Rational Choice Theory Essay -- Legal Issues, Criminal Activity

There are three main points that are reinforced in rational choice theory (Cornish and Clarke, 1986). First, it may work better or worse for different types of crime, yet it is thought that there are rational choices in every type of crime even impulsive and pathologic crimes. Second, the theory should be applied on a crime-specific basis. Hence, burglaries can’t be grouped together in among residential and commercial categories. Rather, they must be broken into smaller facets such as public housing burglaries or wealthy residential neighborhoods. Finally, a distinction is made between criminal involvement and criminal events. Criminal involvement describes how individuals get involved in crime and further continue or abstain from this lifestyle. Criminal events have unique underpinnings, which are often shorter processes than criminal involvement structures. Among the goals of rational choice theory is to explain all types of crime (Cornish and Clarke, 1986). However, it does not propose that there is an underlying unity between different types of crime like other theories. Instead, these diverse elements are important in explaining why such events occur. Also, it incorporates factors that lead to crime, emphasizes the pattern of decisions throughout a criminal career, and accounts for situational variables of crime. In comparison, the deterrence theory proposes that the fear of legal punishment diverts people away from crime, while rational choice theory advances that in the act of choosing whether or not to commit a crime the benefits are weighed (Stafford and Warr, 1993; Cornish and Clarke, 1986). Hence, in both theories pain is a cause for not committing crimes. Furthermore, the deterrence theory has two chil... ...um, these three points show that development is a constant interaction between the self and the environment coupled with chance or luck. Recognizing that luck plays a role, or more appropriately called â€Å"random development noise†, is important to show the significance of the randomness of the process. Thornberry (1987) acknowledges the weight of the social control theory, social learning theory, and integrated models that combine the two. However, there are three limitations. First, causal structures are unidirectional instead of reciprocal. One example, social psychological research points to the reciprocal relationship between delinquent values and behaviors. Second, these theories use models that are usually non-developmental in nature – only focusing on one age range. Lastly, they surmise causal effects in a social structure to be similar throughout.

Comparison of Setting between Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre Essay

In two literary works, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, setting plays an important role. Setting can be described as the time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] and place in which an event occurs. It helps the reader to understand the story and where the character is coming from. Both the authors associate setting to the characters in the story. In Wuthering Heights, the setting represents the nature or characteristics of the characters; while in Jane Eyre, the setting has a function to show the character’s development throughout the story. Throughout the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte effectively uses weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] and setting to give the reader the inside of the personal [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=personal&%3Bv=56] feeling of the characters. The setting used throughout the novel, helps to set the mood to describe the characters. There are two main settings in Wuthering Heights: the houses [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=houses&%3Bv=56] of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Each house represents its inhabitants. The wild, uncivilized manner of Wuthering Heights and the high cultured, civilized nature of Thrushcross Grange are reflected in the characters who inhabit them. Wuthering Heights is a house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] set high upon a hill where is exposed to extreme weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] conditions. The name of the place itself is symbolic of its nature, â€Å"Wuthering being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56].† (page 2). Heights is a bleak, thick-walled farmhouse surrounded by wild, windy moors. The Heights is â€Å"strong,† â€Å"built with narrow windows [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=windows&%3Bv=56] and jutting  cornerstones,† and is â€Å"fortified to withstand harsh conditions† (page 2). The path that is nearest to the Heights is long and winding, with â€Å"many pits, at least, were filled to a level; and entire ranges of mounds, the refuse of the quarries . . . blotted from the chart† (page 19). The description of, â€Å"a few stunted firs at the end of the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56],† and, â€Å"a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun.† (page 2) proves that even the vegetation surrounding the structure conjures images that lack warmth and happiness.[1] Moreover, as the story goes on, the image of â€Å"a range of gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way, as if craving alms of the sun† is similar to the condition of Heathcliff (the thorn) as he tries to ‘reach’ Catherine (the sun) The Heights’ appearance is wild, untamed, disordered, and hard. The characters at Heights tend to be strong, wild, and passionate, much like the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] itself. Heathcliff is Wuthering Height’s human incarnation. He is abusive, brutal and cruel, and as wild and dark as the moors surrounding Heights.[2] Catherine is stubborn, mischievous, wild, impulsive, and arrogant; Hindley is wild, uncontrollable, jealous and revengeful. In Heights, everyone shouts; pinching, slapping and hair [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=hair&%3Bv=56] pulling occur constantly. Catherine, instead of shaking her gently, wakes Nelly Dean up by pulling her hair [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=hair&%3Bv=56].[1] â€Å"The bleak and harsh nature of the Yorkshire hills is not a geographic accident. It mirrors the roughness of those who live there†[2] As a whole, Heights symbolizes hate, anger, and jealousy. Opposite of Wuthering Heights, Thrushcross Grange is set within a lush, protected valley and is covered by a high stonewall. It is filled with light and warmth â€Å"Unlike Wuthering Heights, it is elegant and comfortable-‘a splendid place carpeted with crimson, and crimson covered chairs and tables, and a pure white ceiling bordered by gold’.†[1] It is surrounded by neat, orderly parks and gardens. The Grange is extremely luxurious and beautiful; filled with music [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=music&%3Bv=56],  books [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=books&%3Bv=56], and other lovely objects which express a civilized, controlled atmosphere. The house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] is neat and orderly, comfortable and refined, and there is always an abundance of light.[2] The characters at the Grange are passive, civilized, and calm, which personifies the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] they live in. The Lintons are all very polite, respectable people [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&%3Bv=56]. They are characterized as having, â€Å"pure, pale skin,† and â€Å"light hair [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=hair&%3Bv=56].† The residents of this house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] have much lighter-sounding names than those in Heights — Edgar and Isabella. Isabella and Edgar Linton are well behaved and gentle, as refined and civilized as the Grange; Catherine Linton is energetic and warm-hearted, relating to the bright, cheery air of the Grange.[2] In contrast, Heights is governed by natural elements, especially wind, water [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=water&%3Bv=56], fire, and animals. The world at Grange, however, revolves around reason, formality, and money [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=money&%3Bv=56].[2] Heathcliff and Catherine belong to the natural and immaterial world while the Lintons live in a purely material society. Moreover, the inhabitants of Heights were working-class, while those of the Grange were upper-class society. All of the characters in the novel also reflect the masculine and feminine values of the places they live in. Heights is extremely masculine in that it is strong, wild, and primitive, whereas the Grange is seen as more feminine with marked decadence and gentility.[2] Catherine Earnshaw is willful, wild, and strong (masculine) while Edgar Linton is described as weak person (feminine). Heathcliff is always out of place at Grange because he is absolutely masculine. The Lintons are a contrast to Catherine and Heathcliff in that they are safe, spoiled, and cowardly as opposed to being self-willed, strong, and rebellious.[2] When Edgar Linton insults  Heathcliff, Heathcliff throws a bowl of hot applesauce on Edgar, and in response Edgar whines and cries instead of fighting back. While Heights was always full of activity, sometimes to the point of chaos, life at the Grange always seemed peaceful. Heights was always in a state of storminess while Grange always seemed calm.[1] Brontà « made Heathcliff and Wuthering Heights as one, making them both cold, dark, and menacing, similar to a storm. She also made Thrushcross Grange parallel with the Lintons, which has more of a welcoming, peaceful setting. The marriage of Edgar and Catherine is doomed from the very beginning not only because she does not love [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=love&%3Bv=56] him, but also because each one is so strongly associated with the values of his or her home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56]. Only Hareton and Catherine Linton can sustain a successful mutual relationship because each embodies the psychological characteristics of both Heights and Grange.[2] Catherine appears to display more Linton characteristics than Earnshaw, but her desire to explore the wilderness outside of the Grange links her strongly to the wild Heights people [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&%3Bv=56]. Hareton is rough on the edges because of the influence Heathcliff has had on him, but he has a kind and gentle heart as well as a desire to learn and better himself, which makes for an interesting combination of the characteristics of each household. At the end of the story, the garden that Cathy Linton planted is filled with twisted fir trees and domestic plant. These two kinds of plants joining together represent her personality very well. She has wildness, as the twisted fir tree like her mother, and civility as the domestic plants like her father.[2] Emily Bronte also uses weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] and seasons to create atmosphere and reflect the feelings of the characters. For example, after Heathcliff runs away: â€Å"There was a violent wind, as well as thunder† and a â€Å"storm came rattling over the Heights in full fury† (page 53). This  emphasizes the storm of feelings in the characters concerned.[3] Bronte is able to allow the outer weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] to symbolize the inner emotional state of Catherine.[4] Other example of changes in the weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] is when Cathy’s mood changes after her meeting with Heathcliff: â€Å"The rain began to drive through the moaning branches of the trees, and warned us to avoid delay†¦Catherine’s heart was clouded now in double darkness† (page 148).[3] Toward the end of the novel, around the time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] of Lockwood’s return to visit Heights, the weather [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=weather&%3Bv=56] suddenly becomes kinder and the setting is friendlier[4] â€Å"It was sweet, warm weather† (page 192). There was â€Å"a fragrance of stocks [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=stocks&%3Bv=56] and wall flowers [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=flowers&%3Bv=56], [that] wafted on the air, from amongst them homely fruit trees†. This represents the peaceful in the Heights. Fundamentally, Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is a tale of two very different households that produce two very different types of people [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&%3Bv=56]. As its name suggests, Wuthering Heights is exposed to the wildness of the elements, and it first generation characters are associated with the ‘heights’ of passion. Thruscross Grange has gentler, more cultivated, perhaps Christian (‘cross’) connotations, and it first generation characters are more civilized. In the second generation, the contrast becomes blurred, as Cathy and Hareton plant flowers [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=flowers&%3Bv=56] from the Grange in their garden at the Heights, and finally move to the Grange.[3] Connecting the setting with the time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] the novel was written, the contrast between the houses [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=houses&%3Bv=56] portrays the death or decline of Romanticism. Heights is representative of Romantic excess;  wild, passionate, hard. Romantics worshipped nature and were quick to show emotion and/or passion. The Heights is Romanticism taken to excess. Grange, on the other hand, represents the predominant Victorian values of the time–repression of emotions, education [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=education&%3Bv=56], and money [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=money&%3Bv=56]. The end of Wuthering Heights (Cathy and Hareton abandoning Heights and moving [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=moving&%3Bv=56] to Grange) represents the end of Romanticism, and the ultimate dominance of Victorian values.[5] For Jane Eyre, the settings describe the development in Jane’s life. Charlotte Bronte sets her story in the 1840’s, a time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] often referred as the Victorian age. By doing this, the reader can get a sense of how women were treated, and what responsibilities they were required to maintain in society. Jane lives in a world and in a time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] where society thought women were too fragile to ponder. Women at the time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] have barely any rights at all and are not allowed prominent positions.[6] Jane was a very strong woman for her time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56], as she did not allow people [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=people&%3Bv=56] to mistreat her. She is on a constant search [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=search&%3Bv=56] for love [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=love&%3Bv=56] and goes to many places to find it. Throughout Jane Eyre, as Jane herself moves from one physical location to another (Gateshead Hall, Lowood Institution, Thornfield Manor, Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56], and Ferndean Manor), the settings match the conflicting circumstances Jane finds herself in at each. â€Å"Each time [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=time&%3Bv=56] Jane moves from one locale to another the narrative breaks to set the scene and stress [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=stress&%3Bv=56] that this setting  will form a new stage in Jane’s life†[7] As Jane grows older and her hopes and dreams change, the settings she finds herself in are perfectly accustomed to her state of mind, but her circumstances are always defined by the walls, real and figurative, around her.[8] As a young girl, she is essentially trapped in Gateshead. Her life as a child is sharply delineated by the walls of the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56]. She is not made to feel wanted within them and her emotional needs were ignored. Another place, Lowood, is bounded by high walls that sharply define Jane’s world. Except for Sunday services, the girls of Lowood never leave the limits of those walls. Jane has always lived within physical walls and even as a teacher at Lowood had to get permission to leave. Thornfield is in the open country and Jane is free [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=free&%3Bv=56] from restrictions on her movements. She is still restricted, in a sense, but now she is living with relative freedom.[8] This home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56] was a turning point in Jane’s life because it was the place that major maturing took place in Jane’s life. She finally was able to feel true love [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=love&%3Bv=56] and be loved back, and the love that she had was true love. At Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56], the walls that Jane finds herself within are attractive because of the companionship of Mary and Diana. In the end, she returns to Rochester at Ferndean and, she thinks, to the walls that suit her best. All the walls that had restricted her are gone. She has moved beyond the walls and can be the person that she truly is.[8] This home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56] was very different than the other ones that Jane lived in; it was the one that she was truly happy in although it was just a simple home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56]. Each setting is dominated by different tone. At Gateshead, the tone is passionate, superstitious, and wild. This shows us the irrational elements in Jane’s character. The tone at Lowood is cold, hard, and constrained and reflects the limitations placed on young women by religious thought and social convention. At Thornfield, the setting is personal [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=personal&%3Bv=56] and symbolic, for instance the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] itself is identified with Rochester.[7] At Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56] the tone again becomes more stifling and oppressive as Jane slips back into a more conventional way of behaving, and begin to feel the limitations of St John’s urge to self-sacrifice.[7] When we finally reach Ferndean, we move at last from fear and anticipation to delight. The novel therefore swings between the irrational – Gateshead and Thornfield – and the ratio nal – Lowood and Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56] – reflecting the division within Jane herself, until resolution is achieved at Ferndean.[7] Here, we can see that Bronte uses setting as an important role in the search [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=search&%3Bv=56] for domesticity. Instead of returning to her childhood home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56] to find domesticity, Jane cannot find home [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=home&%3Bv=56] until she moves to a totally different place. Setting plays an equally important role as she moves from Gateshead Hall to Lowood to Thornfield to Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56], and finally to Freudian Manor. She cannot find her native ideal at Gateshead Hall, the site of her childhood torment; or Lowood, a boarding school; or Thornfield, where Rochester hid his first wife and almost became a bigamist; or Moor House [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=House&%3Bv=56], where St. John’s presence constantly reminds her of true love [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=love&%3Bv=56] rarity. She and Rochester can on ly create their own domestic haven in a totally new and fresh setting. Consequently, by allowing Jane to go through so many different settings, Bronte is showing the growth that she undergoes. This growth is from a temperamental young girl to a strong married woman. From those two novels discussed here, we can see that both authors use setting as an important mean in building the characters. If in Wuthering Heights the setting has a function to tell about the character’s nature; where each character distinctly represents the house [http://www.ntsearch.com/search.php?q=house&%3Bv=56] he or she lives in and the values associated with it; then Jane Eyre uses setting to show the development happens in the character’s life. From here, we can see that the setting seems to mimic the feeling of the individuals that are within the novel.

Positive And Negative Effects Of Mass Media - 1578 Words

Introduction The concept behind mass media dates back to the ancient times of when the Egyptians first perfected the hieroglyphics writing system. This moment would mark the day that our lives would change for centuries to come. Innovating its original form, as years progressed, humans have made this powerful tool so widespread that it is a necessity for living in the modern times. As a result of such widespread, the term mass media refers to everyday things like newspapers, television, the internet, and many other means of communication. Even though it went through many transformative stages, this necessity has managed to keep its original role in impacting the society. From affecting the society in both positive and negative ways, it’s†¦show more content†¦The research goes on to indicate how the media lays a foundation that contributes in to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Research done by professionals illustrates a relationship between the media a nd resulting eating disorders. People, especially children, should not experience things these life-draining conditions as they grow up. The Haunting Isolation Furthering the discussion, the media plays a role in creating isolation within an individual. People, for years, have been well aware of the fact that if they do not agree with the dominating view, then they will endure judgment. In A First Look at Communication Theory the Spiral of Silence theory created by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann is acknowledged. The following quote explains exactly how this theory works, â€Å"†¦spiral of silence refers to the increasing pressure people feel to conceal their views when they think they are in the minority.† (Griffin 372). The book goes on to reveal that the driving factor behind the Spiral of Silence theory is no other than the fear an individual has from isolation (see Fig. 1). Fig. 1. Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann’s Spiral of Silence Theory. Data from Mishra, Sneha. Spiral of Silence Theory. Businesstopia. Businesstopia, 2017. Web. 03 Nov. 2017. This figure portrays that if a person agrees with the uncommon view, then they will most likely avoid speaking about the issue. The fear that an individual forms againstShow MoreRelatedThe media have largely negative effects on people. It affects people of all ages, genders, and600 Words   |  3 PagesThe media have largely negative effects on people. It affects people of all ages, genders, and races. Effects are defined as a change that results when something is done or happens or a particular mood or feeling created by something. The media does this in both a positive and negative way but it’s negative effects are much worse and more numerous. Mass media does affect the way in which people think and act. Its positive influences are celebrated, but its negative effects are something not beneficialRead MoreThe Influence of Mass Media on the Young Male Image Essay1645 Words   |  7 Pages Mass media creates a stereotype promoting an image of how a young man should act, appe ar, or resemble in todays society. The media has a great influence over what we view and hear as a society and it can have an effect especially on a younger men and the image that they want to portray. Moreover, the media has a lot to do with the image we perceived in our minds and young men are easily perusable by what they see or hear. With the media flooding negative influence, it builds up to having thisRead MoreEssay on The Media Effects American Culture1249 Words   |  5 PagesThe media is the means of communication, as radio and television, newspapers, and magazines that reach or influence people widely. The growth of the media has spread vastly over the years. The media is also known as a â€Å"channel of mass communication.† â€Å"Mass Media incorporates all those mediums through which information is distributed to the masses. These include advertisements, magazines, newspapers, radio, television, and the Internet† (Sebastian). The media introduces many n ew things to the publicRead MoreThe Influences Of Mass Media On Society864 Words   |  4 PagesThe Influences of Mass Media on Society For the greater majority of the American society, the presence of mass media is a normal part of everyday lives. With the purpose of mass media being to educate, entertain and inform, the excessive violence, self imaging, and lack of full detail on world events, is having negative influences and unhealthy impacts on society. As early as the 1920s, a form of the media has been present in the American society. Although broadcasted content wasRead MoreThe Between Media And Body Image1348 Words   |  6 Pagesconstructed by the society and by the media. But women are affected that kind of construction. Mass media give narrow definition about the standard of beauty. Delis noticed this massage everywhere, especially in the media, â€Å"I am so affected by Glamour magazine and Vogue and all that; I’m looking at all these beautiful women. They’re thin. I want to be just as beautiful. I want to be just as thin. Because that is what guys like† (Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Nagy 12). The media representation of the thin idealRead MoreMass Media And Its Impact On Society1306 Words   |  6 Pagesis mass media. Mass media is a means of communication that reach number of people in a short time. Mass media includes television, newspaper, magazine, radio and Internet (Nariman,2011) . It is a large pool of information from where every type of information can be extracted and is widening more and more. Mass media influences the society especially the younger generation and shape their opinions and decisions. The study of the impacts of mass media requires a great understanding. Mass media haveRead Moreexample of informative speech outline Essay examples899 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ EXAMPLE OF INFORMATIVE SPEECH OUTLINE Informative Outline Topic: Impact of Media in the Society and Individual General Purpose: To Inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience the negative impact of social media in the society and to the individual. Thesis: Social media websites are some of the most popular haunts on the Internet. They have revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. I. Introduction A. Attention Getter: Today, just aboutRead MoreSexual And Mass Media Related878 Words   |  4 PagesMass media makes people standardized the sexuality and people’s point of view by providing sensitive environment everywhere. Movie is the most common sexual environment and the easiest way for directors earn profits. Since something appears in front of people regularly, people will get bore about that or they are too similar with that. What people are looking for sexual in mass media has been changed and their sexual behavior also changed. According to one of projects of Keren Eyal and Dale KunkelRead MoreAnalysis Of News And Social Media Effects On Society And Individuals Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pagesof Paper - Analysis of news and social media effects on society and individuals. II. Introduction – a. Utilizing Sociological and Psychological literature, this paper will conduct a critical analysis of mass media and more specifically social media and the effects/persuasions it has on society and individuals. As this is fairly a debatable topic I will provide arguments focusing on the negative aspects of television and social media as well as some positives. b. My thesis sentence (or hypothesis)Read MoreEssay about Mass Media1507 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss some of the concerns and anxieties aroused by the emergence of mass culture There has always been a definitive struggle to define culture as it is so complex and means something different to each individual. Culture affects all of us in different ways resulting in multiple definitions of culture. Culture had previously been seen as a way of improvement and growth, helping us to understand our place in society and guiding us towards a better understanding of ourselves. Over the previous