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Women and Resistance in Los Angeles essays

Women and Resistance in Los Angeles essays For many years, women across the world have been treated differently. Despite, the long vigorous fight that women had to endure, to reach equality. Women are still treated different, especially women of color. Yet, this did not stop the courageous women of East Los Angeles when they decided to fight for what they believed to be right. The courageous fight that these Latina women took began in the mid 1980s. When the state of California decided to make some alterations in Los Angeles. These Latina women were sitting in church service at Resurrection Church when they heard the horrendous news. The state proposed building a one hundred million prison across the Los Angeles River from Boyle Heights (Gold 8 ). When these women heard what the state of California had proposed, they were livid. The first thing they could think of, was what example would this set for their children. Aside from the state of California wanting to dump a prison in middle of the community of East Los Angeles, various families had lost their homes in East Los Angeles. The cause of various families losing their homes occurred because the State of California decided to incorporate constructions of freeways through these individuals homes. Once the women heard the disturbing news, they decided to take initiative to put a halt to this issue. On one Sunday, they collected nine hundred signatures from church members opposing the proposal (Gold 8). Their first plan was to seek and gain help from various to individuals within their community, so that they could obtain as much support as possible. After continuously seeking help from individuals within their community, they meet weekly to study the various issues at hand. From that point, the Latina women involved various individuals within the community, as well city officials of Los Angeles. The Latina women become so involved in this issue that the State of California was try...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Single-Case Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Single-Case Design - Essay Example In the context of this diversity, researchers should be cautious in selecting an appropriate research method. The Single case design method is considered a good example of human studies that has been so called because of the nature of human research and its use of individual samples i.e., only one or few numbers of participants. Gustav Fecner was the first scholar who has used Single case design in 1860 to develop the discipline of psychophysics. During the initial development of this design, Fecner conducted his research on only two participants (himself and his brother). According to Kerlinger and Lee (2000), Fecner is credited with inventing methods that are still used to measure sensory thresholds. According to Kerlinger and Lee (2000), I.P. Pavlov, through his use of this research design, did pioneering work on instrumental conditioning using dogs. Using single cases was the first step, which led to the development and expansion of this method. Single case design encompasses a s et of characteristics that distinguishes it from others. For example, single-case design, or single participant experimental design, is defined as a strategy by which control in experiments over one or just few participants is achieved. That is why the method is sometimes referred to as the N=1 design (Barker, Pistrang, & Elliott, 2002).

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Business Ethics - Ethical Issues in International Business (U5DB) Essay

Business Ethics - Ethical Issues in International Business (U5DB) - Essay Example When reading the statement above, it does seem clear that paying a large tip to secure a better table in a restaurant is the same as offering a bribe in business to secure a contract. Merriam-Webster (2008, pg. 1) defines ‘bribe’ as â€Å"money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust or  something that serves to induce or influence,† so it definitely fits the definition. How is your response to this assignment consistent with the moral philosophy you described in the Unit 1 discussion board assignment? Explain. If it is not consistent with that philosophy, explain why your philosophy has changed. My response to this assignment is different from the moral philosophy I described in the Unit 1 discussion board assignment, where I based my response on consequences. In offering a tip to secure a better table is considered a bribe and is, thus, morally wrong, people who do so are not basing their actions on consequences because the consequences in this case are favorable for them. Rather, the moral philosophy in this case is based on rights. Some people believe that they have the right to secure a better table since they are offering money when others are not, so they choose to do

Monday, November 18, 2019

Tobacco Industry's Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tobacco Industry's Issues - Essay Example Not only can you find people facing several health issues but other problems are also associated with tobacco cultivation. For instance, child labor is the only small problem associated with it.      When you will delve more into the details pertaining to the tobacco industry, you will find that the majority of tobacco workers are migrant workers.   Although often gone unnoticed by consumers, those engaged in the growth and preparation of tobacco and tobacco-related products are often exposed to many health hazards.   Because tobacco is a global industry, tobacco workers all over the world are exposed to such risks.Tobacco products: cigarettes, cigars, snuff, and chewing tobacco, are well known to pose a serious environmental health threat both to consumers themselves and, in the case of secondhand smoke, to the people around them.   Today, vigorous tobacco control activity around the world focuses on curbing tobacco use and, thus, its health effects on consumers.   But the tobacco workers who labor to bring the plant to market face another range of environmental health risks.   Also, most of the labor laws don’t really affect these people because most of them l ive in developing countries where they work on their own family farms. However, it is interesting to note that in the United States, the federal government historically has encouraged tobacco agriculture.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tobacco price support program sets an annual national quota restricting the amount of tobacco that can be grown to that estimated to meet annual domestic and export demand.   For those farmers who hold quota allotments, this policy and an accompanying federal loan program keep market prices artificially high.   Quotas can be leased and traded, and in recent years this has resulted in the concentration of quota allotments in fewer hands, creating some large-scale nonfamily farming operations.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Arguments on genetically modified foods

Arguments on genetically modified foods Introduction Genetically modified foods have become a major concern and have caused controversy regarding both their health and environmental effects (2). Using modern techniques of genetic engineering, it is possible to introduce specific genetic material derived from any species of plant, animal, or microorganism, or even a synthetic material, into different species of plant (Journal 1) This allows a desired trait to be enhanced and reproduced. (3) (4) The resulting plants are commonly known as genetically modified (GM) plants; when used as food sources, they are known as GM foods. (Journal 1) It is probable that crop improvement began as soon as farming did (1) It is thought that improvement to crops and harvesting developed subconsciously with farmers selectively breeding animals and isolating, to then reproduce crops from those with the most desired attributes and from highly variable populations.(1) The first genetically modified crop was the tomato Flavr Savr, produced by a Californian company Calgene, in 1992 whose intention was to create a vine-ripened tomato that was both long-lasting and tasty. (6) However the company failed to prevent the skin of the tomato from soften whilst the fruit ripened. It took 10 years for the development of the tomato, (6) but eventually it received FDA approval in 1994 (6), and led to an increase in GM food products available on the market. Romania, Mexico, Germany, Australia and France are just a few of the 13 countries known to have grown genetically engineered crops on their land for commercial use in the year 2000. (7) The United States of America produced 68% of the worlds GM crops, and therefore became the largest producer of these crops. In comparison to this, Argentina produced, 23%, Canada, 7% and China only 1%. Statistics from 2007 have shown a substantial increase from 1.7 million hectares being used for growing Gm foods in 1996, to 143 million hectares in 23 countries around the globe, with 90% of GM food produced being in developed or newly-developed countries.(journal one). Ways to make GM foods. Genetic modification of a particular plant or animal species can be accomplished by a number of different ways. (3) Genetic engineering involves the DNA alteration of a plant or animals DNA which holds the genetic information of the species. It is the alterations of a specific gene that enables modification of certain characteristics displayed. In order to change a certain characteristic, the corresponding gene coding for it, must initially be isolated in order to be inserted into a new DNA strand using a transfer vector. A Vector is an agent that can carry a DNA fragment into a host cell. (19) Plasmids are circular DNA molecules that are examples of vectors and can replicate independently of the host cell. (3) Once the gene is present in the transfer vector it can then be directed into the cells of the target organism. Then inside the cell the vector replicates and becomes part of the cells own DNA, altering the organisms characteristics. Similar to this method is the vector technique which involves the products being inserted directly into genome via another vector. As well as this there is also the biolistic method, which is commonly known as the gene-gun method and is a technique predominantly used in plant modification. (20) Pellets of metal coated with the desirable DNA are fired at the target cells which are then allowed to reproduce, and may possibly be cloned in order to produce a genetically identical crop. (20) Advantages and disadvantages of GM foods With the worlds population expected to reach 12 billion in the next 50 years, the demand for high quality produce will continue to increase. By growing genetically modified plants with a resistance to pests or herbicides, then the use of chemical applications may be reduced, as can the costs of producing a crop, damage by unwanted pests/weeds.(8) With the rise of various different virus, diseases and bacteria that effect and inhibit the growth of a crop, technologies have enabled genetically engineered crops to be resistant to these different diseases. (9)Plants such as tobacco and potato have had antifreeze genes introduced in to them, to encourage the plants to withstand cold temperatures that would normally kill such plants. (10) A common problem in third world countries is malnutrition with estimations of 1.02 billion people being undernourished and starved. (13) The main staple diet for these people is rice which unfortunately does not contain sufficient quantities of the nutrients and vitamins required to help prevent malnutrition. Genetically engineering this crop in order to create a nutritionally enriched rice variety would have the potential to help improve and in turn, eliminate these deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency, estimated to affect millions of people around the world prompted the design of Golden rice researched by Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer and contained very large quantities of beta-carotene, which the body uses and coverts to Vitamin A, and is required for a number of different metabolic functions including in vision, immune functions and bone metabolism. (3) Genetic engineering techniques are now more commonly being used in order to introduce into plants, particular DNA that leads to the expression of distinct and unique proteins that are of specific interest and may be harvested and used in the production of pharmaceutical compounds. (11) Currently, synthesis of plant-derived proteins intended for pharmaceutical use is still in the early development stages. Examples of the types of protein and their intended use are summarised in the table below. Nutrition Some examples of GM plants with improved characteristics designed to improve health and nutrition are Maize with added vitamin C content, Potato with insulin as well as enhanced calcium levels, rice with added iron or zinc and coffee beans with decreased caffeine content. (journal 2) One study in to which a genetically modified green pepper and a standard unmodified pepper were analyzed for their nutrient and mineral contents and showed no significant opposing results between the two peppers. The analysis showed that there was neither significant difference in the energy and the protein levels nor a difference in the mineral content which included calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. This therefore concluded that, the nutrient composition of the genetically modified green pepper was found to be equivalent to that of the standard unmodified peppers. (journal 11) Another study that tested genetically modified Bt maize on laying quails also gave a similar conclusion to the green pepper study. (Flachowsky et al., 2005b; Halle et al., 2006).The results showed that Bt maize did not significantly influence health, hatchability and performances of quails nor did it affect the quality of meat and eggs of quails compared with the unmodified maize that was also tested. (journal 2) One exception to this study however was the that performed by Piva et al. (2001a,b) who noted that significantly improved animal performance was associated with a diet containing the Bt maize. It is thought that this improved performance demonstrated by the animals fed the genetically modified Bt maize crop, was because it reduced secondary fungal infection and, as a consequence, reduced mycotoxin contamination. (journal 2) Toxicity Publications on GM food toxicity are scarce. Although there are many arguments and opinions surrounding the toxicity of GM foods, there is little experimental data and analysis to construct such arguments. In fact, no peer-reviewed publications of clinical studies on the human health effects of GM food exist. Even animal studies are few and far between (18) Acute toxicity studies on the Flavr Savr genetically modified tomatoes, required by the FDA, were carried out with rats to determine toxic effects of the GM product. It was concluded that mean body and organ weights, weight gain, food consumption and clinical chemistry or blood parameters were not significantly different between GM-fed and control groups. However it was noted that sections of the stomach in up to 7 of the 20 female rats fed the GM tomato, showed mild/moderate erosive/necrotic lesions and as well as this 7 of the 40 rats involved in the experiment were known to have died a few weeks after for unstated reasons. (18) Another experiment that tested herbicide-resistant GM maize showed significant differences in fat and carbohydrate contents compared with non-GM maize. Toxicity tests were performed and showed that the rats ability to digest was decreased after eating GM corn. (18) Likewise tests in to potatoes transformed with a specific toxin gene or the toxin itself was shown to have caused an array of unwanted effects and showed that, CryI toxin was indeed stable in the gut of the mouse and therefore GM crops expressing it need to be subjected to thorough teststo avoid the risks before marketing. (18) Such studies support peoples concerns about GM foods and highlight the need for further research in to them and their health effects. Allergies Another issue with the rise in the production of genetically modified crops is the transfer of allergens in to new crops and the effects of particular allergens on human immune response. (journal 3) The majority of dietary proteins consumed are hydrolysed, and digested into smaller peptides that do not produce immune response in most people. However for those unfortunate enough to have hypersensitivity disorders, allergic type inflammatory responses can occur when contact with certain foods is made. For this reason, the introduction of genetically modified plants into the human food chain that contain allergens or proteins of unknown allergic potential could be of risk. (Journal 8) Nordlee et al. (1996) cited in (journal 8) demonstrated using the Brazil nut protein that allergenicity was indeed transferable by genetic modification. Amongst other things these studies confirmed concerns that sensitivity could be transferred to transgenic plants when an allergen is expressed in a non-na tive host through genetic modification. (journal 8) Lee et all (2006) compared the allergenicity of GM potatoes with that of non- GM potatoes in which 1886 patients who suffered various allergic diseases etc were used for testing. From his study he was able to conclude that genetic modification of crops did not cause an increase in allergenicity. The use of certain animal models has been developed in order to test whether or not food components such as GM proteins could potentially induce allergic reactions. (journal 2) The animals are often responders to high IgE and are sensitised before given the test compound. The animal models all have in common the production of specific IgE antibodies to the specific proteins. Particular proteins that cause food allergy in humans are claimed to produce more pronounced IgE responses whereas proteins that do not readily cause such effects in humans are claimed to induce poor IgE responses. (Journal 2) An example of one such model is the BN rat which is a high-immunoglobulin (particularly IgE) responder strain and is similar to humans in the way that they produce antigen-specific immunoglobins,-which are glycoproteins that function as certain antibodies. (3) Experimental investigations in to the hypersensitivity of rats to specific proteins performed by Knippels et al., 1998, showed the rats were capable of producing specific antibodies (IgG and IgE) and immune responses to the model antigen ovalbumin, found in egg white and often employed in experiments into immunology and hypersensitivity to stimulate allergic reactions. (3) Analysis of the research showed the rats developed allergic responses to the same problematic proteins that cause reactions in humans. (Knippels Penninks, 2002). (Journal 8) Pharmaceuticals One of the most impressive applications of genetic engineering is now the development of so-called pharma crops. Specific genes in some useful plants are modified with in order for certain chemicals, antibodies, hormones and proteins to be produced that can be used in different applications in the pharmaceutical industry. (14) The company, INB Biotechnologies in Philadelphia have been recently designing a nontoxic anthrax vaccine through the transgenic modification of petunias. This causes the production of new proteins by the plant that in turn causes the development of antibodies against the anthrax bacterium, when consumed. (16) Trials have begun on genetically engineered crops designed for healing wounds and treating conditions such as cystic fibrosis, cirrhosis of the liver and anaemia; antibodies to fight cancer and vaccines against rabies, cholera and foot-and-mouth disease. (15) The concept of genetically engineered crops for pharmaceutical use is a fairly new idea, and therefore such products are still in their preliminary stages of design and testing. However significant concern has been raised surrounding their use and possible consequences. For instance it is thought that food crops already are or may in the future, be contaminated by DNA sequences from GM crops. (15) Genetically modified crops run the risk of eventually introducing unknown, potentially harmful chemicals into the food chain, by accidental cross breeding and seed contamination. (17) Conclusion As well as there being many benefits to genetic engineering and the introduction of genetically modified foods, there are as well, possible dangers and hazards leading to concern over their use and potential risks to both the environment and to humans. However there is inconsiderable evidence to suggest that there are disadvantages and significant risks of consuming GM foods. Various testing has been conducted on an array of substances and components of GM crops to test for certain effects, some of these being toxicity and allergenicity. There are conflicting reports; some suggesting GM foods are safe, others that say they are dangerous and a risk to human health. Although only slight effects have been observed on the animals tested, it is enough to warrant anxiety over GM foods and their possible implications on humans. Some would argue minor changes and effects on animals doesnt necessarily mean that they would have the same effect, if consumed, on humans, yet, there have also been a number of experiments that contradict this and analysis of which conclude little or no clinical, toxicological abnormalities observed in the animals having been tested. It has been demonstrated that Genetic modification as well as being advantageous can also increase the nutritional value of a food source, providing useful benefits, such as crops with extra vitamins/minerals etc such as the example of golden rice highlighted above. However there are also significant disadvantages such as possible toxicity and allergic components in some GM food sources. Having looked at the evidence surrounding such factors it is difficult to say whether or not there are nutritional arguments against genetically modified foods. It is safe to say therefore, that new and improved methods are needed to further investigate the compositional, nutritional, toxicological and metabolic differences between GM and conventional crops likewise the techniques used in developing GM crops in order to expel the fears of many and allow for technology in this field to expand safely. (18) References Websites http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering accessed 26/11/09 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/02/99/food_under_the_microscope/280868.stm accessed 24/11/09 http://en.wikipedia.org accessed 25/11/09 http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/gloss.php accessed 24/11/09 http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php accessed 25/11/09 http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/27236.aspx#ixzz0XoDxyU4H accessed 24/11/09 http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php accessed 25/11/09 Insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis protect corn from corn rootworms (Nature Biotechnology, Vol 19, No 7, pp 668-672, Jul 2001) Lepidopteran-resistant transgenic plants (US Patent 6313378, Nov 2001, Monsanto) cited in (7) Transgenic Approaches to Combat Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat and Barley (Crop Science, Vol 41, No 3, pp 628-627, Jun 2001) Post-transcriptional gene silencing in plum pox virus resistant transgenic European plum containing the plum pox potyvirus coat protein gene (Transgenic Research, Vol 10, No 3, pp 201-209, Jun 2001) cited in (7) Type II fish antifreeze protein accumulation in transgenic tobacco does not confer frost resistance (Transgenic Research, Vol 8, No 2, pp 105-117, Apr 1999) cited in (7) http://www.card.iastate.edu/publications/DBS/PDFFiles/06wp429.pdf accessed 25/11/09 Molecular farming for new drugs and vaccines EMBO report http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1369121/pdf/6-7400470.pdf/?tool=pmcentrez accessed 24/11/09 http://www.wfp.org/hunger accessed 24/11/09 http://www.matternetwork.com/2008/7/making-most-pharma-crops.cfm accessed 25/11/09 http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4709 accessed 26/11/09 http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/medical/conference/presentations/genetically-modified-foods.html accessed 26/11/09 http://www.beep.ac.uk/content/371.0.html accessed 24/11/09 http://www.biointegrity.org and Fares, N.H. and El-Sayed, A.K. (1998) Fine structural changes in the ileum of mice fed on delta-endotoxin-treated potatoes and transgenic potatoes. Natural Toxins 6, 219-233 cited in http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html accessed 25/11/09 http://www.web-books.com/MoBio/Free/Ch9A4.htm accessed 09/12/09 http://library.thinkquest.org/C004367/be9.shtml accessed 09/12/09 Journals Risk assessment of genetically modified crops for nutrition and health- Javier A Magaà ±a-Gà ³mez and Ana M Calderà ³n de la Barca Safety and nutritional assessment of GM plants and derived food and feed: The role of animal feeding trials- Report of the EFSA GMO Panel Working Group on Animal Feeding Trials Assessment of the safety of foods derived from genetically modified (GM) crops A. Ko ¨ niga,*, A. Cockburnb, R.W.R. Crevelc, E. Debruyned, R. Grafstroeme, U. Hammerlingf, I. Kimberg, I. Knudsenh, H.A. Kuiperi, A.A.C.M. Peijnenburgi, A.H. Penninksj, M. Poulsenh, M. Schauzuk, J.M. Wall Genetically modified plants and food hypersensitivity diseases: Usage and implications of experimental models for risk assessment A new oral sensitization model in rats to food proteins and the importance of dietary control in oral sensitization with soy- Knippels, LMJ; Penninks, AH; Spanhaak, S, et al The nutrient composition of the herbicide-tolerant green pepper is equivalent to that of the conventional green pepper Hongju Parka, Sunghyen Leea,c,4, Hyunjin Jeonga, Sumook Choa, Hyekyung Chuna, Ohhyun Backa, Donghern Kimb, Hyun S. Lillehojc Books Plant biotechnology. Ed, Nigel G. Halford (2006) chapter 1 pg5 John Wiley and sons Ltd west sussex, England

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Dolls House: Themes And Theatrics Essay -- A Dolls House Essays

Ever since "A Doll House" first came to the stage in the 1880's, critics have argued vehemently about the Ibsen's intentions while writing the play, and the ambivalence over the play confused not only the plays but also the audience: while some patrons praised the play, others stormed the stages in protest of Nora's abandonment of her family. The difference of opinion ranged so far as to incite patron who, after reading reviews of the play that objected to the dialogue in the play, did not hear objectionable dialogues to accuse directors of censorship while in fact "not a word has been cut" and "the text they found so innocent contained every one of the enormities denounced by the critics" (Archer 20). Aware of the accusations that might be pointed at him, Ibsen, referred to by some as "enemy of the people," masterfully crafted this short work containing the dramatic development of the heroine Nora along several themes in the process of stirri ng up overwhelming amount of controversy One of the first themes in the play is the contrast between surface appearances and reality. From the beginning, Nora possesses every characteristic of an obedient gentlewoman and a submissive wife, but the audience knows that this picture is simply mistaken: for instance, Nora, Torvald's cute "little squirrel," disobeys Torvald by eating macaroons behind his back. It is interesting to note that to squirrel something means to hide or store something away in a way quite similar to how Nora slips her macaroon bag in her pocket; Ibsen uses the word "squirrel" to signify the Nora who is cute and childish but at the same time points out her tendency to hide things from Torvald. In moving Nora in a stealthy fashion to eavesdrop on her husband's door, the playwrights further accentuates the parallelism between Nora's actions and the actions of a squirrel, but surely the last thing someone would think to compare a model housewife to would be a playful and secretive s quirrel! Further disclosure of "squirreling" around by Nora arises when Nora informs Mrs. Linde about the true identity of the signer of the loan taken out for the purpose of funding the vacation to Italy Nora and Torvald took to improve Torvald's failing health at the time. Before Nora opens up to Mrs. Linde, everyone believ... ...e power of the written text, the playwright utilizes the characters of the childish yet ready to mature Nora and the protective and appearance-conscious Torvald along with the different aspects of theatre such as the well-decorated drawing room set indicating the importance of money and wealth in the play and movements of the character such as the light and easy way Nora prances about and the fashion Torvald watches and follows Nora like a hawk carefully watches his eyas to ascertain that no danger comes to his young ones. In doing so, a masterfully written play and an even more artistically glamorous performance on the stage remain intriguing to readers and theatre-goers even after the curtains are drawn. Bibliography Archer, William. "Ibsen and English Criticism." William Archer on Ibsen. Ed. Thomas Postlewait. (London: Greenwood, 1984). Bryan, George B. An Ibsen Companion: A Dictionary-Guide to the Life, works and Critical Reception of Henrik Ibsen. (London: Greenwood, 1984). Ibsen, Henrik. "A Doll House." The Harcourt Brace Anthology of Drama. Ed. W. B. Worthen. (London: Harcourt Brace, 2000).