Amazon in E-Commerce

Question 1: How has Amazon.com and their use of internet changed the retailing industry? Give examples. Answer: 1 Amazon.com has revolutionized the selling and purchasing of all products over the internet. It started with selling books over the internet and progressed in selling almost all consumer goods within a short span of time. Its engineering and quality principals make sure that all the various standard compliances are met and justified for improving the system behavior for its customers. Customers have now moved from the brick and mortars model, a traditional model for purchase of products, to the click and mortars model for ease of access, anytime anywhere access, take part in auctions and avail several promotion offers and gifts. The very perspective towards retail buying has been changed by Amazon.com. The virtual store concept is quite likely followed by many retailers after the success of Amazon.com and they have created a benchmark for its products and selling models define the very success over the long period since its inception. Question 2: Comparisons have been made by giant bookstore retailer Barnes & Nobles and Amazon.com. Barnes and Noble operate dozens of bookstores in many local communities. Yet Amazon.com’s reach goes anywhere and everywhere with the Web. What, in your opinion, should Barnes and Nobles do to compete with Amazon.com? Answer 2: Barnes and Nobles must identify the very future requirements for its physical bookstores and come up with â€Å"click and mortars† model for fetching the right customer focus and model. Identifying the competition around and the changing outlook of the customers towards decision making for purchasing products is the greatest differentiator for change. The decision making for taking the business of Barnes & Nobles over the internet would make sure that all the various present disadvantages would be capitalized upon. The brand mark of Barnes & Nobles makes sure that every activity towards the envelopment of skyrocketing technologies would develop into a mammoth in promoting its success and growth. Only setting up the website is not enough. The representation model, sound engineering techniques, quality standards and affiliation techniques makes sure that its representation over the internet is strong and makes a presence really promising. Question 3: In order to more quickly realize and sustain its profitability should Amazon.com have remained a solely clicks based e-business (without warehouses) selling only books? Why or why not? Answer 3: Amazon’s decision to cater to several products would definitely move its primary base of selling books to other products. This is a sort of erosion of its primary brand which it created for selling books. The very brand creation and sustenance for selling books online had created a larger market share for book selling. The various bookstores at that time were in greater risk concerning their sales as Amazon grew in its market share for selling books. It was a brand which no one could deny. Its decision towards clicks business for selling other products over books makes sure that monopoly was broken to some extent and other small to medium sellers in the market found opportunity to make some business. These created a balanced view for existence in the marketplace allowing every dimension of sellers and customers to interact for good. Another reason for making the right move is for long term business continuity and spreading its wing to several other products which did not make it to the internet in that era. Amazon’s decision to be clicks based business must be changed into â€Å"clicks and mortars† business model for improving its supply chain by making it efficient and effective. The effective supply chain would cut down extra costs of transportation and shipping and would in turn create trust for its safety and quality policies. Warehouses would make sure that timely delivery of products can be made at lesser costs, which otherwise would create a sense of misunderstanding and evolve privacy and security aspects to a larger scale. Question 4: How can Amazon.com complete Bezos’s vision? What do they need to do to individualize their services to 25 million customers? Answer: 4 Amazon.com must fetch the customers according to their tastes and product liking. The following can be the various options that can be exercised: Provide a survey with questionnaires of what is important, how it can be bettered, what else is desired and so on. The survey questions would serve quite helpful in fetching the right suggestion from its customers to in turn get them everything they desire. The adoption of B2B and C2C model where various sellers and buyers can meet for selling the products of their choice. This would help users to customize according to their preferences so that more number of customers is fetched for purpose. The customer logs must be duly analyzed for fetching the right decision and data mining approaches to the vast data can be devised for getting the facts out for better customization of products and services. Request boxes and techniques must be presented so that in case a customer fails to find exactly what he desires, he can make a request for the new product. This would help to fetch the needs in micro detail for better capturing of the customer base. The above approaches would enhance Bezos’s vision to cater to individual needs and demands. Amazon is a virtual reseller, one of the main new intermediaries (Sarkar, 1996.) They are an electronic-commerce only intermediary; business and customer relationship management (CRM) is conducted purely via their website; a virtual marketplace with no direct contact between buyers and sellers. Amazon have created a virtualized value system through their accelerated ordering, delivery and payment of goods and services, while reducing operating and inventory costs associated with traditional bricks and mortar stores. This model demands a change to bring every buyer and seller to meet for catering individualized services. References Sarkar, M., Butler, B. & Steinfield, C. (1996) Intermediaries & Cybermediaries.      

Thinking Outside The Box Essay

We live in the age of new technologies, in an age of rapid progress and every successful employer seeks to meet all the requirements of the present time namely control and improve the quality of services, to reduce execution time and be the best in the business, despite not less intelligent competitors. 1. What external factors were affecting UPS’s HR practices? How did UPS respond to these trends? Workers of the UPS has a responsible attitude towards the quality of their services. They daily take care about these services, and also prepare highly qualified specialists. One of the problems that they are facing is that a large number of people (baby-boomers) are close to retirement age. UPS has taken steps to be sure that they will have driver which will be ready for meeting the demand. The company staff is hiring and training some 25.000 drivers over the next five year to replace retiring Baby Boomers. Based upon the premise that younger drivers learn best by technology and hands on training, UPS has created several simulations and a videogames designed to aid in driver training. 2. Why is efficiency and safety so important to UPS? What role do the company’s industrial engineers play in how employees do their work? The answer lies in the amount of people and companies with which UPS operates. UPS sends more than 15m parcels in more than 200 countries every day. Because of competition (i.e. the U.S. Postal Service, DHL, and Federal Express), for UPS, it’s all about speed, accuracy, and safety. UPS must keep cost low and customer satisfaction high. To increase the productivity of drivers, UPS has used their industrial engineers to design more efficient routes, loading & unloading procedures, and employee policies to help get the most from their employees in the field. 3. What changes did the company make to its driver training program? In addition to learning the company’s ‘340 Methods,’ applicants play a videogame where they’re in the driver’s seat and must identify obstacles. From computer simulations, they move to â€Å"Clarksville,† a mock  village with miniature houses and faux businesses. There, they drive a real truck and â€Å"must successfully execute five deliveries in 19 minutes.† And, in the interest of safety and efficiency, trainees learn to carefully walk on ice with the slip and fall simulator. 4. What advantages and drawbacks do you see to this training approach for (a) the trainee and (b) the company? It appears that the use of simulations and the other new programs implemented by UPS would have good transfer to work the drivers would be doing in the field. This is an advantage for the trainee and the company. A potential disadvantage would be if the applicant was not familiar with new technology, such as computer games, or other forms of electronic learning. These applicants may be successful in the job, but may not show proficiency in training due to the technological nature of the training. For the company, such programs are expensive but that can be balanced by the benefit of having a better trained workforce.

Cocacola Marketing Strategy Essay

For example, for a pack of 375mL x 18 cans of Coca-Cola soft drinks it is priced at $9. 98 instead of $10. 00. This pricing strategy makes consumers perceive the products to be cheaper. Promotional strategies The business uses a range of promotional activities, shown in the table below. Promotional strategy Explanation of promotional strategy Advertising The Coca-Cola Company uses advertising as its main source of increasing consumer awareness. It mainly uses the television. There are many television advertisements on Coca-Cola products. This source allows the company’s products to reach a large audience. The latest television advertisement for Coca-Cola soft drinks was the `You know you want it’ advertisement. One of the older one are ` If you drink it, you get better of life’ The company also uses the radio as another source of advertisement. This is a cheaper source of approach compared to the television. Recently, the company benefited from its involvement in the world’s celebrated games such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Where millions were watching these games, the business had substantial advertising and promotions of the company’s brands. The cost of advertising over the past 3 years is shown in Fig. (11). Cost ($ mil) YearFig. (11) The Coca-Cola Company’s advertising costs Personal selling Every year, The Coca-Cola Company has a highly trained sales team, which acts as a representative of the company to the retailers. This strategy helps to maintain service and product loyalty. It has been demonstrated by the business to be highly effective. Publicity In February 2003, Vanilla Coke was released to the media as a news brief outlining the huge profit achieved by the business (from the Sydney Morning Herald 14th February 2003). This helped The Coca-Cola Company to strengthen the image of the business’s products. Place of distribution The Coca-Cola Company sells its products to bottling and canning operations, distributors, fountain wholesalers and some fountain retailers. These then distributes them to retail outlets, milk bar and corner stores, restaurants, petrol stations and newsagents. The Coca-Cola Company Wholesalers/distributors Retail/corner stores Restaurants, petrol stations Consumers The Coca-Cola Company’s distribution channel Place strategies Place strategies Explanation of place strategy Indirect distribution. The Coca-Cola Company uses intermediaries in its distribution. That is, the company does not sell its products directly to its consumers. Intensive distribution The Coca-Cola Company uses the intensive distribution strategy. The business’s products are sold in almost every outlet including:  · retail outlets  · small shops  · restaurants  · petrol stations  · newsagents  · schools  · sports and entertainment venues · from vending machines (v) Monitoring ;amp; Controlling

Finance 4.5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Finance 4.5 - Essay Example The bond prices are different from part (a) and (b) in the question because interest rate is lowered. Bond prices are inversely proportional to interest rates therefore; as interest rate lowers, bond prices hike. This would eventually lead to lower yield. Therefore; in the above given scenario, the interest rates were lowered which caused the bond prices to rise. No, the bonds should not be called. The bonds should only be called if interest rates drop below coupon rate. This will give you the opportunity to call in your previous debt at a lower rate and then reissue debt at a lower interest rate if needed. The second scale will increase profits at a greater pace than scale one after q=3125 units. As the fixed cost is limited, and variable cost per unit is less therefore; the overall cost would be less than scale one. This means that even if the break even sales are  in the original cost function, the company would not face negative cash flow if it surpasses 142856 levels of sale because majority of the cost is of depreciation which is a non cash expense. Even though the company shows negative profits but that would not mean negative cash flow unless the level of sale is above 142561

ISMG 3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ISMG 3000 - Essay Example Debbi’s passionate zeal for baking and Randy’s business sense was complementary for starting a successful business. Hence, Debbi and Randy would seem to have reasonable future for each other. Debbi’s cookies were very much in demand amongst Randy’s clients which inspired Debbi to start an independent business of selling cookies. Debbi had confidence on her expertise in making mouth watering cookies which had always been very popular amongst her relatives. She was therefore able to convince her husband, Randy for starting a cookie business. Her main goal was to bake great cookies and make customers feel good. Thus, it was important for her to create an ambience of caring that would attract customers and provide them with quality cookies to make them feel good. On the other hand, Randy’s goal was to develop an enviable corporate structure with state of the art information technology that would help run the various operations smoothly. His goal was to exploit technology to optimize information flow within and across stores so that effective decision making could be based on informed choice. He strongly believed that machines must relieve people of mundane task and make them free to exploit their creativity in ways that would benefit the business like selling cookies directly to customers and giving personal touch. Debbi was in dilemma while opening her second store of Mrs. Fields’ Cookies. She loved baking cookies and strongly believed that personal involvement was an important part of running successful cookie business. She was afraid of delegating and thought that it might lower the quality of her cookies and most importantly, she would not be able to interact with her customers. Thus, the dilemma was genuine as she could not be in both the places at the same time. Her management style was fundamentally based on the simple principle that if one believes in something, one would be more convincing. Hence,

Eisenhower Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Eisenhower - Essay Example Gerras’ critical thinking model can be used extensively to discuss the decisions made by Eisenhower during the war. The critical thinking model proposes that there are many step to be considered before an individual makes a lasting decision, since there are many aspects to the decision at hand. The first major step proposed by Gerras is the issue of clarifying the concern or main problem, which in the case of Eisenhower, came in different types. Gerras’ critical thinking model can be best used to analyze Eisenhower’s decision to support Gaulle to President Roosevelt and the decision concerning General Patton’s slapping incident. An analysis of the decision on de Gaulle can reveals the critical thinking steps that Eisenhower went through to make the decision. The first step that Eisenhower took is the clarification of the concern, or the identification of the problem as applied to the current situation. The problem in this case was the infringement of polit ics in de Gaulle’s and Giraud’s aim to control the Free French Movement.1 The decision to be made had to be critically analyzed to determine the implications, concerns, available information, point of views, and finally, the main decision. From General Eisenhower’s point of view, he believed that the French Committee of National Liberation was in the best interest of the allies.2 The other decision made by Eisenhower was the decision concerning General Patton’s slapping incident, where Patton was accused of slapping two ill soldiers, yet Eisenhower decided to retain him as one of his top commanders. The slapping incident and the subsequent decision demonstrated Eisenhower’s critical thinking abilities. Using Gerra’s critical thinking model, many factors come up, for instance, the decision or concern was whether to fire or retain Patton. The second factor was the evaluation of the information received, Eisenhower received the information afte r the act had happened, and did not seriously consider firing Patton. The most important factor in the critical thinking model is the evaluation of available information. From General Patton’s case, the information that Eisenhower needed to analyze included the costs of firing and replacing Patton. After this analysis, Eisenhower decided that Patton was too valuable to the war, and thus decided to retain him, though at a position without major command. This demonstrates that Eisenhower’s decisions in the war can be demonstrated using Gerra’s critical thinking model. Question 2 An analysis of Eisenhower’s decision in the war also leans on the negative, where it can be concluded that he sometimes made unwise decisions. This part of the analysis on Eisenhower will focus on one major decision made by the General, the decision to leave Fredendall in position for too long. This decision will be analyzed using Allen and Coates (2009) decision-making model. This essay will focus on two parts of Allen and Coates models; the rational and incremental decision-making models. The rational model will be applied by considering the consequences step of the model, and the incremental model will be considered by applying one characteristic specified by the model. The rational model of decision-making is a model that can be applied to decisions that require a lot of input and thought. Eisenhower’

Death and Dying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Death and Dying - Essay Example I have learned that the human soul actually does exist through readings, research, and acknowledgement of those who allegedly have experienced temporary demise and were eventually revived. When a person dies, that person allegedly enters a period of soul sleep, until the second coming of Christ, the day that was supposedly destined as a day of recollection, salvation, and eternal life. This refreshing discovery has not only changed my life, but has also helped me cope with the fears and any uncertainty of death. Through the experiences of loved ones, stories told of people who died, through readings, research, and studies conducted on the subject of death and the verge of dying, one’s awareness on the subject was immensely expounded. As a result, the previous fear, anxiety, confusion, and questions on the subject were diminished. One affirms that death is just a transition in man’s existence – a confirmation of the temporarily nature of the human body, whose functioning ultimately ends to a destiny where one is bound to

Questions (see directions) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questions (see directions) - Essay Example g survey, nearly four million or eight percent of the nation’s students were identified as LEP (Limited English Proficiency) students (Provasnik et al., 2007). In such a scenario, it is the responsibility of the schools and districts to ensure that these students adapt to the classroom environment and are able to make progress in varied subjects like English and mathematics. In keeping with the needs of students, many schools and districts offer a range of special education services for students with disabilities. Such special education services help them work in a laidback school environment with low expectations and a less competitive curriculum. However, over the years, research showed an overrepresentation of CLD students in disability categories, which spiralled into a national debate and also resulted in federal intervention. Research shows that race and the ethnicity can result in diagnosing a student as ‘disabled’, which can be detrimental to a student’s psyche and performance (NEA policy brief). Moreover, social stigma attached to special schools can affect self-esteem and deprive the student of the opportunity to compete with his/her peers. This resulted in ushering in changes to the definition of learning disability. Earlier definitions of learning disability were based on a difference between student’s intellectual ability and academic progress whereas now the revised definition emphasises more on the teacher. It is the teacher who must make accurate observations, make notes and interpret them effectively in order to facilitate proper assessment (Case and Taylor, 2005). Appropriate response to intervention (RTI) models and interventions can be useful to help students overcome academic hurdles and assess the nature of help required in their academic career. Research further shows that it is difficult to classify a learning disabled from an ESL learner because both groups have shared symptoms (Case and Taylor, 2005). From a linguistic

National Security Strategy Bill Clinton vs. George Bush Essay

National Security Strategy Bill Clinton vs. George Bush - Essay Example In contrast, President Bush provides the policy of national power maximization and international cooperation against terrorism as a major threat of contemporary world order and peace. His national policy reflects the events and the threats America now faces (terrorism). In general, Bush's policy is more radical in comparison with American foreign policy tradition. In contrast to Clinton, Bush supports pre-emptive military action against hostile states and terrorist groups seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction. As well as Clinton, Bush calls for engagement, but in the way of cooperation especially marked that the USA "will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary" (2002) to defend national interests and security. The major difference is that Bush reject the single-minded approach, adopted by Clinton, of multilateralism for its own sake. The similarity of both strategies is that they calls for spreading democracy and human rights in other countries, but Bush underlined that this is especially important for Muslim countries today. Both of them are aimed to protect American nation creating strong foreign security policy, but Clinton and Bush employ different doctrines to support their foreign policies. Also, the similarity is that Clinton and Bush view U.S.

Mythology and Modern Stories Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mythology and Modern Stories - Case Study Example Even with some religious barriers the western cultures are spreading all around the world. Along with the routine growth, the western countries themselves are trying to influence other countries to spread their culture1. One attempt to spread their culture can be seen through the media and many literary figures. But before getting into the details of these attempts there is one unanswered question, what exactly can be understood by the word "myth" and what are the theories that create a "myth"' Myth can be described as a folktale, a legend, a traditional tale. A main feature that a myth has is that myths are stories that a particular culture believes to be true and that use the supernatural to interpret natural events and to explain the nature of the universe and humanity. Myths are basically created to teach the upcoming generation what to expect from the world and possibly how to protect them selves (Greek mythology on the other hand are based on religious believes which helps them create a more religious approach in the young's)2. Myths are created on the basis of four basic theories: the rational myth theory, functional myth theory, structural myth theory, and th... The type of myths that keep god in consideration are called creation myths, these myths tend to discuss religious believes and try to explain the facts of existence. Rational myth theory explains the understanding of natural and every day events, as for the functional myth theory, it talks about the lessons taught to people about morality and social behaviors. In other words it means that it teaches people what is right and what is wrong. These types of myths are created in order to form a more controlled and a stable society. If these types of myths were not exposed to the people then that will cause feuds between people due to different norms and believes of people. An example of this type myth would be the story of the Mahatma Gandhi; his acts of non-violence and ignorance have taught people not to fight and be patient about every step they take in their lives, this has helped the people to create a non-violent society. The third theory of myth is called the structural myth theory, this theory is based on human emotions and how the human mind has two sides, the good side and the bad side. The Chinese yin and yang symbol also explain the structural behavior of the human mind, it shows that within every good there is evil and within every evil there is good present. The structural myth theory also explains the same thing; these types of myths are called structural myths. An example of these structural myths could be the story of Romeo and Juliet. The story shows that how Romeo feels guilty about Juliet's death that he decides to punish himself by attempting suicide. This act shows that every human being has guilt inside (termed as legitimate conscience) of them for every wrong thing they

Comprhensive Examination - Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 12000 words

Comprhensive Examination - Psychology - Essay Example One of the most vital discoveries that must be made concerns the expectations that a couple has for their marriage and whether or not those expectations are realistic or based on suppositions that are not based on true examples of experience. It will also be relevant to the work to understand the way in which spouses create a perceptual filter in order to maintain a certain level of regard for one another. As the investigation into the concepts of romance is undertaken, creating an overview of the methods in which these concepts have been studied by other researchers will provide a framework within which to continue the research for The Anatomy of Romance In a discourse about adolescent relationships, Lucia F. O’Sullivan, Mariah Mantson Cheng, Kathleen Mullen Harris, and Jeanne Brooks-Gunn (2007) discuss the way in which adolescents connect to one another and form relationships. These experiences are the precursors to a future relationship and way in which these bonds will form. The study used a sub-sample of the participants from the Wave 2 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health which consisted of a population of 8,438 respondents from the ages of 18-21. The use of logistic regression allowed a comparison of proportions as ordinary least square regression was used to create an analysis of mean sequential ranking that quantified each event. The data was created from answers from fifteen social, romantic, and sexual events which were relevant to a recent romantic relationship (p. 100). According to the study, in adolescent experiences, social and romantic experiences were more prevalent than sexual experiences. The relating of events were proportionately similar between males and females. However, ethnic diversity appears to show relevant differences in sexual experiences. Asian and Hispanic youths revealed a lower prevalence of sexual events than African American or Caucasian, while African American were the

Because i could not stop for death&quot Essay Example for Free

Because i could not stop for deathquot Essay Emily Dickinson frequently explores death through her poetry, using her eponomous em dashes to communicate the confusion created by an intelligent and exploratory approach to the afterlife in a mind indoctrinated in Puritan dogma. Death is initially presented in this poem as a very different character from its usual personification as a malign, scythe wielding spirit. Here, as the poem begins, he takes the form of a charming suitor who kindly stops, and maintains his civility throughout their journey. As we progress through the poem, however, the reader becomes increasingly suspicious that the apparently benevolent Death has not, in fact, got Dickinsons best intrests at heart. The fourth stanza marks the change in tone that reveals this; the onset of ominous chill as the carriage passes into darkness highlights how unprepared Death has left her, providing no warning of what is to come. The nervous tone that the poem adopts in this stanza is created both by the breakdown of the previously iambic rythmn and the language of cold shivers that the poet uses; both of which emphasise the quivering nervousness of the unprepared. Dickinsons physical lack of preparation for the afterlife in the poem, her donning of gossamer and tulle for a journey into the night, reflects her lack of spiritual certainty in the real world; something reflected in several of her poems. Despite an upbringing filled with much gesture from the pulpit, doubt, not absolute faith, is the subject of much of her work. She remains steadfast only in her belief that This World is not Conclusion, as while she is confident in the existence of something more, the nature of the afterlife baffles her. This poem is also an exploration of an unusual view of death, as Dickinson inverts the normal metaphor of Death as the end of a journey into Death as a journeys beginning. Life, in this poem, is extrodinarily transient, compressed into the third stanza where childhood, the ripening Grain of middle age and the setting sun of old ages decline are ploughed through in four lines. The poet makes this already short liftime seem even less substantial by the anaphoric use of We passed, which increases the pace of the poem and gives the passage of time an inevitable feel. Where the poems journey of death concludes is unclear, but we do know that there is a pause, perhaps a terminal pause, at a house in the ground. Dickinsons use of imagery here is ingenious, as the readers initial confusion mimics the narrators, until we too surmise that this abode, this swelling in the ground is a grave, thought of only by the deceased as a house. The repetition and ryhme of ground at the end of two lines in this stanza gives it a pounding finality; suggesting perhaps that this, and not the expected Immortality, is to be Dickinsons final resting place. This unexpected turn causes the confusion that the image of the house parallels, and explains the last stanza, in which Dickinsons fear of perpetual existence in a grave has centuries feeling shorter than the day / I first surmised the Horses Heads / Were toward Eternity. The poem is, in fact, unclear, but I would suggest that the grave is to be Dickinsons final resting place; that the carriage paused not because it intended to go on but instead because the narrator has not yet realised her fate. The final dash of the poem, therefore, represents not continuing doubt as it does in This World is not Conclusion. but serves to remind the reader of the unending nature of Dickinsons internment. In light of this, the first stanzas Immortality may seem out of place, but its rhyme with me perhaps reveals its origins, as the narrator is consequently so strongly linked with its presence that we may imagine it is only Dickinson, and not Death, that welcomes immortality to the carriage, and that it is, in fact, only there as a result of her preconceptions. Because I could not stop for Death – is perhaps, as a result, quite a cynical poem, making no promises of salvation or a Christian heaven. It, in some senses, continues a trend set by This world is not Conlcusion. and Behind me – dips Eternity –; a trend of diminishing confidence: Dickinsons once absolute faith in a world beyond our own develops into a confused fear at the nature of the afterlife; it may be a Maelstrom in the sky, surrounded by Midnight, or perhaps just a house in the ground. All this confusion is the product of Dickinsons upbringing; the Tooth that nibbles at the soul is a doubt that was to Puritans damning, and once she admits to herself its existence her future is uncertain and heaven perhaps inachievable. Despite its bleak outlook however, the poem still stands a facinating exploration of the nature of the next world.

Search for Identity through Body Modification

Search for Identity through Body Modification Judging from Appearances Body modification of one sort or another has always been practiced new technologies have opened up the possibility for radical change. This has meant that we can now change fundamental aspects of our bodies most obviously our biological sex, but also racial characteristics, signs of ageing and apparent physical imperfections. Basically will be looking at what it means to want to radically alter the body to believe indeed that we have the wrong body Case Study: Nip Tuck Throughout the dissertation will be exploring the meanings acquired by the body in modern, western societies. In doing so the dissertation will examine the ways in which bodies are shaped, acted upon, represented and experienced. Therefore explore various ways in which the body has been seen as an object (the body we have), as a subject (the body we are) and as project (the body that we become) and will explore how these processes are intimately linked to regimes of power and knowledge. For example, recent years have seen the increased prominence and significance of various body projects health and fitness, dieting, cosmetic surgery and body modification- alongside a number of contemporary problems associated with the body new reproductive technologies, genetic engineering, cybernetics, etc. As these examples show, the body in contemporary culture has become a malleable object crucial for the articulation of identities of race ,gender, and sub cultural affiliation. This dissertation will critically examine some of these contemporary trends whilst simultaneously focusing on their social and historical contexts in order to give us a broader understanding of their meanings and implications. I. Introduction Body modification has been practiced in a number of ways and for a variety of reasons since ancient times; it has existed on some level for thousands of years. Historical evidence suggests that red dye extracted from hematite was used to paint the body as many as 20,000years ago. Archaeological evidence proves that as many as 10,000 years ago, parts of animal bones, animal teeth, and colourful stones were used to decorate the body. Hair combs date back to nearly 5,000 years ago. Water served ancient peoples as mirrors until 4,500, when the first mirror is believed to have been invented (Ethan, 1999, 49-52). Society has progressed since those early days. One need only turn on the television or leaf through a magazine to be bombarded with all kinds of advertisements for body modification. Chemical treatments can straighten hair and change skin tone and texture. Surgical procedures can decrease or (more often) augment breast size. Penile implants claim to enhance sexual performance. Unwanted fat can be removed in any number ways, ranging from dietary changes to liposuction. Some signs of ageing can be temporarily reversed with injections of Botox; others can be permanently altered, again through surgery. Today in the western world, body modification is widely practiced in all classes of society. Often it is the result of societal pressure to achieve perfection. At times it is a ritual or rite of initiation within a group or social hierarchy. Less often, although this is steadily increasing, the body is modified to change its gender; this is done through surgical procedures supplemented by hormonal and similar supplementary treatments. Women are considered the most frequent targets of this pressure to achieve somatic perfection, and therefore they are the most frequent practitioners of body modification. However, this pressure affects means well. This paper will examine four specific types of body modification: tattooing and scarification; piercing; diet and exercise; and aesthetic surgery. Although these are by no means the only methods of body modification, they are among the most widespread and they cover a wide spectrum. Still, whether it takes the form of a minor dietary modification or an extreme makeover, it is clear that most individuals in the western world practice some sort of body modification. For this reason, it is a practice which merits close study and consideration. How far will some individuals go in this pursuit for perfection? How much of this will society sanction? What are the implications for our future and that of future generations? These are the questions to be explored throughout the course of this research. Tattoos and Scarification The word â€Å"tattoo† is derived from a Tahitian word meaning â€Å"to mark. â€Å"The act of tattooing is believed to be over ten thousand years old, and it has had a variety of uses throughout history. Tattoos have played an important role in various tribal and cultural rituals. For example, ancient Greeks used them as part of a sophisticated espionage system. Romans used tattoos to clearly mark criminals and slaves. In Borneo, women would have symbols of special skills or talents tattooed on their forearms, thus alerting potential marriage partners of their marketability. Although tattooing has flourished consistently in many cultures, its popularity in western civilization has fluctuated widely. After waning for several centuries, it was reintroduced in the late seventeenth century, but it was not until the late eighteenth century that it once again became widespread, Even so, it often had negative associations and tattooed individuals were mostly relegated to the fringes of society, such as freak show oddities and carnival workers. In the 20th century, the art of tattooing waxed and waned as society rapidly changed with the proliferation of new and better technologies. By the late sixties it was still primarily an underground operation, often the provenance of biker groups and criminals. From the late twentieth century until today, however, tattooing has enjoyed renewed popularity as body decoration, and is seen in a much more positive light, often as an art itself. In addition to the more traditional ink tattoos, there are those caused by puncturing and/or burning the skin. In this process, known as scarification, scalpels or cauterizing tools are applied to selected areas of the skin, and the resulting scar tissue is the desired result. Better technology has improved technique and ease of application for all kinds of tattooing; in addition, more sanitary conditions have lessened the risk of diseases such as hepatitis. These two points have no doubt contributed to the revival and renewed respect for the practice of tattooing. However, as it will be discussed, changes in attitudes toward the body have also played a part in its reawakened popularity. Body Piercing Body piercing also has a long and varied history, dating back to ancient times. There are mentions of body piercing in the Bible. In addition, it was a frequent practice of ancient Romans. Roman warrior soften pierced their nipples, considering this to be a sign of strength and masculinity; it was also a practical measure, a way of attaching cloaks to the body. Roman gladiators, who usually held the status of slaves, also underwent body-piercing, though as slaves they had little choice. Often gladiators would be subjected to genital piercing, primarily through the head of the penis. This was partially a protective measure, allowing the ringed penile tip to be tied close to the body during battle, protecting it from injury. But it was also a territorial measure, since they were considered property of their owners. Placement of a larger ring through the penile tip could also prevent sex, making it essentially a male chastity belt, to be removed at the discretion of the gladiator’s owner. Aztec and Mayan Indians were known to have pierced their lips as part of religious ritual, believing this brought them closer to their god. They also pierced the septum, believing this gave them a fierce, intimidating appearance during battle. Aztecs and Mayans were also fond of lip labrets, which were often made of precious metals and served highly decorative purposes. During medieval times the art of body piercing lost favour, regaining popularity during the Renaissance period. It enjoyed unprecedented popularity during the Victorian Era, due to the sexual pleasures it was known to enhance. Until recently, body-piercing, like tattooing, was primarily associated with fringe groups in western society. However, today it no longer exists solely in the realm of punk rock and fetish scenes. Nose-,nipple-, and navel- piercing is now common in contemporary western society, alongside the more traditional pierced ears and the less visible genital piercings. Diet and Exercise Diet and exercise often used together are another form of body modification. The diet industry is huge in western countries. Appetite suppressants, both prescription and over-the-counter types, are extremely popular. Fad diets such as the South Beach Diet or the Atkins Program attract and retain large numbers of followers. Health clubs and gyms are another large part of this industry, selling memberships which promise buyers a new way of life and a fit and thin future. To members of a society who desire this more than anything else, it is not a hard sell. Excessive dieting can lead to life-threatening eating disorders. The primary disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and they primarily afflict women, mostly in their teens and twenties. Although â€Å"anorexia â€Å"itself literally means â€Å"loss of appetite,† this disease often has more to do with a denial of appetite rather than loss of desire for food. Its sufferers will go for extended periods of time without eating, or will eat just the barest amounts of food, in an effort to become an/or remain thin. The most tragic aspect of anorexia is that often the sufferer loses a sense of her own body, refusing to acknowledge that she has gone way beyond â€Å"thin† anorexics are often emaciated. Bulimia is a disorder which is characterized by ingestions of large amounts of food binging followed by a period of purging, to rid the body of the unwanted calories. Purging may be achieved by vomiting, either self-induced or through chemicals such as syrup of Ipecac. Excessive laxative use is also associated with this disorder. Often bulimics will have a low-to-normal body weight as compared to anorexics, but sufferers of both disorders face similar health problems due to electrolyte imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, and related complications. Susan Brood sees eating disorders as complex, multi-layered disorders in which the sufferer sees her body as alien, as a threat to control, as an enemy. She also sees it as a gender/power issue and a protest against the confines of femininity. Exercise, on the other hand, can be seen as a way of actively asserting control instead of passively denying oneself. It can be argued that exercise is taken by some for the sake of exercise, but there is no doubt that it is also an activity that is undertaken to combat corporeal excesses and to exert control over the body. Some forms of exercise for example, body-building and weight-lifting, can also be a form of exerting control without the concomitant existence of an eating disorder, and are more commonly undertaken by men, though women are involved in this as well. Surgical Modification Surgical modification can be called many names, among them: plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery; or, as Sander Gilman prefers to refer to it: aesthetic surgery. Indeed, this type of surgery includes a wide variety of procedures, from surgically correcting a birth deform such as a cleft palate, to disfigurements due to accident or injuryor from a subtle removal of â€Å"crows’ lines† or other signs of age, to more dramatic adjustments to a too-large nose or an unacceptably sharp chin. The most extreme result of this type of surgery involves gender modification. Surgical body modification is different from most other forms in that it generally implies a level of secrecy that the others do not. The procedure and the recuperation period that follows both take place behind closed doors, sometimes even in foreign lands. Furthermore, the reappearance of the individual after the procedure is not accompanied by any sort of fanfare; there is an implicit assumption that the individual has always appeared thus, or if the change is dramatic, that it is not to be spoken of. Discussions of surgical body modification in this paper will focus primarily on elective surgery undertaken for purely cosmetic purposes, so that it may be explored and assessed as part of the larger societal trend towards achievement of physical perfection at any cost. II. Literature Review Sander Gilman’s comprehensive body of research is well worth exploring, particularly two of his books: Creating Beauty to Cure the Soul: Raceland Psychology in the Shaping of Aesthetic Surgery, and Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery. His works provide abroad and thorough base for any study of body modification, though his primary focus is on surgical enhancements. Yet while Gilman thoroughly addresses the subject of aesthetic surgery, the focus is on the surgery itself, as well as upon the need for it and what that need signifies. Discussion of the body itself is limited in Gilman’s work; it is seen only in terms of its potential for surgical alteration. In addition, other types of body modification such as piercing, tattoos, weight-loss regimens, exercise are only briefly covered in his work. While he speculates on the significance of aesthetic surgery thoughtfully and articulately, his ideas do not go beyond surgical issues (though, to be fair, they do not pretend to; heist very clear about the scope and limitations of his research). For broader looks at the concept of the body and the various modes of modification now prevalent in society, we can turn to other researchers. Much of the current literature seeks to approach the concept of the body from a different angle, focusing on the body itself. Interestingly enough, many of these researchers find significance in the fact that focus on the body seems to be missing in much of the earlier literature, or, if not missing, submerged. Bryan Turner begins his book The Body and Society by immediately introducing the duality of the body, opening with what is at once seemingly simple yet very complex statement: â€Å"There is an obvious and prominent fact about human beings: they have bodies and they are bodies(Turner 1996, 37). He goes on to point out that despite this very obvious fact, there is a seeming lack of information about the body in sociology; he explains that beyond a wealth of historical and mathematical data, there is really no actual investigation of the bodying and of itself or, rather, that this information is there, but deeply encoded: â€Å"in writing about sociology’s neglect of the body, it may be more exact to refer to this negligence as submergence rather than absence, since the body in sociological theory has had a furtive, secret history rather than no history at all (Turner 1996, 63). Joanne Entwisted cites Turner several times in her own work, though her perspective is clearly focused on the significance of clothing and fashion. In â€Å"The Dressed Body,† she addresses, as the title of her essay suggests, the symbolic meaning of clothing. She points out that there is an abundance of straightforward description concerning the particulars of style: colours, hemlines, cut, accessories but this rarely goes beyond details of style. There is very little literature that looks at the very subtle and complex relationship between the body and clothing. Since social norms demand that bodies must (almost)always be dressed, she finds this lack telling: â€Å"dress is fundamental to micro social order and the exposure of naked flesh is, potentially at least, disruptive of social order† (Entwisted 2001, 33-34). In fact, Entwisted, like many of her contemporaries, views the body as an entity in and of itself, asserting that â€Å"we experience our bodies as separate from others and increasingly we identify with our bodies as containers of our identities and places of personal expression.(Entwisted 2000, 138). Chris Shilling echoes both Turner and Entwisted about the seeming lack of focus on the body itself. However, Shilling points out that this is now changing, and that academic interest in the body itself is steadily growing: â€Å"the sociology of the body has emerged as a distinct area of study, and it has even been suggested that the body should serve as an organizing principle for sociology (Shilling 1993, 1). As for what has brought about this new and much-needed shift in perspective, Shilling and others agree that it seems based on conflict. It is perhaps Shilling who best describes the paradox at the core of this change: â€Å"We now have the means to exert an unprecedented degree of control over bodies, yet we are also living in an age which has thrown into radical doubt our knowledge of what bodies are and how we should control them (Shilling 1993, 3). This paradox is a recurring theme in the literature, both in the writings about the body as well as the multitudinous passages about the various procedures to which it is subjected to in today’s world. There is, however, a general consensus that surgery is the most dramatic form of body modification in particular, cosmetic surgery(Gilman consistently refers to it as â€Å"aesthetic surgery,† which seems much softer and much more positive term). Cosmetic surgery for most of these researchers includes any kind of surgical enhancement that is performed solely for aesthetic ends, although the definition of â€Å"aesthetic† can vary widely. Other types of surgeries are considered as well, including those involving gender modification. However, most of the literature studied for this paper has tended to focus on the more mainstream applications of aesthetic surgery. Transsexual operations, and the many issues therein, are acknowledged by virtually all researchers, but they are not explored in any depth in the sources considered for this paper. Considering the many procedural and ethical issues involved in transgender procedures, this is not surprising. It is a rapidly changing surgical sub-specialty, and one with wide-ranging sociological and psychological issues, none of which can be adequately dealt with in footnote to a more general piece of research. The Body as Object Indeed, the body seems to have become a thing separate from the self, continual work-in-progress with a growing number of options and â€Å"enhancements† to choose from. The theme of body-as-object is echoed throughout the current sociological literature and in other disciplines as well. Speaking of the body as art, Lea Verging posits that The body is being used as an art language by an ever greater number of contemporary painters and sculptors.It always involves, for example loss of personal identity, a refusal to allow the sense of reality to invade and control the sphere of the emotions, and a romantic rebellion against dependence upon both people and things (Verging 2000, 1). Entwisted explores the relationship between the body and societal pressures, asserting that there are â€Å"two bodies: the physical body and the social body† (2001, 37). To understand the role of dress, she further notes, â€Å"requires adopting an approach which acknowledges the body as a social entity and dress as the outcome of both social factors and individual actions† (2001, 48). Entwisted explains that in contemporary culture, the body has become the â€Å"site of identity†: â€Å"We experience our bodies as separate from others and increasingly we identify with our bodies as containers of our identities and places of personal expression† (Entwisted 2000,138). However, when we consider that society pressures us to achieve a single, consistent ideal of perfection, it seems a contradiction to accept the concept of body as a vehicle for personal expression. What personal expression is there in sameness? Verging reconciles this seeming contradiction by perceiving the body as a vehicle for art and language: The use of the body as a language has returned to the scene of the world around us in new and different forms, and it speaks through altered declinations.By way of tattoos, piercings, and citations of tribalism. Through manipulations of its organs. The instrument that speaks and communicates without the word, or sounds, or drawings. The body as a vehicle, once again, for declaring opposition to the dominant culture, but also of desperate conformism. (Verging 2001, 289). Shilling explores the concept of the body as machine, particularly in the world of sports: â€Å"The ‘body as machine’ is not merely a medical image, however; one of the areas in which the body is most commonly perceived and treated in this way is in the sphere of sport† (Shilling1993, 37). He explains that the vocabulary used in the field of sports serves to depersonalize the body, to transform it into an object whose sole purpose is optimum performance: â€Å"the body has come to be seen ‘as a means to an enda factor of output and production†¦as a machine with the job of producing the maximum work and energy’ (Shilling 1993, 37). Turner also addresses the concept of body mutilation as an attempt to assert control in a chaotic world, relating it back to Christianity. He describes the body as â€Å"a genuine object of a sociology of knowledge.†(Turner 1996, 64). He explains that the Western world customarily treats the body as â€Å"the seat of unreason, passion and desire,† and goes on to discuss the battle of the flesh with the spirit: â€Å"flesh was the symbol of moral corruption which threatened the order of the world: the flesh had to be subdued by disciplines, especially by the regimen of diet and abstinence† (Turner 1996, 64). Chaos vs. Order The concept of chaos is another recurrent theme in recent discourse nobody modification. Entwisted sees fashion as one way in which individuals attempt to assert control over the ever-increasing chaos of today’s world† â€Å"If nakedness is unruly and disruptive, this would seem to indicate that dress is a fundamental aspect of micro social order â€Å"she asserts (2001, 35). This is echoed by Armando Favas in Bodies Under Siege: Self-mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry. â€Å"Chaos is the greatest threat to the stability of the universe,† he writes(1996, 231). He goes on to explain how we need social stability taco-exist, that it gives us the framework for appropriate sexual behaviour, the ability to recognize and negotiate among various social hierarchies, and the tools necessary to successfully make the transition from childhood into mature adulthood. â€Å"The alteration or destruction of body tissue† asserts Favas, â€Å"helps to establish control of things and to preserve the social order† (1996, 231). Favas sees self-mutilation as an attempt on the part of the self-mutilator to control the chaotic world around him or her. He also points out that self-mutilation is often culturally sanctioned. Whether or not a practice falls under the category of â€Å"mutilation,† according to Favas, depends on whether or not there is a change to or eradication of body tissue. Clearly tattooing, scarification, body-piercing and surgery meet this criterion. This focus on the body is particularly significant, as Shilling points out, questioning why, â€Å"at a time when our health is threatened increasingly by global dangers, we are exhorted ever more to take individual responsibility for our bodies by engaging in strict self-care regimes† (Shilling 1993, 5). As he and other researchers point out, our inability to control outer chaos seems to have resulted in our focusing on our bodies as disparate parts of ourselves and of our universe: this is one small way we can assert control, or at least feel as though we are. Surgical modification can be called many names, among them: plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery; or, as Sander Gilman prefers to refer to it: aesthetic surgery. Indeed, this type of surgery includes a wide variety of procedures, from surgically correcting a birth deform such as a cleft palate, to disfigurements due to accident or injuryor from a subtle removal of â€Å"crows’ lines† or other signs of age, to more dramatic adjustments to a too-large nose or an unacceptably sharp chin. The most extreme result of this type of surgery involves gender modification. One point that should be reiterated here is that surgical body modification is unique. It is different from most other forms in that it generally implies a level of secrecy that the others do not. Both the procedure and the recuperation period that follows both take place behind closed doors, sometimes even in foreign lands. Furthermore, the reappearance of the individual after the procedure is not accompanied by any sort of fanfare; there is an implicit assumption that the individual has always appeared thus, or if the change is dramatic, that it is not to be spoken of. III. Body Modification: History, Significance, Implications Sander Gilman offers the most comprehensive history of aesthetic surgery, along with a broad and varied perspective. In his books Creating Beauty to Cure the Soul: Race and Psychology in the Shaping of Aesthetic Surgery, and Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery, he addresses the complex reasons behind the growth of aesthetic surgery, and explores its significance and complexity. In the first volume, he clearly focuses on it primarily as a form of psychotherapy. The second work is rich in historical detail and thoroughly traces the development of aesthetic surgery from its earliest days to modern times. Gilman follows the development of aesthetic surgery over the course of the nineteenth century, and notes that during this time â€Å"the idea that one: could cure the illness of the character or of the psyche through the altering of the body is introduced within specific ideas of what is beautiful or ugly (1998, 7). He also asserts that the lessening of the stigma of mental illness is directly related to the fact that in today’s society, the view of aesthetic surgery as a type of psychotherapy is gradually becoming accepted. According to Gilman, â€Å"psychotherapy and aesthetic surgery are closely intertwined in terms of their explanatory models† (1998, 11). He explains that the lessening of the stigma of mental illness has resulted in healthier attitudes towards psychotherapeutic interventions well as a growing acceptance of aesthetic surgery, and he discusses the issue from a variety of viewpoints: the patient, the physician, society at large. Addressing the concept that â€Å"happiness† is the primary motivation that spurs individuals to pursue this avenue of change, he is careful to study the various definitions people offer for â€Å"happiness† and discusses these within the larger societal context. â€Å"Aesthetic surgeons operate on the body to heal the psyche,† asserts Gilman. â€Å"Being unhappy is identified in Western culture with being sick. In our estimation only the physician can truly ‘cure’ our spirits and our souls’ â€Å"(1998, 25). According to Gilman, it was during the Enlightenment that the concept of happiness ceased to be one of a collective morality. During this period, he writes, â€Å"the hygiene of the body became the hygiene of the spirit and that of the state† (1999, 21). Today, he asserts, the â€Å"pursuit of happiness† is no longer a collective goal but an individual desire† (1998, 27). This equating of unhappiness with pain is a concept that began to be formulated in the second half of the nineteenth century, and is closely tied to social and cultural attitudes toward the body and the blurring of the distinction between â€Å"somatic and mental pain,† as he phrases it. Indeed, it is remarkable how often aesthetic surgeons cite â€Å"happiness â€Å"as the goal of the surgery. â€Å"Happiness† for aesthetic surgeons is utilitarian notion of happiness, like that espoused by John Stuart Mill, who placed the idea of happiness within the definition of individual autonomy Happiness, the central goal of aesthetic surgery, is defined in terms of the autonomy of the individual to transform him- or herself (Gilman 1999, 18). In Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery, he states that â€Å"body imagery follows the lines of political and cultural power,† and he offers a clear, in-depth history of aesthetic surgery in the western world, carefully noting its connection to social, political and technological changes (Gilman 1999, 105). He also carefully traces the history of aesthetic surgery, explaining its strong affiliation with syphilis. Apparently, one of the results of syphilitic infection was damage to the nose, and that attempts to surgically reconstruct the nose were therefore strongly and inextricably tied to venereal disease and the concomitant loose morality. The association made between nose surgery and syphilis was so deeply ingrained that it continued to taint aesthetic nose surgery for many years: â€Å"The rise of aesthetic surgery at the end of the sixteenth century is rooted in the appearance of epidemic syphilis. Syphilis was a highly stigmatizing disease from its initial appearance at the close of the fifteenth century† (Gilman 1999, 10). Gilman also discusses the impact of important historical events on the development of surgery in general and on reconstructive surgery in particular; he describes the effect of the American and French Revolution and the American Civil War on body image and on the role of aesthetic surgery in restructuring it. Significant changes in aesthetic surgery took place following the upheaval that resulted from these political revolutions. In a society thus destabilized after years of repression, radical changes in thinking occurred, including changing concepts of the body: â€Å"It is not that the reconstructed body was invented at the end of the nineteenth century,† explains Gilman, â€Å"but rather that questions about the ability of the individual to be transformed, which had been articulated as social or political in the context of the state, came to be defined as biological and medical†(1999, 19). Later developments, such as globalization, have had a huge impact on aesthetic surgery. For reasons of privacy, availability, and/or cost, many people will travel to foreign surgery sites. Since they often spend considerable amounts of time in these locations, they often end up bolstering the economy as tourists, hence spurring an entirely new and thriving industry of medical tourism. Gilman describes medical tourism as a thriving business due to the widespread and increasing popularity of elective aesthetic surgery. â€Å"Fitting In† â€Å"You can become someone new and better by altering the body,† Gilman tells us as he plunges into a lengthy examination of the role body modification has played in society. He begins by discussing the assimilation of foreigners into society, and the steps to which people will go to achieve the goal of â€Å"fitting in† or â€Å"passing† for something they are not: â€Å"the transformation of the individual, such as the immigrant, into a healthy member of the new polis† (Gilman 1999, 20). According to Gilman, happiness may be sought through aesthetic surgery because it offers individuals the opportunity to redefine themselves. Categories of inclusion and exclusion, whether tacit or broadly delineated, impact strongly on societal hierarchies. â€Å"Happiness in this instance exists in crossing the boundary separating one category from another,† explains Gilman. â€Å"It is rooted in the necessary creation of arbitrary demarcations between the perceived reality of the self and the ideal category into which one desires to move† (Gilman 1999, 22). The categories are defined so that there is no question about which category is most beneficial. Of course, the advantages o Search for Identity through Body Modification Search for Identity through Body Modification Title: â€Å"Judging from Appearances: The Search for Identity through Body Modification† I. Introduction Body modification has been practiced in a number of ways and for a variety of reasons since ancient times; it has existed on some level for thousands of years. Historical evidence suggests that red dye extracted from hematite was used to paint the body as many as 20,000 years ago. Archeological evidence proves that as many as 10,000 years ago, parts of animal bones, animal teeth, and colorful stones were used to decorate the body. Hair combs date back to nearly 5,000 years ago. Water served ancient peoples as mirrors until 4,500, when the first mirror is believed to have been invented (Ehsan, 1999, 49-52). Society has progressed since those early days. One need only turn on the television or leaf through a magazine to be bombarded with all kinds of advertisements for body modification. Chemical treatments can straighten hair and change skin tone and texture. Surgical procedures can decrease or (more often) augment breast size. Penile implants claim to enhance sexual performance. Unwanted fat can be removed in any number ways, ranging from dietary changes to liposuction. Some signs of ageing can be temporarily reversed with injections of Botox; others can be permanently altered, again through surgery. Today in the western world, body modification is widely practiced in all classes of society. Often it is the result of societal pressure to achieve perfection. At times it is a ritual or rite of initiation within a group or social hierarchy. Less often, although this is steadily increasing, the body is modified to change its gender; this is done through surgical procedures supplemented by hormonal and similar supplementary treatments. Women are considered the most frequent targets of this pressure to achieve somatic perfection, and therefore they are the most frequent practitioners of body modification. However, this pressure affects men as well. This paper will examine four specific types of body modification: tattooing and scarification; piercing; diet and exercise; and aesthetic surgery. Although these are by no means the only methods of body modification, they are among the most widespread and they cover a wide spectrum. Still, whether it takes the form of a minor dietary modification or an extreme makeover, it is clear that most individuals in the western world practice some sort of body modification. For this reason, it is a practice which merits close study and consideration. How far will some individuals go in this pursuit for perfection? How much of this will society sanction? What are the implications for our future and that of future generations? These are the questions to be explored throughout the course of this research. Tattoos and Scarification The word â€Å"tattoo† is derived from a Tahitian word meaning â€Å"to mark.† The act of tattooing is believed to be over ten thousand years old, and it has had a variety of uses throughout history. Tattoos have played an important role in various tribal and cultural rituals. For example, ancient Greeks used them as part of a sophisticated espionage system. Romans used tattoos to clearly mark criminals and slaves. In Borneo, women would have symbols of special skills or talents tattooed on their forearms, thus alerting potential marriage partners of their marketability. Although tattooing has flourished consistently in many cultures, its popularity in western civilization has fluctuated widely. After waning for several centuries, it was reintroduced in the late seventeenth century, but it was not until the late eighteenth century that it once again became widespread, Even so, it often had negative associations and tattooed individuals were mostly relegated to the fringes of society, such as freak show oddities and carnival workers. In the 20th century, the art of tattooing waxed and waned as society rapidly changed with the proliferation of new and better technologies. By the late sixties it was still primarily an underground operation, often the provenance of biker groups and criminals. From the late twentieth century until today, however, tattooing has enjoyed renewed popularity as body decoration, and is seen in a much more positive light, often as an art itself. In addition to the more traditional ink tattoos, there are those caused by puncturing and/or burning the skin. In this process, known as scarification, scalpels or cauterizing tools are applied to selected areas of the skin, and the resulting scar tissue is the desired result. Better technology has improved technique and ease of application for all kinds of tattooing; in addition, more sanitary conditions have lessened the risk of diseases such as hepatitis. These two points have no doubt contributed to the revival and renewed respect for the practice of tattooing. However, as it will be discussed, changes in attitudes toward the body have also played a part in its reawakened popularity. Body Piercing Body piercing also has a long and varied history, dating back to ancient times. There are mentions of body piercing in the Bible. In addition, it was a frequent practice of ancient Romans. Roman warriors often pierced their nipples, considering this to be a sign of strength and masculinity; it was also a practical measure, a way of attaching cloaks to the body. Roman gladiators, who usually held the status of slaves, also underwent body-piercing, though as slaves they had little choice. Often gladiators would be subjected to genital piercing, primarily through the head of the penis. This was partially a protective measure, allowing the ringed penile tip to be tied close to the body during battle, protecting it from injury. But it was also a territorial measure, since they were considered property of their owners. Placement of a larger ring through the penile tip could also prevent sex, making it essentially a male chastity belt, to be removed at the discretion of the gladiator’s owner. Aztec and Mayan Indians were known to have pierced their lips as part of religious ritual, believing this brought them closer to their god. They also pierced the septum, believing this gave them a fierce, intimidating appearance during battle. Aztecs and Mayans were also fond of lip labrets, which were often made of precious metals and served highly decorative purposes. During medieval times the art of body piercing lost favor, regaining popularity during the Renaissance period. It enjoyed unprecedented popularity during the Victorian Era, due to the sexual pleasures it was known to enhance. Until recently, body-piercing, like tattooing, was primarily associated with fringe groups in western society. However, today it no longer exists solely in the realm of punk rock and fetish scenes. Nose-, nipple-, and navel- piercing is now common in contemporary western society, alongside the more traditional pierced ears and the less visible genital piercings. Diet and Exercise Diet and exercise—often used together—are another form of body modification. The diet industry is huge in western countries. Appetite suppressants, both prescription and over-the-counter types, are extremely popular. Fad diets such as the South Beach Diet or the Atkins Program attract and retain large numbers of followers. Health clubs and gyms are another large part of this industry, selling memberships which promise buyers a new way of life and a fit—and thin—future. To members of a society who desire this more than anything else, it is not a hard sell. Excessive dieting can lead to life-threatening eating disorders. The primary disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and they primarily afflict women, mostly in their teens and twenties. Although â€Å"anorexia† itself literally means â€Å"loss of appetite,† this disease often has more to do with a denial of appetite rather than loss of desire for food. Its sufferers will go for extended periods of time without eating, or will eat just the barest amounts of food, in an effort to become and/or remain thin. The most tragic aspect of anorexia is that often the sufferer loses a sense of her own body, refusing to acknowledge that she has gone way beyond â€Å"thin†Ã¢â‚¬â€anorexics are often emaciated. Bulimia is a disorder which is characterized by ingestions of large amounts of food—binging—followed by a period of purging, to rid the body of the unwanted calories. Purging may be achieved by vomiting, either self-induced or through chemicals such as syrup of Ipecac. Excessive laxative use is also associated with this disorder. Often bulimics will have a low-to-normal body weight as compared to anorexics, but sufferers of both disorders face similar health problems due to electrolyte imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, and related complications. Susan Bordo sees eating disorders as complex, multi-layered disorders in which the sufferer sees her body as alien, as a threat to control, as an enemy. She also sees it as a gender/power issue and a protest against the confines of femininity. Exercise, on the other hand, can be seen as a way of actively asserting control instead of passively denying oneself. It can be argued that exercise is taken by some for the sake of exercise, but there is no doubt that it is also an activity that is undertaken to combat corporeal excesses and to exert control over the body. Some forms of exercise—for example, body-building and weight-lifting, can also be a form of exerting control without the concomitant existence of an eating disorder, and are more commonly undertaken by men, though women are involved in this as well. Surgical Modification Surgical modification can be called many names, among them: plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery; or, as Sander Gilman prefers to refer to it: aesthetic surgery. Indeed, this type of surgery includes a wide variety of procedures, from surgically correcting a birth deform such as a cleft palate, to disfigurements due to accident or injuryor from a subtle removal of â€Å"crows’ lines† or other signs of age, to more dramatic adjustments to a too-large nose or an unacceptably sharp chin. The most extreme result of this type of surgery involves gender modification. Surgical body modification is different from most other forms in that it generally implies a level of secrecy that the others do not. The procedure and the recuperation period that follows both take place behind closed doors, sometimes even in foreign lands. Furthermore, the reappearance of the individual after the procedure is not accompanied by any sort of fanfare; there is an implicit assumption that the individual has always appeared thus, or if the change is dramatic, that it is not to be spoken of. Discussions of surgical body modification in this paper will focus primarily on elective surgery undertaken for purely cosmetic purposes, so that it may be explored and assessed as part of the larger societal trend towards achievement of physical perfection at any cost. II. Literature Review Sander Gilman’s comprehensive body of research is well worth exploring, particularly two of his books: Creating Beauty to Cure the Soul: Race and Psychology in the Shaping of Aesthetic Surgery, and Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery. His works provide a broad and thorough base for any study of body modification, though his primary focus is on surgical enhancements. Yet while Gilman thoroughly addresses the subject of aesthetic surgery, the focus is on the surgery itself, as well as upon the need for it and what that need signifies. Discussion of the body itself is limited in Gilman’s work; it is seen only in terms of its potential for surgical alteration. In addition, other types of body modification—such as piercing, tattoos, weight-loss regimens, exercise—are only briefly covered in his work. While he speculates on the significance of aesthetic surgery thoughtfully and articulately, his ideas do not go beyond surgical issues (though, to be fair, they do not pretend to; he is very clear about the scope and limitations of his research). For broader looks at the concept of the body and the various modes of modification now prevalent in society, we can turn to other researchers. Much of the current literature seeks to approach the concept of the body from a different angle, focusing on the body itself. Interestingly enough, many of these researchers find significance in the fact that focus on the body seems to be missing in much of the earlier literature, or, if not missing, submerged. Bryan Turner begins his book The Body and Society by immediately introducing the duality of the body, opening with what is at once a seemingly simple yet very complex statement: â€Å"There is an obvious and prominent fact about human beings: they have bodies and they are bodies (Turner 1996, 37). He goes on to point out that despite this very obvious fact, there is a seeming lack of information about the body in sociology; he explains that beyond a wealth of historical and mathematical data, there is really no actual investigation of the body in and of itself—or, rather, that this information is there, but deeply encoded: â€Å"in writing about sociology’s neglect of the body, it may be more exact to refer to this negligence as submergence rather than absence, since the body in sociological theory has had a furtive, secret history rather than no history at all (Turner 1996, 63). Joanne Entwistle cites Turner several times in her own work, though her perspective is clearly focused on the significance of clothing and fashion. In â€Å"The Dressed Body,† she addresses, as the title of her essay suggests, the symbolic meaning of clothing. She points out that there is an abundance of straightforward description concerning the particulars of style: colors, hemlines, cut, accessories—but this rarely goes beyond details of style. There is very little literature that looks at the very subtle and complex relationship between the body and clothing. Since social norms demand that bodies must (almost) always be dressed, she finds this lack telling: â€Å"dress is fundamental to micro social order and the exposure of naked flesh is, potentially at least, disruptive of social order† (Entwistle 2001, 33-34). In fact, Entwistle, like many of her contemporaries, views the body as an entity in and of itself, asserting that â€Å"we experience our bodies as separate from others and increasingly we identify with our bodies as containers of our identities and places of personal expression. (Entwistle 2000, 138). Chris Shilling echoes both Turner and Entwistle about the seeming lack of focus on the body itself. However, Shilling points out that this is now changing, and that academic interest in the body itself is steadily growing: â€Å"the sociology of the body has emerged as a distinct area of study, and it has even been suggested that the body should serve as an organizing principle for sociology (Shilling 1993, 1). As for what has brought about this new and much-needed shift in perspective, Shilling and others agree that it seems based on conflict. It is perhaps Shilling who best describes the paradox at the core of this change: â€Å"We now have the means to exert an unprecedented degree of control over bodies, yet we are also living in an age which has thrown into radical doubt our knowledge of what bodies are and how we should control them (Shilling 1993, 3). This paradox is a recurring theme in the literature, both in the writings about the body as well as the multitudinous passages about the various procedures to which it is subjected to in today’s world. There is, however, a general consensus that surgery is the most dramatic form of body modification—in particular, cosmetic surgery (Gilman consistently refers to it as â€Å"aesthetic surgery,† which seems a much softer and much more positive term). Cosmetic surgery for most of these researchers includes any kind of surgical enhancement that is performed solely for aesthetic ends, although the definition of â€Å"aesthetic† can vary widely. Other types of surgeries are considered as well, including those involving gender modification. However, most of the literature studied for this paper has tended to focus on the more mainstream applications of aesthetic surgery. Transsexual operations, and the many issues therein, are acknowledged by virtually all researchers, but they are not explored in any depth in the sources considered for this paper. Considering the many procedural and ethical issues involved in transgender procedures, this is not surprising. It is a rapidly changing surgical sub-specialty, and one with wide-ranging sociological and psychological issues, none of which can be adequately dealt with in a footnote to a more general piece of research. The Body as Object Indeed, the body seems to have become a thing separate from the self, a continual work-in-progress with a growing number of options and â€Å"enhancements† to choose from. The theme of body-as-object is echoed throughout the current sociological literature and in other disciplines as well. Speaking of the body as art, Lea Vergine posits that The body is being used as an art language by an ever greater number of contemporary painters and sculptors.It always involves, for example a loss of personal identity, a refusal to allow the sense of reality to invade and control the sphere of the emotions, and a romantic rebellion against dependence upon both people and things (Vergine 2000, 1). Entwistle explores the relationship between the body and societal pressures, asserting that there are â€Å"two bodies: the physical body and the social body† (2001, 37). To understand the role of dress, she further notes, â€Å"requires adopting an approach which acknowledges the body as a social entity and dress as the outcome of both social factors and individual actions† (2001, 48). Entwistle explains that in contemporary culture, the body has become the â€Å"site of identity†: â€Å"We experience our bodies as separate from others and increasingly we identify with our bodies as containers of our identities and places of personal expression† (Entwistle 2000, 138). However, when we consider that society pressures us to achieve a single, consistent ideal of perfection, it seems a contradiction to accept the concept of body as a vehicle for personal expression. What personal expression is there in sameness? Vergine reconciles this seeming contradiction by perceiving the body as a vehicle for art and language: The use of the body as a language has returned to the scene of the world around us in new and different forms, and it speaks through altered declinations.By way of tattoos, piercings, and citations of tribalism. Through manipulations of its organs. The instrument that speaks and communicates without the word, or sounds, or drawings. The body as a vehicle, once again, for declaring opposition to the dominant culture, but also of desperate conformism. (Vergine 2001, 289). Shilling explores the concept of the body as machine, particularly in the world of sports: â€Å"The ‘body as machine’ is not merely a medical image, however; one of the areas in which the body is most commonly perceived and treated in this way is in the sphere of sport† (Shilling 1993, 37). He explains that the vocabulary used in the field of sports serves to depersonalize the body, to transform it into an object whose sole purpose is optimum performance: â€Å"the body has come to be seen ‘as a means to an enda factor of output and production†¦as a machine with the job of producing the maximum work and energy’ (Shilling 1993, 37). Turner also addresses the concept of body mutilation as an attempt to assert control in a chaotic world, relating it back to Christianity. He describes the body as â€Å"a genuine object of a sociology of knowledge.† (Turner 1996, 64). He explains that the Western world customarily treats the body as â€Å"the seat of unreason, passion and desire,† and goes on to discuss the battle of the flesh with the spirit: â€Å"flesh was the symbol of moral corruption which threatened the order of the world: the flesh had to be subdued by disciplines, especially by the regimen of diet and abstinence† (Turner 1996, 64). Chaos vs. Order The concept of chaos is another recurrent theme in recent discourse on body modification. Entwistle sees fashion as one way in which individuals attempt to assert control over the ever-increasing chaos of today’s world† â€Å"If nakedness is unruly and disruptive, this would seem to indicate that dress is a fundamental aspect of micro social order† she asserts (2001, 35). This is echoed by Armando Favazza in Bodies Under Siege: Self-mutilation and Body Modification in Culture and Psychiatry. â€Å"Chaos is the greatest threat to the stability of the universe,† he writes (1996, 231). He goes on to explain how we need social stability to co-exist, that it gives us the framework for appropriate sexual behavior, the ability to recognize and negotiate among various social hierarchies, and the tools necessary to successfully make the transition from childhood into mature adulthood. â€Å"The alteration or destruction of body tissue† asserts Favazza, â€Å"helps to establish control of things and to preserve the social order† (1996, 231). Favazza sees self-mutilation as an attempt on the part of the self-mutilator to control the chaotic world around him or her. He also points out that self-mutilation is often culturally sanctioned. Whether or not a practice falls under the category of â€Å"mutilation,† according to Favazza, depends on whether or not there is a change to or eradication of body tissue. Clearly tattooing, scarification, body-piercing and surgery meet this criterion. This focus on the body is particularly significant, as Shilling points out, questioning why, â€Å"at a time when our health is threatened increasingly by global dangers, we are exhorted ever more to take individual responsibility for our bodies by engaging in strict self-care regimes† (Shilling 1993, 5). As he and other researchers point out, our inability to control outer chaos seems to have resulted in our focusing on our bodies as disparate parts of our selves and of our universe: this is one small way we can assert control, or at least feel as though we are. Surgical modification can be called many names, among them: plastic surgery; reconstructive surgery; or, as Sander Gilman prefers to refer to it: aesthetic surgery. Indeed, this type of surgery includes a wide variety of procedures, from surgically correcting a birth deform such as a cleft palate, to disfigurements due to accident or injuryor from a subtle removal of â€Å"crows’ lines† or other signs of age, to more dramatic adjustments to a too-large nose or an unacceptably sharp chin. The most extreme result of this type of surgery involves gender modification. One point that should be reiterated here is that surgical body modification is unique. It is different from most other forms in that it generally implies a level of secrecy that the others do not. Both the procedure and the recuperation period that follows both take place behind closed doors, sometimes even in foreign lands. Furthermore, the reappearance of the individual after the procedure is not accompanied by any sort of fanfare; there is an implicit assumption that the individual has always appeared thus, or if the change is dramatic, that it is not to be spoken of. III. Body Modification: History, Significance, Implications Sander Gilman offers the most comprehensive history of aesthetic surgery, along with a broad and varied perspective. In his books Creating Beauty to Cure the Soul: Race and Psychology in the Shaping of Aesthetic Surgery, and Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery, he addresses the complex reasons behind the growth of aesthetic surgery, and explores its significance and complexity. In the first volume, he clearly focuses on it primarily as a form of psychotherapy. The second work is rich in historical detail and thoroughly traces the development of aesthetic surgery from its earliest days to modern times. Gilman follows the development of aesthetic surgery over the course of the nineteenth century, and notes that during this time â€Å"the idea that one: could cure the illness of the character or of the psyche through the altering of the body is introduced within specific ideas of what is beautiful or ugly (1998, 7). He also asserts that the lessening of the stigma of mental illness is directly related to the fact that in today’s society, the view of aesthetic surgery as a type of psychotherapy is gradually becoming accepted. According to Gilman, â€Å"psychotherapy and aesthetic surgery are closely intertwined in terms of their explanatory models† (1998, 11). He explains that the lessening of the stigma of mental illness has resulted in healthier attitudes towards psychotherapeutic intervention as well as a growing acceptance of aesthetic surgery, and he discusses the issue from a variety of viewpoints: the patient, the physician, society at large. Addressing the concept that â€Å"happiness† is the primary motivation that spurs individuals to pursue this avenue of change, he is careful to study the various definitions people offer for â€Å"happiness† and discusses these within the larger societal context. â€Å"Aesthetic surgeons operate on the body to heal the psyche,† asserts Gilman. â€Å"Being unhappy is identified in Western culture with being sick. In our estimation only the physician can truly ‘cure’ our spirits and our souls’ â€Å"(1998, 25). According to Gilman, it was during the Enlightenment that the concept of happiness ceased to be one of a collective morality. During this period, he writes, â€Å"the hygiene of the body became the hygiene of the spirit and that of the state† (1999, 21). Today, he asserts, the â€Å"pursuit of happiness† is no longer a collective goal but an individual desire† (1998, 27). This equating of unhappiness with pain is a concept that began to be formulated in the second half of the nineteenth century, and is closely tied to social and cultural attitudes toward the body and the blurring of the distinction between â€Å"somatic and mental pain,† as he phrases it. Indeed, it is remarkable how often aesthetic surgeons cite â€Å"happiness† as the goal of the surgery. â€Å"Happiness† for aesthetic surgeons is a utilitarian notion of happiness, like that espoused by John Stuart Mill, who placed the idea of happiness within the definition of individual autonomy Happiness, the central goal of aesthetic surgery, is defined in terms of the autonomy of the individual to transform him- or herself (Gilman 1999, 18). In Making the Body Beautiful: A Cultural History of Aesthetic Surgery, he states that â€Å"body imagery follows the lines of political and cultural power,† and he offers a clear, in-depth history of aesthetic surgery in the western world, carefully noting its connection to social, political and technological changes (Gilman 1999, 105). He also carefully traces the history of aesthetic surgery, explaining its strong affiliation with syphilis. Apparently, one of the results of a syphilitic infection was damage to the nose, and that attempts to surgically reconstruct the nose were therefore strongly and inextricably tied to venereal disease and the concomitant loose morality. The association made between nose surgery and syphilis was so deeply ingrained that it continued to taint aesthetic nose surgery for many years: â€Å"The rise of aesthetic surgery at the end of the sixteenth century is rooted in the appearance of epidemic syphilis. Syphilis was a highly stigmatizing disease from its initial appearance at the close of the fifteenth century† (Gilman 1999, 10). Gilman also discusses the impact of important historical events on the development of surgery in general and on reconstructive surgery in particular; he describes the effect of the American and French Revolution and the American Civil War on body image and on the role of aesthetic surgery in restructuring it. Significant changes in aesthetic surgery took place following the upheaval that resulted from these political revolutions. In a society thus destabilized after years of repression, radical changes in thinking occurred, including changing concepts of the body: â€Å"It is not that the reconstructed body was invented at the end of the nineteenth century,† explains Gilman, â€Å"but rather that questions about the ability of the individual to be transformed, which had been articulated as social or political in the context of the state, came to be defined as biological and medical† (1999, 19). Later developments, such as globalization, have had a huge impact on aesthetic surgery. For reasons of privacy, availability, and/or cost, many people will travel to foreign surgery sites. Since they often spend considerable amounts of time in these locations, they often end up bolstering the economy as tourists, hence spurring an entirely new and thriving industry of medical tourism. Gilman describes medical tourism as a thriving business due to the widespread and increasing popularity of elective aesthetic surgery. â€Å"Fitting In† â€Å"You can become someone new and better by altering the body,† Gilman tells us as he plunges into a lengthy examination of the role body modification has played in society. He begins by discussing the assimilation of foreigners into society, and the steps to which people will go to achieve the goal of â€Å"fitting in† or â€Å"passing† for something they are not: â€Å"the transformation of the individual, such as the immigrant, into a healthy member of the new polis† (Gilman 1999, 20). According to Gilman, happiness may be sought through aesthetic surgery because it offers individuals the opportunity to redefine themselves. Categories of inclusion and exclusion, whether tacit or broadly delineated, impact strongly on societal hierarchies. â€Å"Happiness in this instance exists in crossing the boundary separating one category from another,† explains Gilman. â€Å"It is rooted in the necessary creation of arbitrary demarcations between the perceived reality of the self and the ideal category into which one desires to move† (Gilman 1999, 22). The categories are defined so that there is no question about which category is most beneficial. Of course, the advantages of each constructed category are subject to change as society changes. The ideal is to be to move from the negative category to the positive category; the â€Å"catch† is that categories are subject to frequent change. Gilman and other researchers refer to â€Å"the discourse of ‘passing.’† This discourse came into existence during the racially charged nineteenth century, and is, according to Gilman, â€Å"the very wellspring of aesthetic surgery.† Citing the research of sociologist Max Weber, Gilman discusses the concept of validity and acceptance, which are only gained when one is recognized and accepted by the prevailing social group: â€Å"validity through group consensus.† In this light, Gilman posits, we can see â€Å"passing† as a type of â€Å"silent validation† (Gilman 1999, 26). Race and Feature In Customizing the Body: The Art and Culture of Tattooing, Clinton Sanders writes that â€Å"in western societies body sculpting to attain beauty or to avoid identification with disvalued groups is a common practice† (Sanders 1989, 7). He then goes on to describe the many ways in which people try to merge into the desired social group. Kinky hair is chemically straightened, while â€Å"ethnic† noses are permanently reshaped through plastic surgery. Less invasive procedures are dietary changes and exercise routines, which will reduce or increase body measurements in

Creative Writing Example- Cinderella Story

Creative Writing Example- Cinderella Story 1st act (After mother death, Cinderella’s father did his second marriage. She has two daughters.) Father: My dear little daughter. Now this’s your mother and these are your sister’s. Go †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Get know them. (While smiling) Cinderella: Okay father (She was happily went near her sisters and said, let’s share my room all of us. She took them off the stage showing them love) Father: (While looking his new wife) I do hope that you will love and take care of my daughter like your own daughter. I grew up her like a flower. So, please take care of her after I leave. You understand? (She was smiling like make – believing) Step Mother: O key, Now I have not two but two children†¦I’ll take care of them, you. (To herself) Well lest see that after you leave, because I’m the one who ruling the house. Father:-Well, then I’m believing in you. My dear Cinderella†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (Cinderella entering to the stage with her two sisters from left side.) Cinderella: Yes†¦..Father†¦.. Father: My dear I’m leaving now. It’ll take even a One month to come back home. Be good with your step mother and sisters till I come. Okay†¦.. Cinderella: (With a pompous smile) Okay father†¦ Take care of yourself and come back soon. (After short silent of stage) Step Mother:- ( come nearby Cinderella and put her arm around her) Oh†¦.dear why are you crying†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..? Don’t cry†¦..now we are here for you. He’ll be back soon. (Cinderella smiled bit) Father: (come nearby Cinderella and touched her head) Then, I’m leaving. Please take care (After short silent, he’s leaving stage from right side) (Two sisters were sitting on a bench, on stage) Elder sister: Hey†¦. Cinderella enough of crying†¦. Now come here†¦ Do and set aside our things properly. You understand? Younger sister: Yes, after that bring us tea†¦. (Even that Cinderella was silent at the right Conner on the stage) Elder sister: (Got up from the bench and come near Cinderella and Pulled from her shoulder) Can’t you hear†¦..? Go†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ do what I said. (She was trying to leave the stage with sadness) Step mother: (To Cinderella) Hold it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Can’t you hear Cinderella†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. (Came near her and†¦..) We are not hear to pet you†¦ Keep it in your mind. Do what we are telling and don’t let us remind you twice†¦. Understand? Cinderella:- ( Slowly waved her head) Step Mother:- Okay†¦.. Now go bring tea for us. Go†¦.. (Cinderella leaving the stage silently) Step Mother:- ( Turn to her daughters and†¦.. ) We should not pet this lass. Elder Sister:- Yes Yes†¦ She thinks she’s a princess†¦. Hmmm†¦. Younger Sister:- Tell us mother†¦. Aren’t we pretty than her..? Step Mother:- Why not†¦. You two my daughters are the pretty ones. (After short silent) Cinderella†¦. Where are the tea? What are the tea? What are you doing out there†¦.. Still trying to pet by us? (Cinderella enters the stage with the tea) Step Mother:- Where have you been lass? What take this long to prepare tea? Now hurry up†¦ (Cinderella slowly preparing tea†¦. And a voice raised from back stage from back stage) A invitation from royal prince for all the young women for Royal ball ceremony. Today evening at the royal palace, all the young women are welcome by the Prince†¦ Step mother:- Hear that? Younger sister:- yes yes mother†¦.. Can we both also can go†¦.. Isn’t it..? Step Mother:- Yes why not†¦ You both also prettiest ones†¦. Let’s go†¦. Prepared each of yours best cloths.. Go†¦ prepare for the Evening†¦.. (Two daughter’s happily run away from stage) Cinderella:- I also like to be there†¦ Can I go also go the Evening†¦.? Step Mother:- What†¦.? What for you are going†¦? Hm†¦.Do you thinking that you’re pretty to be there..? See..You look like servant†¦ oh†¦ and you are one of.. at this place. Cinderella:- Please mother let me go†¦ Step Mother:- No†¦. You’re not going anywhere†¦ (She pulled Cinderella showing her ill hummer and left the stage) (Cinderella alone at the stage and crying. dropped down to the stage..end of the first act) 2nd act (Background of a room. One side there is a dressing table and two sisters in front of it. They are preparing for the ceremony. Their mother helping them. Cinderella was looking at them sadly) Elder sister:- Mother how is my hair Do you think it enough that I put flowers on my hair? Step mother:- No Its enough.. here.. Put same more powder to your face. Younger sister:- (loudly) Mother. there is a one broken thread come out from my frock.please take it off. Step mom:- Cinderellawhat are you doing.. Dont you have any other work except staring at us. come here and help this child. (Cinderella was silent for a while and come near here younger sister and cut the thread.) Elder sis:- Cinderella.. Where are my slippers. Where.? (She was silent) Where.? Where you kept it? Go. find it I think its in cuberd. (There is coberd corner of the stage, she went there and took those shoes and gave it to his sister.) Elder sis:-   ohh. It is dirty. cant you seeclean it properly. (She is silently doing the work.) Younger sis:- Tell me.how do I lookAm I pretty? Step mom:- YesYou both are pretty my dear daughters. Younger sis:- (while looking at the mirror) Mother. Do you think that prince will like us? Elder sis:- (With angry face) No. prince will like meisnt it mother Myself pretty than her.Isnt it mother Younger sis:- (Giving a hit to her sisters solder) No. I think I am. Step mom:- O kay enough enough. Both of you look pretty Prince will like both of you. (Three of them are fashion their selves. In a dark corner of stage, Cinderella was watching them.) Step mom:- Hurry girls. Time to go Elder sis:- Wait Wait Younger sis: Oh lord Wait.. Step mom: see coach came come hurry up lets go (She led her daughters to the coach. They are leaving the stage. Cinderella was sad and looking around) Cinderella: (Its seems shes sad) Oh I wish that I can be there. (Cinderella is crying. Suddenly the fairy godmother appears to the stage with smoke) Godmother: Oh my dearwhy look very sad.. Cinderella: who are you? Godmother: (came nearby Cinderella) I came here to help youTell me.. Why you look sad? Cinderella: There is a Royal Ball at the royal palace..All the young ladies are going.. (She is thinking) God mother: So Cinderella: So.. My sisters and step mother went there..But they did not allow me to come.. Godmother:-Who? Cinderella: Step mother Godmother: But why..? Cinderella: (sadly) Shes telling that Im ugly. And look like servant. Godmother: (touched Cinderella’s head.) Oh poor I know you are diligent. No Youre the prettiest among them. They just jealous of you. Now. You dont worryIll send you to the ceremony Cinderella: (Surprisely) What.? How? Godmother: Can you bring one pumpkin from your garden..? Cinderella: A pumpkin.? Why.? Godmother: Bring quickly will you. (Cinderella left the stage form right side and come back with the pumpkin.) Godmother: Okkeep it from outside. Cinderella: why is that? Godmother: You do what I said dear (Cinderella took it away and kept outside. she left the stage from right side and came back to the stage.) Cinderella: OkayBut why did you ask me to do that.? Godmother: Just because.. (She was waving her magic staff) Cinderella: (With wondering face) Oh my lord Wow!! A coach wow Its wonderful. lots of horses Godmother: Thats for take you to the palace Cinderella:-For me? Godmother: Yes for you. Cinderella: (Sadly) But. (looking at her dress) Godmother: Why.? Cinderella: My dress is not matching for this occasion†¦ Godmother: Oh my†¦ I almost forgot†¦ wait (Again the fairy godmother waved her magic staff and places it into Cinderella’s hand) Now let’s go to your room†¦ come.. (Cinderella left the stage from left side and again returned back after few minutes†¦ Now she’s well-dressed prettily) Cinderella: (in astonishment happy face) Oh lord, what do I see†¦? A Beautiful dress and shoes for me†¦ you are so kind to me†¦ thank you.. Thank you very much. It’s perfect for me†¦ I’m so happy†¦ Godmother: My pleasure dear†¦ Now hurry up†¦ get into the coach†¦ they will take you to the Royal palace. (While Cinderella running to the coach) Godmother: Oh†¦ wait my dear†¦ Cinderella: Why..? What is it? Godmother: When it’s 12 o’clock you must be at home, dear†¦ Cinderella: But why †¦? Godmother: Otherwise your dress will disappear. Cinderella: (thought a little and) Okay†¦ Now I got it.. It’s clear. I’m leaving†¦ Thank you again for everything. Godmother: Okay my dear†¦ enjoy the Evening†¦ (Cinderella ran away from the stage. Curtain drops. End of the second act) 3rd act (At the King’s ball. The Queen and the King are opening the ball. The musicians are standing behind them with the musical instruments in their hands. When they play and sing the melody â€Å"Brother John† the guests will dance a polonaise.) (Lots of young ladies including Cinderella’s two sisters. They are waiting to move steps to the music) Prince: Minister†¦ did you invite all the young women of our region to the Ball†¦? Minister: Yes my Prince†¦ Prince: Do you think all of them came to the Ball today? Minister: Yes my Prince†¦ I do believe†¦ (From the other side of the stage) Elder Sister: Oh†¦ see the crown Prince.. Younger Sister: yes†¦ wow he looks fabulous†¦ isn’t it†¦? Elder Sister: hmmm (Prince walking around the stage and all the young ladies trying to take his attention) 1 Young Lady: Oh†¦ my dear prince†¦ (Waved her hand to the prince) 2 young Lady: My prince give me a chance to dance with you†¦ Elder Sister: My prince I’m the prettiest among them please take me†¦ (Rendering the royal horns to start the Royal Ball) Queen: (solemnly) the ball is on†¦ please dance and play! (All the young ladies trying to approach the Prince) 3 young Lady: Oh†¦ my prince Please take me take me†¦ 4 young Lady: Prince I’m the best one for you†¦ please choose me.. 5 young Lady: My prince I’ll do whatever you are ordering me to do†¦ please select me†¦ Royal Announcer: Listen†¦ Don’t rush the prince. Prince will select one of you to dance. And the selected one will be the Prince’s spouse. Now calm down†¦ 6 young Lady: please select me my prince (While that one young lady fainted down) Elder sister: My princes please, dance with me†¦ (Prince was laughing to himself) Prince: (secretly) Minister, where did you find these ladies†¦? Minister: Oh†¦ hmm (speechless) (Music and dancing Suddenly Cinderella appears from a corner and the music stops.) Queen: Who is that girl†¦? King: Oh†¦. She looks Beautiful†¦ (Prince was bored finding a girl to dance and suddenly Cinderella caught his eyes) Prince: Minister†¦ who is she She looks charming†¦ so elegant†¦ Minister: yes my price†¦ Ask her to dance with you.. Cinderella: (to herself) Oh.. It’s already begun†¦ (All the other young ladies are staring at Cinderella) Minister: Welcome to the Royal Ball†¦ come join with us†¦ Cinderella: Oh Thank you very much†¦ I thought I’m too late. (All the other young ladies are trying to approach the prince, but prince walk near Cinderella) Elder sister: Where she came from†¦? Younger sister: (irritated) I don’t know†¦ who is that? 1 young Lady: It seems prince going to select her†¦ 2 young Lady: Oh no†¦ (Prince was looking at Cinderella†¦ and she noticed that. She got blushed and turns her face to ground) Prince: Don’t be shy†¦ your fair face became blushed†¦ why†¦? Don’t you like to dance with me? Cinderella: No nothing like that†¦ Prince: Then what is it†¦? Cinderella: (Turned her head to ground with shyly) 1 Young Lady: (Irritated) She’s too much†¦ she’s giggling with the prince.. 2 Young Lady: Yes†¦ she’s trying to taming the prince†¦ Elder sister: Why the prince going to dance with her†¦ aren’t we also pretty†¦? Younger sister: true that†¦ Other Young ladies: (all buzzing together) hmmm†¦ Prince: May I dance with you†¦? What you say†¦? (Cinderella silently gave her hand to the prince) Prince: (with happy face) Let’s start†¦ (The prince and Cinderella started dancing polonaise to the music. They are moving their steps to the melody, romantically†¦ Other Men, Women are also dancing to the music) Prince: (looking at Cinderella’s face) what is your name†¦? Cinderella: Cinderella. Prince: Hmm†¦ it’s perfectly fits for such a pretty young woman like you†¦ Where do you live†¦? Cinderella: (shyly) in the same city†¦ Prince: -why are you shy†¦? Don’t look away†¦ (Prince moved her chin upwards) Look at me†¦ (She was very much blushed and again looked away) Elder sister: She’s trying to own the prince†¦ 1 Young Lady: I think prince also fell into her witchy spell†¦ Elder sister: Where did this witch came from†¦? 2 young Lady: But she’s so pretty†¦ Elder sister: I don’t think so†¦ 3 young Lady: You just jealous with her†¦ Elder sister: (Irritated) No†¦ She isn’t pretty†¦ that’s her witchy looks†¦ (The prince and Cinderella dancing perfectly to the music, also the prince trying to get Cinderella’s eye contact, but she’s still blushing) Prince: You are a dream of my heart now (Music again, they dance. Suddenly the music stops again, they dance. Suddenly the clock strikes 12 times.) Cinderella: It’s 12 o’clock and I have to run. Good-bye, I really had a great fun! (Her dress will disappear†¦ came to her mind†¦ Swiftly left prince hand and started to run impatiently.) Prince: (Astonished face) Cinderella†¦. What happened†¦? (She was like nowhere and ran away from the stage didn’t even answer the prince. While she was running dropped her one of shoes) Prince: (to himself) I cannot figure out†¦ what happened to her†¦ why she left me†¦ (Al the guests are buzzing about what happened) Prince: (falls on one knee) where have you run, the dream of my life†¦? I want to dance with you all night†¦ (He picks up the lost shoe and looks at it. End of the Third act) 4th act (Background of the King’s palace†¦ Prince was sitting on a chair, Cinderella’s shoe in his hand. It seems he’s still thinks about her) Minister: Oh†¦ Look at this†¦ he looks very sad about that incident†¦ May be of that pretty lady†¦ (to himself) I should talk to him†¦ My dear prince you didn’t have your meals properly†¦ What happened to you†¦? Why you look so sad†¦? Prince: (fetch a sigh) I want to find the owner of this shoe†¦ Cinderella†¦ Oh†¦ why she left me like that†¦ Minister: Oh†¦ My dear prince you fell in love with her†¦ Prince: (in a low voice) yes†¦ Minister: (to himself) hmmm†¦ So I have to find her†¦ Prince: Minister†¦ Minister: Yes my dear price†¦ Prince: We have to find her†¦ Because she’s the one who stole my heart. Minister: But how.. My dear prince†¦ There’re thousands of girls in our region†¦ Not only that there will be many girls named Cinderella†¦ Isn’t it my dear prince†¦ Prince: But she’s the one†¦ I need her†¦ It won’t be that difficult. Let’s try†¦ Minister: Hmmm.. (to himself) also won’t be easy†¦ Prince: (suddenly something came to prince’s mind†¦) Minister†¦ Take this shoe to each and every house and check who fits it perfectly†¦ I think we can find her†¦ take her to me†¦ Minister: Hmmm†¦ Okay my dear prince will try†¦ (Prince leaving the stage with lots of hopes and believability in his face†¦ End of the Fourth act) 5th act (Minister entering to the stage with his solders) Minister: This is impossible†¦ How it can be possible†¦ I think this prince is out of his mind†¦ But I’ve to answer him†¦ And he’s expecting a possible answer†¦ we searched half of the city†¦ (Turned to his solders) We’ve no any other option except searching more†¦ Let’s go One of solders: Minister didn’t search this part yet†¦ Minister: Okay then let’s search that way†¦ (The minister and solders are leaving the stage from Right side. Step mother and two sister’s approaches to the stage†¦) (The stepsisters and stepmother are talking. Cinderella is sitting aside, knitting something.) Elder sister: Mother it was a fantastic evening†¦ everything was perfect†¦ Younger sister: What use of that†¦ Step mother: WhyHow was the prince Heard that he’s the handsomest young man in the country†¦ Younger sister: Yes he was†¦ I couldn’t take my eye on him†¦ he’s that dashing†¦ Elder sister: I noticed that once he was looking at me†¦ Younger sister: No way†¦ He didn’t even notice you†¦ He smiled at me†¦ Elder sister: No he looked at me also†¦ (While the discussion Cinderella brought tea for them) Step mom: Oh.. Tea.. Keep it here and leave†¦ (Cinderella gave them tea and went to a corner of the stage and sat down on a bench and started thinking) Step mother: Tell me more†¦ what happened there†¦? Younger sister: What use of telling mother†¦ Step mother: why what happened? Elder sister: The prince was secretly looking at me†¦ but, suddenly one girl came into the Ball and destroyed everything†¦ Younger sister: His attention to me lost by that girl’s arrival†¦ (Sadly) But she’s pretty†¦ Elder sister: Not that pretty†¦ Younger sister: No†¦ she was the prettiest one among all of us†¦ So prince liked her in first sight†¦ Step mother: What†¦ (It seems Cinderella is still thinking) Elder sister: Yes mother†¦ Prince madly liked her†¦ Younger sister: He didn’t even look at us after her arrival†¦ Step mother: Then†¦? Younger sister: (sadly) He only danced with her†¦ Elder sister: Yes†¦ there were many good looking pretty ladies but he didn’t even pay attention to them†¦ (Cinderella was looking at them) Elder sister: Hey Cinderella†¦ what you are looking at†¦ Younger sister: I think she’s spying us†¦ listening to what we are talking†¦ Elder sister: Hey†¦ come here†¦ tell us what were u doing†¦? (Cinderella was silent and turned her head to ground) Cinderella: Nothing†¦ Step mother: Listen.. Listen†¦ someone is calling from outside†¦ Elder and Younger sisters together: Heralds from the Kings Palace†¦ Oh†¦ and Father†¦ Stepmother: But where are these heralds going..? (Heralds, the minister with his two solders enter the room accompanied by Cinderella’s father.) Minister: Please, try on this glass shoe. (Looking through the long list) We know you were at the ball. Elder sister: (trying the shoe on) oh†¦ It’s too small. This isn’t mine†¦ Younger sister: It’s small for me, too. What is the purpose of doing this†¦? Father: But look at my first daughter She has small feet†¦ Her name is Cinderella†¦ May be she’ll fit this.. O’†¦Cinderella†¦ Come here, my dear please take it and try it out will see whether it fits you or not.. (Gives her the shoe†¦ Cinderella was little scared and surprised) Father: Don’t worry dear†¦just try it out†¦ Step mother: But she didn’t go to the ball. She is Cinderella and that is all†¦ I don’t think that it’ll fit Cinderella†¦ Minister: Let’s see after she put it†¦ Cinderella: I want to try it on, Mother†¦. Besides, I’ve got another one of these†¦ (And suddenly she takes the other shoe out of the pocket in her apron) Elder sister: You were that wonderful pretty lady, I see now only I got the picture†¦ Oh†¦, Cinderella, pardon me. Younger sister: And me†¦ Step mother: And me†¦ Father: I knew it†¦ I knew it that one day you will be shine among all of them†¦ Oh†¦ Cinderella†¦ Best wishes to you, my dear daughter. Cinderella: Oh†¦ Father†¦ I love you†¦ Father: My dear you made your mother proud†¦ Even may be I wasn’t a perfect father for you†¦ Pardon me, too. I love you the most†¦ (Her father was crying and shading his tears) Father: But what could I do? Cinderella: No don’t say like that, father†¦ you were the only kindness to me†¦ don’t worry†¦ I am so happy today. Don’t cry father please Minister: Prince is desperately waiting for you dear†¦ you’ve to come with us now†¦ Cinderella: I forgive all of you. I didn’t mind anything. Good-bye father†¦ Good-bye all.. I’ve to go now! Minister: Be quick, let’s go†¦ He’s dying to see you. (All wave her good-bye. Cinderella leaves the room after the Minister and his two solders, also waving her hand.) The end.