Research Paper Essays (726 words) - Muhammad Ali,

Research Paper 31 May 2000 Muhammad Ali Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Kylon January 17 1942. He grew up in a poor family. Ali had problems in school at an early stage and felt he had to do something different. His future career was fulfilled at 12. When Joe Martin police officer and boxing coach, tried to get Ali started with boxing. At the age of 16, Ali had won two Golden Glove Titles, two National AAU Titles, he was by now nationally recognized. When the 1960 Rome Olympic Game was about to take off, Ali was provided with an opportunity to represent his country. At this point he had fought 103 amateur matches, and had only lost five. Ali went with Olympic team to Rome, and ended winning the gold medal. When he got back to his hometown, Louisville, he thought that he was going to be treated as a champion, but he still was discriminated by the white society. Ali decided to throw his Olympic gold medal into the Ohio River because of his anger about the racism in his hometown. By the age of 22 Ali had a professional boxing record of 19-0. On February 25, 1964, Ali got the heavyweight title shot. Through all the media he was considered to be the "underdog". Before the fight Ali used the media to psyche Sonny Liston. He predicted that " Sonny will fall in four". Ali entered the ring as a 7-1 underdog to the Champ Sonny Liston. Ali used his speed and movement to thoroughly outbox the champion. Ali became the second youngest champion in history. After the fight Ali told the world that his name was now Muhammad Ali and that he had joined the Nation of Islam. It put a great effect on his boxing career. As the champ he realized his popularity in society, and he used it to his power to speak for the Civil Rights. He became a political symbol of the black society, and maybe most influential beside Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. During the next three years, he defended his title nine times with Ernie Terrell and then became the undisputed Heavyweight Champion. On April 28, 1967, the army for the induction of the military service to fight in the Vietnam War drafted Muhammad Ali. He refused to step forward when they called his name because of the religious beliefs. He was immediately stripped of the heavyweight title, and got a five year sentence to serve in prison, which was he appealed right away. He had no more fight in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Ali said he could not fight in the war because of his religious beliefs. He already taken the army test and score 35 percentile, and to qualify you needed at least a 55 or higher. Then most people were drafted through the ages of 18-22, and he was 25. What he did made him even more popular in his society, then they overturned his conviction. In 1970 he made his first fight back and he didn't lose a step on his skills. His rep gave him a title shot against Joe Frazier, the fight was known as the fight of the century. That was when he suffered his first pro lose. In October 30, 1974, it was Ali vs. Forman a match that everyone had waited for. It was held in Zaire and it was nicknamed "the rumble in the jungle", and once again he was the underdog. People where actually feared for his safety because it was know that Forman was the hardest puncher in boxing history. Ali ended up winning the fight by KO, and once again the heavyweight champ. It was the third match between Joe Frazier and Ali, and it was going to be known as "The Thrilla In Manilla". That was his hardest fight of his career. Then he lost the title in 1978 against Leon Spinks, but got it back 8 months later. He announced his retirement on June 27, 1979. He left boxing with a professional record of; 56 wins and 5 loses. Now he suffers from Parkinson's disease, and still does a lot of charity work. He just might have had the greatest success in sports history.

Influence of Alcohol and Drug Addiction on Political socialization in America essays

Influence of Alcohol and Drug Addiction on Political socialization in America essays Effects of Drug and Alcohol Addiction on Political Socialization in America Political Socialization is the process, by which citizens of a particular region, nation, state, city, or country develop the ways in which they develop views and beliefs about the political issues of their respective areas. This process is developed in America, through this nations citizens families, peers, the media, and their political party involvement (if any). It is the intent of this research paper to show the reader how the rise in alcohol and drug addiction has had adverse effects on this process called political socialization, in America. The paper will lead the reader through the four influences in this process and show how addiction has a negative effect upon each . The first influence in a United States citizens life is the citizens family. The ways in which the family views political issues has a big effect on the ways that the individual also views these issues. Parents teach their children about the value of participating in the political system through their example and approval. Therefore, if the family has a strong addictive, anti-social tendency towards the political factions of their society, there will be a stong tendency towards the same anti-social perspective created in their children. In The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Volume 24, number 4, Jeanette Taylor, M.A. states that, after tabulation for the families of 35 delinquent, substance-abusing (multiple problem) adolescent males, as expected, a significant, positive correlation among conduct disorder, anti-social personality disorder, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse was found for each corresponding males family. It was concluded that identifying male multip le problem youths also identifies families with a high incidence of similar problems. This information states that a families tendencies are an almost m...

Call centres and home working (or teleworking) solutions provide the Essay

Call centres and home working (or teleworking) solutions provide the answer to many process design problems of the 21st century...more in the order instructions - Essay Example hat come with extended use of call centers and home working services is the issue of delegating duties to operators who are non-experts, says Production and Operations Management Society (1998). How can a company achieve the maximum level of growth if it is relying on services offered by non-professionals, who are not even affiliated to the company? These operators normally work from a script; therefore, according to the Production and Operations Management Society, they do not have the interest of the company they are working for at heart. Over use of such operators can eventually bring a company down, and this becomes worse than an ethical issue. Another ethical issue that comes to light when companies rely on call centers is incompetence according to Starr (1999). Companies are supposed to be fully aware of the needs of their customers. This knowledge helps the companies to know what to do in order to meet customer demands. When the company works as a whole, there is bound to be more success than failure. However, with the advent of call centers and home working solutions, many companies have resorted to relegating some of their work to third parties, with no regard of how this will affect customer satisfaction in the services provided by the company. All the operations carried out in the company need to be taken with the same level of seriousness, even when they seem too trivial to have any major effect on the company. Even when the call center agents are aware of the firm’s customers’ needs, there is a very high likelihood of the agents not performing as is required of them. Good performance of the employees is one of the things that contribute to high levels of production for a company. Because the agent is far removed from the company, he will not bother to ensure that his services are up to the standards required. This poses a big problem to operations management in a company since the quality of services will have been compromised. The company may

Journal Article Critique (Recognizing Heart Failure (ACEIs) )

Journal Critique (Recognizing Heart Failure (ACEIs) ) - Article Example Each stage has relevant information that can be relayed to the patient with the goal in mind of making the patient responsible for the maintenance of his own heart especially in the early stages. Also, the article emphasizes the value of sticking to a medication regimen, consuming a healthy food, as well as exercising as means of preventing heart failure. Heart failure is a disease that afflicts no less than half a million Americans each year according to the article. This makes the disease top the list of diseases that cause mortality. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute heart failure is commonly caused by diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension , and diabetes. Nevertheless, the article argues that heart failure can be linked to any of these dysfunction: systolic or diastolic. The aforementioned causes cited by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute are usually diastolic dysfunction. On order to get a complete evaluation of patients suspected with heart failure, they undergo chest X-ray, an electrocardiogram( ECG) and Echo cardiogram. The initial workup for a patient with suspected heart failure includes lab tests, a chest X-ray, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and an echocardiogram. In addition to this, the Mayo Clinic website cited other tests that may prove helpful such as : stress test, coronary cat hetherization ( angiogram ), MRI or cardiac CT. Each test has a corresponding purpose that may reveal a symptom. For example, angiogram helps in determining the presence or even extent of coronary artery disease. The article extensively discussed the stages outlined in the AHA/ACC guidelines. The first stage which is known as Stage A, is a stage that aims to control the condition of the patient by suggesting interventions such as controlling hypertension. Controlling high blood pressure is crucial in preventing heart failure

Luzhin will give Raskolnikov a job Essay Example for Free

Luzhin will give Raskolnikov a job Essay Raskolnikov saw the harsh way in which Katerina treated Marmeladov and the horrible poverty they lived in. When he brought Marmeladov back he left some money for them because of their evident need. Despite, he himself not being financially stable. He also reasoned that Sonya would need the money for her to make herself pretty so customers would come. He had many things in common with Sonya and as their life progressed they began to realize this. Raskolnikov could not relate to anyone after the murder except for Sonya. He felt a connection, which made him trust her and in time confess to her. Lizaveta was a dear friend to Sonya, who gave her a bible and a cross for Sonya to pray to. When Raskolnikov confessed to Sonya, she was not upset for Lizaveta but for his well being, which shows how much she cares for him. Raskolnikov views Sonya in the same circumstance as himself, both sinners. He believes this because she has this great believe in God but in the meantime she is a prostitute, which is ironic. Konstantin Mochulsky portrayed Sonya and Raskolnikov as guilty of damning her soul as he. `You have ruined a life your own (its the very same thing). Konstantin says that the words in parentheses are filled with malice and a fiendish lie. To lay down ones life for ones fiendish the very same thing as destroying the life of ones neighbor! (Miller, 97). Raskolnikov wants to make Sonya feel guilty about herself because he wants to leave with her. He wants to run away from their problems since they both have a dreadful past here, so they can start a new future in a new place. Raskolnikov first has to keep Dunya from marrying Luzhin. Dunya and Pulcheria have come to Raskolnikov so Dunya can get married to Luzhin, who is a businessman. Luzhin is mean, intolerant, and egotistical. He only wishes to marry Dunya because she is attractive, clever, but very poor and this combination he believes will make her indebted to him. Dunya is engaged to this man but she is only suffering this for her brother. Pulcheria and Dunya would suffer and sacrifice anything for Raskolnikov but he doesnt want such responsibilities on his shoulders. They believe that Raskolnikov has the talent and intellectuality to become a wealthy man but he only needs an opportunity to prove himself, which is why Dunya will marry this self-centered man, Luzhin. Luzhin will give Raskolnikov a job, if Dunya marries him. This agreement would make Dunya suffer and Raskolnikov sees this and will not allow her to put herself on the line for him. Dunya knows that she doesnt want to marry Luzhin and when he came to visit, he made it clear that he wants to be the superior to her. She and everyone else realized that he is a very arrogant person and since he mistreated her brother, she cancelled the wedding. Luzhin believes that it was all Raskolnikovs fault and wants him to suffer. He wants to retaliate through Sonya. Luzhin goes to Sonya and gives her hundred rubles. He then goes to Katerina to tell her that Sonya stole the money but Sonya was saved from his allegations when Lebezyatnikov came in and told them that he saw Luzhin give her the hundred rubles. Luzhin not only embarrassed himself but also made himself seem vindictive and unreliable. Luzhin in the end was suffering because of his heartlessness. Raskolnikov is becoming more paranoid and keeps on almost confessing, every time he is questioned. Porfiry Petrovich is an officer and suspects Raskolnikov of the double murder. Every time the officer has a conversation with Raskolnikov, he gets so fearful and anxious that he has to leave in order to get his cool back. This shows that he is on the verge of confessing because guilt is overtaking his mind and soul. Raskolnikov only feels some normality when he is with Sonya. Sonya is vulnerable and he likes her kindness even though she also has a hard life. All the Characters in Crime and Punishment cause suffering upon themselves. It is not done in an intentional way but after they suffer they begin to feel redemption. Marmeladov liked to suffer and only felt human when he got punished. Sonya, Dunya and Pulcheria suffered for the sake of their families because they believed that it was for a better cause. Luzhin suffered because he was too egocentric to realize that he was hurting himself. Raskolnikov believed that he was murdering the pawnbroker for the sake of human kind but instead it ruined his life because he was consumed with guilt. The regret mainly came from killing the innocent sister, which made him isolate himself even more. The state of suffering that they all experienced was an escape. They knew what they were doing and felt bad or wrong about it. Suffering was their way of paying for their sins. Bibliography Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. New York: Penguin Group, 1968. Malamud, Bernard. The Assistant. Oregon: Farrar Strauss Giroux, 1957. Miller, Robin Feur. Critical Essays on Dostoevsky. Boston: G. K. Hall Co. , 1986; 90-100. http://dictionary. reference. com/search? q=suffering.

Peckham Library: A Case Study Analysis

Peckham Library: A Case Study Analysis Introduction. Peckham Library is a library and community building situated in Peckham, southeast London. Peckham Library opened to the public on 8 March 2000, with an official opening by Mr. Chris Smith, secretary of State for culture, media and sport. The library was designed by Mr. Will Alsop from Alsop Stormer Company and it received the 2000 Stirling Award for architectural innovation. It also won the Civic Trust Award (April 2002) for excellence in public architecture, along with the London Eye and Tate Modern and the Copper Cladding Award for it’s vivid copper exterior. The building looks like an inverted capital letter ‘L’, with the upper part supported by thin steel pillars set at random angles. The building includes meeting rooms, children’s areas and the library. There is also an Afro-Caribbean section which attracts many visitors. Peckham Library is one of the busiest and most visited libraries, with nearly half a million visitors a year and over 245,000 issued items. The library was designed to be striking, to make people curious about what lies inside and to challenge the traditional view of libraries as staid and serious environments. The construction of the library cost 5 million pounds, including 1,25 million form Single Regeneration Budget program. This program also covered the creation of new low-rise housing //9 a mixture of owner-occupied and social housing) , Peckham Pulse Healthy Living Center, Peckham Square and Peckham Arch. Peckham Library is considered to be one of the best 5 libraries, along with libraries in Zurich, Chicago, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Southwark council, ( Peckham area council), tries to shake off the violent image of the area with guide to pull in tourists, that is why building like Peckham Library were built.In the nineties, Southwark was the ssecond most deprived council area in England, and Peckham was one of its worst areas. Housing was poor, unemployment high and the GCSE pass rate was a third of the national average. The area used to hit the headlines for it’s less wholesome reputations as a hotspot for crime, or shoddy public housing. Roger Young, head of the renewal team stated: â€Å"We don’t pretend that the place is perfect, but what we are saying is that there is a lot going on here that people should come and see. What people hear about the area comes from shocking headlines, but we have some world-class stuff here. Peckham has a thrilling mixture of cultures, history and architecture†. The project was finished by 1998 and it formed a new inner-city plaza in London southeast district of Peckham. Other well-known projects of Alsop and Stormer are the North Greenwich station in London and a ferry terminal in Hamburg. The goal of this, (Peckham Library) building was to excite, attract  and draw people’s attention so they would start interweaving with the Library. The library opens at 9am and closes 8pm and includes seventy adult reading spaces, free internet access, word processing facilities and disabled access toilets. There are many events during the week which attract local people to the library, such as   singing sessions for children every Monday baby and toddler sessions every Tuesday book club sessions every Wednesday homework help drop in for children every Wednesday over 50s club every first Friday of every month Peckham Library has become a very popular spot and has reduced the vandalism around the area. Mr Alsop said in a question: â€Å"If you build a semi-decent building, it will not attract vandalism†. Air. Air is the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. (Picture of composition of air) Air travels from areas of high pressure to low pressure. (picture of how the air moves in a room) Peckham Library has 22 windows which are most of the times shut. The building has no air-conditioning, therefore it is naturally ventilated. There is shading in many different areas around the building; therefore the sun light can not easily pass through.This kind of ventilation is named passive cooling The concrete frame of the building, which is exposed to the soffit, also helps with the ventilation, because cross ventilation occurs and helps the concrete in terms of the air temperature, which prevents heat from entering the interior (heat gain prevention). The window panels, which are laminated with four different film layers with different colour film, are very useful themselves, because during winter they help to keep the cold air away and the warm air to remain inside the building. However the windows can be easily opened, because a library is a place with many people and it needs a certain amount of air so it won’t get stifling. The building has a radiation system on the walls and the floor, so the room gets a certain amount of warm air during winter time. (Diagram of the weather in the UK) Drawing number 1. (In the floor). Drawing number 2. (in the wall). Light. The windows in the ceiling and the windows on the sides of the building allow a big amount of light to come inside, but artificial light is also used because there is not enough light during winter time or in the early mornings and late evenings. During my first visit I’ve noticed that the lights in the library were switched on and some of the bulbs which are set in the high ceiling were straight lighting the area. The light made the space more pleasant for the visitors and easier to read. Some lights were more inside the ceiling and surrounded by a mirroring effect, which helps the light to spread across the room. This shows that Mr. Aslop was not relying on natural lighting, as the building has 300 light bulbs. If the lights in the library ever needed to be changed, it would take four days for the work to be done. The closure angered Southwark council leader Stephanie Elsy stated: â€Å"This is just not acceptable and we cant allow it to happen again† she said. â€Å"Its quite incredible that it has to be closed to do routine maintenance work. I cant believe this is the only approach†. (Light around my building) Drawing number 3. (quick drawing of the lights in the fourth floor of the building) (Drawing of the windows on the left side of the Peckham Library building) (Free hand drawing of how the light comes in the level four of the building) Ground. Ground is the solid surface of the earth. Earth is made out of many things. Deep inside Earth, near its center, lays Earths core, which is mostly made up of nickel and iron. Above the core is Earths mantle, which is made out of rock that contains silicon, iron, magnesium, aluminium, oxygen and other minerals. The rocky surface layer of Earth, called the crust, is made out of oxygen, silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Earths surface is mainly covered with liquid water and the atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with smaller amounts of carbon dioxide, water vapor and other gases. Ground is very important to the process of building a building. Before the planning of a building, architects and planners are being asked to measure out the site and to locate the piping and electricity. It is also known that if someone wants to know about what type of ground has an area, he has to look at the old houses at the particular area. In previous years builders used materials that were easily found around the area they were build the house. Peckham Library on the other hand, is modern and futuristic and at first glance, it doesn’t seem to be the same as the buildings around it. It is made out of concrete, metal, copper and glass, while the buildings around are made out of bricks. The architect used these specific materials both to make it outstand and fit into the area at the same time. (Picture of earth’s materials) All the materials that are used to build a building come from earth. Peckham library is made out of: 1) Copper cladding steel [used on the majority of the exterior ( South,East, West and roof)] . (Picture of copper on its first form) (Copper at Peckham Library) 2) Glass (both plain and fluorescent, used for windows and doors) . (Picture of glass at Peckham Library) (Drawing of the Indian Sandstone Paving outside Peckham Library,at the front side) 3) Metal (used for the casings and the supporting columns on the Plaza). (Picture of the supporting columns) A significant portion of the structures exterior is covered in copper steel. Traditionally copper steel is being used mainly for pipes; however the copper supplied by TECU, a German manufacturing company, is used in an unconventional manner in Peckham Library. Alsop’s design required a material that would be cheerful but intriguing therefore TECU ®-Patina supplied the green horizontal sheet cladding which has a very distinctive appearance. By using sheet material, Alsop was able to have the material cut in to linear forms which produce ‘seams’. These ‘seams’ run down the facade which draws attention to the slanted steel supports. The steel mesh which protects the glass is somewhat unexpected because there is no need for protection of the glass although criminality in Peckham area is very high. The steel mesh is a Sambesi450 product which is made from stainless wire cables and rods which are an average of 7mm thick and weigh approx. 11.2 kg/ m ². Steel is also used in the slanted rods which support the overhang. Even though I believe that these materials where chosen to make the structure lively, playful and fascinating, mainly because Mr Aslop wanted to attract and draw peoples’ attention so they would start interweaving with the Library, I also believe that the materials used were intended to stand the test of time and survive acts of vandalism and adverse weather conditions in Peckham area. Water. Water is a colourless, transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms. Information about the water and the pipes in Peckham library building could not be found, as the people in the library stated that such information is confidential. Instead, I found the plan of level four of the building and searched for the toilets. This is where the pipes are more likely to be. The water in Peckham Library is black water, which means that it is used only in the sanitation system of the building, as the library does not provide other areas that water is needed. (Plan of level five that illustrates where the toilets situated in the building) Energy. Energy is the power derived from the utilization of physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines. â€Å"Energy cannot be created nor destroyed within a system†. Energy can be used for transportation, or the industry ,or for residential and commercial reasons. There are plenty of energy types: Oil Nuclear Solar Wind power Geothermal Hydropower Fuelwood Coal Natural gas (Picture of fuel consumption) Peckham Library has heat demand of 369. (This data was received from DeMAP ) Firstly the window faà §ade of the building is made out of Vanceva Interlayer Colours windows. They are made out of different coloured layers assembled between layers of clear glass. Therefore when the heat approaches the glass it is redirected back into its environment, which means it provides a good thermal insulation. Secondly the copper, which the building is made from, is generally considered to be a good transmitter of heat, this suggests that the building is well isolated, however not all heat is kept in; some of it is released back to the atmosphere. The window facade is made out of four layers, therefore as the heat approaches the glass it is redirected back into its environment, that means it provides a good thermal insulation. Energy within the building is used in the form of electricity. It is used mainly for lighting, but for the machines as well (computers, elevators, heaters, photocopying machine and automatic doors). The energy comes from a generator, which is situated at the back side of the building. (Energy sources in a modern building) Recycle. Recycling is a process to change materials (waste), into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by reducing the need for conventional waste disposal, and lower greenhouse gas emissions as compared to plastic production. In architecture, recycling mainly means the reuse of energy, but it can also mean the reuse materials, such as glass bottles can be used to make a wall, or coins can be used for making floorings. Peckham Library has one recycle bin and one general waste bin on the fourth floor. It doesn’t seem to motivate people to recycle, even though the room has some posters about recycling. There are also general waste bins and recycle bins at the plaza area. When I visited the library, the floodlights were on, even during the day. Ironically Southwark Council has published suggestions for low cost ways to be green yet the large cantilever makes the space below devoid of sunlight, even on sunny days. According to a blog reviewing sustainable buildings, the flood lights cost an estimated  £4,800 a year in energy costs. (Picture of bins on the left side of the library) Synthesis. Synthesis is the combination of components or elements to form a connected whole. The structure of the building is a synthesis of two rectangles. Mr Alsop wanted to make something that is eye-catching and very difficult to miss. The most obvious structural feature of the building is the large overhang which is supported by thin, slanted metal columns. From the outside it appears that the library floor is balanced 12m in the air by the poles and the rest of the building is firmly grounded. (Picture of the combination of the shapes of the building) The structure on the inside of the Library is rather interesting. It seems that there are three smaller building inside the building, in which you can get inside and read. (Picture of plans and elevation of the building) The staircase at the back of the building is very unusual; it is made out of concrete, metal and glass. The glass is placed in the middle of the steps so it allows the light through the whole back part of the building. (Picture of the synthesis of the stairs) What I would change/add. If I had a choice to change something in the building I would add a small cafe at one of the three pods or at the roof. I believe that it would be a good idea and that it would attract even more people than it does now. People would have the chance to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while they read or relax. Conclusion. Peckham Library is a public building that attracts many people and gives a chance to learn about different cultures and civilisations. This project managed to bring a positive publicity to the area and attract people to come and visit it. That has a positive affect not only at the economic situation of the area, but at the cultural as well. People exchange opinions, learn from each other meet new people and they broaden their horizons. Sources: Voyager Magazine, Archello, KME, The Guardian, Building.co.uk, Website: Southwark Council, Website Physics ,User Peckham2 on tumblr, Wikipedia, Website: Recyclart, Website: Generation of Energy-Efficient Patio Houses With GENE_ARCH, Peckham’s Library file about the library, DeMAP, pictures from google,

Social Trends In Art

Art is something which can be analyzed to give deeper insight as to the common values and beliefs shared by the members of a certain society. Regardless of the place of origin or the time period of a form of art, it will always be a reflection of the social structure in which it’s creator/s lived. However, the way the artist perceives the culture common to his time period is very relative. People pertaining to a higher social class had different values and ideologies than members of a lower class. This different view of life can be seen very clearly in individual forms of art such as painting and music. These specific forms of artistic expression required very little money, thus could be exercised by anyone including members of a lower class. Other forms of art such as architecture and sculpture required more money and in most cases wealthy patrons such as kings or queens. Architecture also required large numbers of workers which often made it hard to see any individual influence in the design, however showed the collective ideology of all of the people involved. The cost of labor and materials was also so great that very affluent members of society were needed to financially support the whole process. Sculpture was also an artistry that required great amounts of material and labor. This resulted in a more normative form of art which portrayed societal aspects in a way that was of interest to the financial backers. By studying both popular and normative art together it is possible to obtain a greater perspective on a specific culture. Outside influences from other countries can also affect the art and the artists of a certain society. As a country sees more and more immigrants from a certain area, the art will begin to reflect the ideologies these outsiders bring in with them. This same change can be seen more drastically in the case of an invasion. The architecture would change drastically, since it is normative art and the new rulers would enforce their own norms and rules. The painting would also change, however less drastically than more official forms of art. This more gradual change could be attributed to the individuals of the country who still retained the old values and customs. These same influences on art would take place if nobility of another country married into the royal family, and was then given heir to the throne. The change would be just as drastic, but departure from old ideologies would be encouraged instead of enforced. In the case of Arab influence in Spain during the eighth century, it was not an invasion rather a gradual settling of this other culture in Spain’s borders. The change was brought about by the affect this outside influence had on the people of Spain. The new ideas and forms of artistic expression were exciting and intriguing to Spaniards, and eventually they adopted these ideas as their own. The change was seen in all forms of art, especially in the new arches and vivid colors used in Arabic architecture. Any time a new way of life makes itself present in a society, it has an affect on the art. Usually this change is seen mostly in architecture and sculpture, while painting follows behind. The two cultures can also mix together and give rise to a new form of hybrid artistic expression. This mixing of ideas and beliefs is usually most evident in places were the people are trying to choose between the new popular culture, and the old beliefs and values of the country. Painting of a certain society can be analyzed either technically or with the purpose of discovering its meaning. It’s the second which should be used in order to give a better idea of the philosophies of a certain group of people. The background of the painting is always very important when studying a painting. The landscape or buildings behind the main focus of the painting can give an idea of where the artist is from. Many times the artist will use a background which doesn’t pertain to the actual painting to show loyalty to his place of birth. This occurred mostly with painters who moved from their home country to live elsewhere and ended up painting in the same style as the other artists in his new country. If the background is painted in a very refined way and contains very elegant features than it can be deduced that the society at that time gave importance to these features. If it is painted very realistically, not showing much attention to beauty, then portraying the scene in a sincere way is probably the author’s primary objective. The subject of a painting is also a very important factor when examining its social influences. In cultures where religion governs every aspect of life, the painting will reflect these beliefs. In any society run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church the only theme used in painting is that of Christianity. This art is known as committed art, and the most common subjects in painting are the Virgin Mary and Jesus. In a society where the paintings are mostly of mythological events and people, it can be deduced that the church is not the most important part of life. Returning to ancient Greek and Roman ideals is more important to this culture than the Catholic Church. Many times art will show common people participating in everyday activities. This type of painting is done by popular artists who have more of an interest in the lower class than the higher class. Many of the artists who depicted this lifestyle were more popular than normative artists, however didn’t receive the same attention from the critics. By looking at the techniques used in paintings it is evident which qualities were seen as more important to art. If the society views color and the overall impression of the painting as the most important aspect, than these techniques will stand out the most. If lines and realism are more important than these aspects will be emphasized in the painting. These trends are often parallel to the social trends which accompany them. If a certain culture believes that reason and straight thinking are the guidelines of life, then these qualities will be reflected in the painting. However, if feelings and the human soul are more important, than the paintings will be less realistic and more emotional. Likewise if a society sees religion as something to be painted with respect, the figures are more likely to be shown idealistically. For instance if the Virgin Mary is always portrayed as young and beautiful, then this shows the society’s respect and admiration for this religious figure. However a different culture could believe in realism as more important and portray Christ on the cross in a gruesome, instead of peaceful, manner. Architecture is the form of art most representative of a certain cultural period. It doesn’t allow for as much individual expression as sculpture or painting because of the number of people involved. While only one or two people design the building, hundreds of people help make this design reality. The designers also had to please the people who gave them the money for supplies and manpower. This made it hard for an architect to show much individual expression. Often times the architecture of a time period is very similar throughout a certain area. The churches are all built in a certain style, as are any official buildings. The architecture very rarely strays from this style since all of it is made to please the same people. This, although sometimes monotonous, makes architecture a unifying force for a specific society. When people see a certain building they know what that building is used for and what that style of architecture signifies. It is also possible to examine architecture and find out more about the society from which it originated. The institutions hailed as important by that society are often built in the official style while other buildings are not. Also, these institutions are often housed in the biggest, most elaborate buildings. Much like painting, the social trends of the time period are often portrayed in architecture. The period of Enlightenment where reason governed most actions, the buildings were built rationally and ever structure served a purpose. The baroque period gave rise to buildings which closely resembled the attitude of the people: the more adornments, the better. Sculpture is a form of art which was often found on buildings as a decoration, or as part of the architecture. Most of the time it was used to portray religious figures in a narrative on the front of a church. The altars inside the church were also made up of mostly small sculptures of religious figures and people. Official sculpture can be found of kings and queens and other important people of the society. Sculpture is helpful in analyzing society partly because it shows a culture’s view of the human body. A culture with an interest in the human body is more likely to show the person nude, and use great detail in the artwork. Sculpture also shows what symbols or figures were representative of a society, and how that society used this symbolism in their art. Music is a form of art that is very individual in nature, and because of this is very diverse. There can be many types of music in a certain society, however, the most popular songs will be those that embody the ideas and beliefs of the common people. Music’s availability to almost everyone makes it a very popular art form. Someone could make an instrument out of just about anything they could lay their hands on. Singing doesn’t even require an instrument, just a voice and some artistic talent. Courtly forms of music show the lifestyles of the rich, affluent members of society, while popular music illustrated that of the common man. Since all of these forms of art are products of society, the driving force behind them are the normative and popular views of life at the time. Although individual expression is always important for any artist, his art won’t appeal to the people if it isn’t representative of society. This makes art a constant reflection of social trends, whether they be those of common man or those of the king and queen. Studying art can prove helpful in analyzing a specific culture or society because embodies the ideology of the nation.