ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: family

This meant that a lot of kids were out in the streets playing in the rubble after bombing began, so the Government stepped up the propaganda and encouraged parents that it would be more beneficial to their children to have a quiet, uninterrupted than for them to be wandering the streets alone without anyone looking out for them. The scheme was welcomed by less fortunate people living in the inner-cities; as it was completely free- all they had to do was fill out an application form and get their child to the train station on time; and they were ‘safe’.
Topic: family

The safety of their child weighs over whether or not they trust the Government. They could easily and cheaply send away their children for the duration of the war, in what would not only be a safe experience for them, but also, for many children, an eye-opening one. People living in inner-cities (the most bombed places) were especially embracing of the scheme- “This is like heaven compared to where I come from! ” commented one Mother from Liverpool.
Topic: family

Richer families could afford the luxury of sending their children away to a neutral country, like Canada. Canada was the most popular choice amongst the neutral countries, as it was the closest, and least likely to be bombed. This caused some envy amongst the poorer community, as a lot of prolific members of Parliament chose to send their children away to Canada instead of using their own scheme. This again made people decide against using the Government scheme: for some there were just too many question marks around it for it to work.
Topic: family

Being out of contact with a spouse for four years at an important stage of their life, when they start to identify with people around them and lots of significant changes occur based on their surroundings and natural instinct to adapt, if you are away from them then as a parent, I’d imagine you feel pretty low- what if, as a Catholic, your child is taken into a Protestant home, or another similar case? At the end of the day, some people believed that the Government were taking away their right to raise their children as they saw fit; and if they couldn’t go with them to the country; then their children couldn’t go at all.
Topic: family

For the people who agreed to take an evacuee in, there was a little support financially from the Government, and not much else. From the stereotypes mentioned you might be forgiven for picturing the children evacuated from cities as dirty, snotty trouble-makers who should know better, but some of the hosts weren’t angels. Again, this is only the minority (hence the lack of public outcry against country folk), but one mother innocently sent her child a birthday present, which was gladly received by the host, as she packaged it up again and sent it to her nephew.
Topic: family

Other similar cases occurred, but by and by, the people taking in the children did so with a good heart- their was nothing of any value to gain from the exercise; as the money allowed barely covered the time and energy taken by the host, but everyone was eager to do their bit, and if you were not off on duty or being called into a factory, then taking in a child was a great way to support the war effort: many saw it as directly supporting the parents of the evacuees, who were- mostly- working for the Government in factories or other establishments directly linked to the war effort.
Topic: family

Some, of course, were taken in by the propaganda that the Government had all over the place. One such poster features a picture of an adorable little boy holding a very small bird, and lovingly stroking it as German planes pass over London in the background. “Mrs. Evans saved Johnnie’s life! ” screams the blurb beneath the picture; and it’s all pretty predictable stuff that is carefully worded to make sure people weren’t entirely shocked if they received a ‘problem’ child; and also it carefully words around the fact that they could be more trouble than they are worth.
Topic: family

This is one of the ways that Governments manage to get around the sticky subjects that people throw up at them, by ‘bending the truth’. Yes, the poster admits that Johnnie has caused problems; but the way it is worded makes it seem so lovely and innocent; like a puppy the persistently knocks over expensive vases: “Extra work? Yes, Johnnie’s been a handful!…. but she knows she has done the right thing”.
Topic: family

Whilst this may have been true, I certainly don’t think that the dramatic turn-around the tone used suggests is quite how it happened: nothing can have drastically changed in the six months the obviously fictitious Johnnie had been staying with her. Admittedly, some children were less than enthusiastic to leave; as for them it was nothing more than more school in a different location with mostly the same teachers; but on the whole kids were excited by the prospect of enjoying ‘robbing the orchards’ and playing in open fields so often depicted by books you read in school.
Topic: family

Also, it is harder to relate to people at an older age, and perhaps the prospect of being evacuated to somewhere you’ve never been and to someone you have never met may have been very daunting at first- if it’s scary going up to ‘big school’, even when you’re with your friends, what are the chances of people being scared to go and live with someone for four years? High. Kids were scared, but I think that many of them were forced to grow up fast because of the pressure put on their parents shoulders.
Topic: family

They had to learn to cope with worry and the weight of sorrow and care for their parents that they would never normally experience until an older age: I can certainly see myself worrying about my parents in that situation, and it’s likely others did. That is why I think the Government put an age ‘cap’ on funded evacuation; not because they didn’t want older people going, but because it would have caused more problems with children who actually have the intelligence and diligence to escape successfully should they want to: it honestly wasn’t worth the trouble to the Government.
Topic: family

So then, it seems that there was a divided opinion on whether or not the Government scheme was a success or not: some liked it, justifiably, and some did not, also justifiably. The conclusions that I can draw from this are that people think in different ways: looking at the recent history, whilst to me Mr. Bin Laden is a terrorist, to some members of the Afghan community, he is a freedom fighter and an icon. One mans terrorist is another’s freedom fighter, and one persons well-thought out and implemented scheme to save children is another persons stairway to worry and paranoia.
Topic: family

My contribution to the performance was to play the part of Lily Mortar who, by refusing to go to court, is one of the main reasons that Karen and Martha are stuck in the situation that they are in. As a group, we performed the script staying close to the stage directions given by Lilly Hellman. My Practical work in June was for Option . It was a post-war British Drama named “Billy Liar” produced by Hall and Waterhouse. It was originally released in 1960.
Topic: family

The piece is about Billy Fisher, a lazy, wildly inventive, daydreaming, irresponsible clerk in North Country town possessed with an extraordinarily vivid imagination and an inability to tell the truth for more than two minutes running. Working as an undertaker’s clerk and unable to come to grips with the drab reality of his life–or with his own lack of direction–he treats his girlfriends and his family irresponsibly and spends his time retreating into that daydream world where he is the dictator of an imaginary country.
Topic: family

My contribution to the performance was to play the part of Florence Boothroyd who is Billy’s Grandmother. As a group, we performed the script whilst making the stage directions ourselves. I researched for information on both Billy Liar and The Children’s Hour so that I could have a better understanding of the two plays. The most useful materials concerning The Children’s Hour was the script and the research found about the writer and the play found on the internet. This information was useful as it helped me comprehend my character better and appreciate why the theatrical production was written.
Topic: family

The most useful material concerning Billy Liar was the script and the film. I did not find any constructive research about the dramatic piece. The Children’s Hour is a pre-war piece but Billy Liar is post-war. The language is different as The Children’s Hour is American and Billy Liar has a much more modern and English based approach when the characters speak. The historical periods for both pieces were very much different. The Children’s Hour is about a spiteful child who, angry with a teacher at her school, spreads ruinous gossip.
Topic: family

The lie she tells ultimately destroys the lives of all whom she is associated with and shows the aftermath of the two women after the lie has been spread and Billy Liar follows a boys life for a short period of time concentrating on the web of lies he creates. The two pieces together in fact show two sides to a lie. The characters in Children’s Hour deal mainly with trying to sort out their lives after a lie has ruined them. In contrast, those in Billy Liar, namely Billy Fisher that I also studied, deal with sorting out the lies that he spreads trying to stay on top of them all.
Topic: family

The similarity of the society was the theme of lies but Little Polish Boy also had a strong theme of feminism through it. The culture of little polish boy was of feminists, sexuality and the morality of lies. The culture of Billy Liar was teenagers and the changes in society after WW2. Neither The Children’s Hour nor Billy Liar have conventions, as they are both naturalistic pieces. I have learnt about what life was like in certain situation in different times and countries from the research that my group and I did. From the performance aspect, I have learnt how to convey emotion through actions.
Topic: family

A main theme in Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is that of birth, childhood and parenthood, this is explored through Shelly’s choice of frame narrative and structure for the novel. She uses a circular story in which Robert Walton, an arctic explorer, rescues Victor Frankenstein off the ice whilst he is in pursuit of the monster. This takes place at the beginning of the novel but at the end of the story, which Frankenstein tells to Walton who writes it in letters to his sister.
Topic: family

The monsters first experiences are of cruelty and abandonment as his creator rejects him as do everyone else he comes across. The lessons of “patience, of charity and of self-control” Frankenstein has been taught by his parents were not passed on to the monster; therefore it injures and kills. In the novel, Shelly portrays parental love as not always unconditional. When Elizabeth is brought into the Frankenstein family, she is at first treated with love and compassion, not for her personality, but her natural good looks. “She appeared of a different stock…
Topic: family

Her brow was clear and ample, her blue eyes cloudless, and her lips and the moulding of her face so expressive of sensibility and sweetness. ” Elizabeth stands out and draws people’s attention with her good looks and is treated with higher respect and affection, because of this, she then learns to treat others with the same respect, as she grows older. This is not unconditional love. Frankenstein is not loved unconditionally either, but instead of being loved for good looks, he is hated as a result of bad looks and as the creature grows older, he learns to treat people with the same hate.
Topic: family

So it is logical to believe that if treated with respect and affection as Elizabeth was, the monster would have treated people better and would not have murdered innocent people in revenge. However, it is also perceivable that even if the monster was treated well and not rejected due to his appearance, he would have still committed these horrible crimes. The same principle also applies with Elizabeth. It could be interpreted by the reader that had Elizabeth not been treated well because of her beauty, she still would have treated others with respect.
Topic: family

I could almost imagine Ophelia as a lump of clay, but its not Shakespeare that models her, he gives us a simple character at the beginning symbolized by few words. She is then molded in our minds by the other characters. The same can be said about the way she is brought up, she has no apparent mother figure. Gertrude is the closest she gets, but is an incestuous women who may or may not have had knowledge of or taken some part in the regicide.
Topic: family

The words ‘tumbled me’ means basically ‘had sex with me’, so we can clearly see that there relationship was sexual, if she is referring to their relationship. If she is speaking the truth but did she make love to him with no feeling just because she could, or, because she was in love with a chance to wed the man she wanted? I strongly believe the later to be true, I don’t believe she would commit to having sex with Hamlet without love.
Topic: family

But from Ophelia’s point of view the man she loves goes mad and rejects her saying “I never loved you” her father dies and her brother is away in France. She has now no restraints, it almost as if her family and Hamlet were her anchor holding her to the ground, now that the rope as been cut she is drifting of up into a state madness until she reaches heaven. So therefore part of the madness is simple honesty mixed with the tragedies that have been placed before her.
Topic: family

Her death is also interesting; Gertrude is the one who retells Ophelia’s story. To me, it seems her death was not suicide, but the act of a mad women not knowing what she was doing. Gertrude’s description appears almost romantic and mysterious, hence inspiring Millais to paint her floating peacefully in the river. Gertrude’s explanation of events is very much similar, a peaceful almost poetic end. She could be lying covering up the truth putting a gloss on it for Leartes to hear, I think it is the truth but it wasn’t as simple and elegant as she makes it out to be.
Topic: family

Hamlet’s ‘antic disposition’ affects Ophelia greatly, whether he does it to protect her, or because he is simply cruel he pushes Ophelia away. Hamlet’s plan is to act mad to hide his knowledge of the regicide, using it as a cover. In doing so, he is partly responsible for Ophelia’s madness, killing Polonius, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. If is behavior hadn’t been seen as ‘mad’ R and G would not have been called for, Polonius would not have been hiding where he was and he would not have treated Ophelia in the same cruel way. However more significantly people think less of him and use it against him.
Topic: family

A good example of this is when Claudius sends him to England to be executed as a murderous madman. During his madness he has a very revealing scene (Act 3 Scene 2) with Ophelia where he brings out their secret relationship. He makes very rude jokes, which would only be funny and recognizable to an Elizabethan audience. Only on studying the text closer would a modern audience find the jokes humorous, and even then the most liberal society would still be shocked at what Shakespeare was suggesting.
Topic: family

Imagine being in the Elizabethan period watching Hamlet and two of the lead characters flirting and using obscene jokes. They would find it initially funny in a vulgar sort of way. However their opinion of Ophelia, the daughter of a Lord, would be somewhat less than it should for apparently being able to understand such vulgarity. For them they would respond completely differently to a modern viewer, she would be instantly seen as a ‘wanton whore’ as some critics such as Jeremy Collier suggests. But if we look at the scene does Ophelia understand Hamlet and play along or does she have her words twisted by a perverted young madman.
Topic: family

It is important to note that in the Elizabethan era the word ‘nothing’ meant female genitalia, now is Hamlet meaning ‘nothing’ simply as meaning nothing or is he referring to something much ruder. Does Ophelia understand him? Does she lead him on in this scene and flirt back? I would have to answer no to both questions. However in discussion with fellow students we have seen both sides. It is in some ways possible to see that they are openly flirting with each other, which would make you respond differently to Ophelia. I think what is most likely to be true is that she understands Hamlet, but she is too much of a lady to respond in the same way.
Topic: family

What has become transparently clear from what has been written about Hamlet is that life in Elsinore castle is, to say the very least, strange or ‘rotten’. Ophelia has grown up with less than perfect role models and is in a very poor situation. The politics, which hold her in the castle, are intense. Enemies on all sides surround the country of Denmark. As a result both she and the rest of the residents are effectively, appear to be trapped or held within Elsinore. It comes across as being extremely claustrophobic; everyone knows each other private lives it appears.
Topic: family

The only person that seems to get any space for himself is Hamlet. He has long soliloquies; these become more numerous as he fakes his madness. The point I am coming to is that Ophelia is set free when she dies, she escapes the repression and claustrophobia of Elsinore. Is Shakespeare making a comment about society? This is echoed in the history of Britain, at the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she was set free and a new King came from the north to take the throne and set England on a whole new course.
Topic: family

In conclusion Ophelia is a very simple character made complicated by others. She was an innocent young woman, to be eventually dragged up into women hood, to be used and eventually to death. This is a result of her environment-no mother’s influence throughout, except for Gertrude’s poor attempt, a father who is indifferent about his children’s welfare and a brother away. She falls in love with the crown prince of Denmark; he to loves her “More than a hundred brothers”.
Topic: family

I’m here by the coast. It is very beautiful. I have decided to go back and find someone else. Why should I run away? I can’t give up the little that I have ever had because of a man. He hurt me enough I don’t want to move because of him. I don’t have anywhere to go anyway. I will stay here another month and make sure that returning is really what I want to do. Besides I might have more luck when I get back.
Topic: family

I haven’t written to you in ages. This is because life has been so great. I am still Daisy Renton and I am still with Eric, well was. See the thing is not only have I split up from Eric, but I am also pregnant with his child. I love him so much. We barely spent a day apart. Once I told him I was pregnant he didn’t want to know. He offered me money and I took it. He offered me more but when I asked him where it was from, it turned out to be stolen. So I refused anymore. I don’t know what I am going to do. Again. I think I will have to find an alternative solution to running away this time. After all I have a baby to think of. But I can’t, I can’t bring up a child alone. Why me? It’s always me. I can’t cope anymore. I t is rejection after rejection. I can’t go on living like this.
Topic: family

Eric still hasn’t come aback and I am still pregnant. I have no money, no stable home, and no job. How can I deliver a baby into the world when I have nothing to offer? I don’t have anything to keep me going. How am I going to feed a baby too? There is no hope of having a job and a baby, so there is no point looking. All I need is money. But where am I going to get that? I have only one hope. If this doesn’t work out then I don’t know what I am going to do. There is an organisation called Brumley women’s Charity Organisation. It gives money to needy women. I am a needy woman.
Topic: family

I went and I called myself Mrs Birling that was a big mistake. The woman at the head of the table was a lady who was vaguely familiar. As soon as she spoke I knew she was the woman in Millward’s, the mother of the girl who got me sacked! She was called Mrs Birling and she took no pity on me when I called myself her name. I lied too. They gave me no money and sent me away. I have nothing. What am I going to do? There’s only one realistic option left. I can’t bring a baby up how my life is now…
Topic: family

I can’t go on any longer. I tried to change. Even my name changed. It isn’t fair on my baby if I carry on its life and it isn’t fair on me if I carry on mine. By living I am hurting myself, putting myself though years more pain and rejection. I am going to end it now. Maybe then people like Eric and Gerald and especially Mrs Birling will see what they have done. Not forgetting Mr Birling and the girl that sacked me from Millwards. I am going to help my baby and of course myself, this is the easiest way.
Topic: family

Stories like “Sonny’s Blues” and “Conversion of the Jews” serve a significant role in documenting attitudes and behaviors of the youth, and the society they live in. In Sonny’s Blues, we see how teenagers could be misled due to the difficulties they encounter in their society. It also shows how their society contribute to the hardships they experience. In The Conversion of the Jews, we also see how the society affects the way the main character, Ozzie Freedman thinks and behaves.
Topic: family

Most often, their families cannot understand what they want so they seek other people who could fill in the void. Many youngsters nowadays are much like Sonny. They refuse to go to school; instead they want to be in a band. Just look at the famous boybands or group singers nowadays, e. g. , Westlife, A1, etc. A good number of our youth develop love for music just like the character in the story. Sometimes they start to form a band and jam. Then, they develop some vices, which they think are “in. ” If one does not conform to what others are doing, he is considered an outcast.
Topic: family

However, if the people in the family would only understand the youngster, he would not go somewhere else to comfort him. He would not seek for attention outside his home. In the story, Sonny loses contact with his brother when he is asked to live with the family of his brother’s wife (Isabel’s family). Since the family does not understand him, he looks for other people’s company. This is how he is misled. Just like him, many young people are misled due most often to the inability of their family to understand them. If Sonny’s brother does not leave him after getting married, chances are, he would not have gone astray.
Topic: family

Similarly, the story, The Conversion of the Jews depicts the way adults do not understand the youth. In the story, Ozzie is confused of what to believe in. He does not conform with his Hebrew teacher’s belief that Jesus was conceived through natural method. Instead, he believes that since God is so powerful, He can make such a miracle happen—which is a Catholic view. Having a mind of his own, Ozzie is determined to stand by what he believes in, even though this could mean waging war with the elders. Ozzie mirrors the young children by his curious and naughty behavior.
Topic: family

He is curious to learn about things, especially those concerning God or things that are not clear to him. He longs to find the secret behind Jesus’ existence, and wonders about the power of God, just like many children. He portrays a naughty boy who does not think before he acts, and is often driven by his emotions. Such is seen when he is trying to hide from his teacher. Like Sonny, Ozzie does not care where the path would lead him, as long as that path is not directed towards his teacher. He also tries to run away from those who do not understand him, and seeks understanding and affection from those he loves.
Topic: family

Also, just like Sonny, Ozzie confronts the problem of not being understood. Although he is much younger than Sonny, Ozzie already faces the problem many of our youth encounter. Specifically, his own mother does not understand him while his teacher and his playmates all the more disagree with him. Despite their disagreement, Ozzie is confident of what he thinks, and wins at the end in making the adults—his detractors, agree to what he believes in. He does this with his impish nature, which also mimics children who are very creative in such ways.
Topic: family

At the end, the scene where Ozzie outsmarts his mother and his teacher may seem impossible but this presents other characteristics of the youth. One characteristic it signifies is the ability of the youth to outsmart adults with their naughtiness. Another characteristic that it mirrors borders on a serious topic regarding the youth. Particularly, the scene where Ozzie swears to jump off the roof if his mother and his teacher would not promise to believe in what he says, suggests young people’s resorting to self-destruction.
Topic: family

Although Ozzie’s attempt to commit suicide could only be one of his jokes, we may note from this that young people sometimes resort to self-destruction in order to prove their point. At times, they risk their lives so that others could understand them and pay attention to what they are saying. The same theme of self-destruction is likewise reflected in Sonny’s Blues. Note that Sonny engages in drug addiction before his brother realizes that he has been misled. Although Sonny’s addiction gained his brother’s attention at the end, it is sad that Sonny has to resort to this in order for him to be recognized.
Topic: family

Whether he chooses to do this by will or not, it seems alarming that such a young man could think of self-destruction at a young age. Moreover, Sonny’s self-inflicted destruction leads to drug addiction, which further limits his opportunities in life. Another theme that characterizes the youth in the stories is the attempt to escape from reality. In The Conversion of the Jews, Ozzie attempts to escape his reality by locking himself up. In Sonny’s situation, he tries to escape reality by playing music and being with his friends.
Topic: family

Sad to note, many of our youth today are represented by the characters in these two stories. While some obtain a college degree and land a good job, many do not find the right path because no one is there to guide them. In order to ensure their future, parents and elders alike should work hand in hand in guiding the youth. They should know how to listen to the children when the latter are making a point. They should also understand the youth, and support them in the difficult situations in life. Good guidance should come from the immediate environment such as the family, school, and community.
Topic: family

In the same way that the society should lead the youth, the youth also serve as reminders to the elders. As we see in the two stories, the children’s actions serve as guidelines for elders’ behavior. In Sonny’s Blues, Sonny’s fate in drug addiction serves as a clear reminder to his brother of his negligence of Sonny. In The Conversion of the Jews, Ozzie himself teaches the elders how they should regard God. Although expressed with different styles, these two stories reveal much about the youth in every generation. They mirror the society in which the youth live, and give some advice on how to handle the youth.
Topic: family

I really admire the Toybox worker’s bravery to go out and risk their lives, to go out and help under-privileged street children who are scared, have guns and have never trusted adults in their lives. The street children would defiantly shoot the workers if they had to, and that’s a risk that the workers have to take but they do a good job in earning the children’s trust and trying to get them to come and live in one of the Toybox homes where their standards of living will be so much higher.
Topic: family

Now we have been learning about Toybox, I have felt a lot more privileged about what we now have. I am just glad to have parents who will protect me and to have a warm home to live in. We are lucky to have an active working police force to prevent murders and other crimes, unlike in Guatemala where criminals, murderers and those types of people who an literally get away with murder, they can just run riot with no one to really stop them or enforce the laws.
Topic: family

Upon glancing upon the names of these poems and the content within them, one picks up on two things. Firstly, both poems make reference to the names of male figures that are historically famous, with the first making reference to the famous Greek myth of King Midas, whilst the second makes reference to the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Another similarity that can be picked up on between all both poems (through their respective titles), is the fact that Duffy has used the dramatic monologue to create female partners for the male figures mentioned above.
Topic: family

Each wife’s purpose is to re-tell the individual stories, ideals and situations associated with their husband’s from their perspective whilst acting as their personal critics. One can assume therefore that, Duffy’s main purpose through the use of the dramatic monologue is to give the other side to these famous stories, implying that there is more to them then what has been recorded in history and ultimately accepted by society, whilst at the same time giving each of them a modern setting through her choice of diction to make them accessible to the reader.
Topic: family

This theme of revisionism and the power of the female voice, is recurrent throughout the entirety of the World’s Wife collection. In the first poem “Mrs Midas”, Duffy uses the dramatic monologue to present Mrs Midas’ own account and complaint, of the events leading from the moment she realized her husband’s new found ability, and how his own self-absorption and greed with materialistic things cost him their marriage (in the original myth there was no mention of King Midas’ wife although it was shown that he had a daughter, thus this gives Duffy more of a reason to create the character of Mrs Midas).
Topic: family

The structure of the poem is that of eleven sestets, which helps Mrs Midas break down the story into a steady progression of events in a modern middle class household, to make the poem more accessible. In the beginning of the poem, Duffy makes clear Mrs Midas’ utter shock and disbelief at the idea of her husband having a wish granted. This is shown through her effective use of rhetoric, whilst simultaneously making use of double meanings in the following lines, “Look we all have wishes; granted, But who has wishes granted? “.
Topic: family

In the first half of the line, Mrs Midas shows her acceptability of the fact that all human beings have inner desires and wishes, and that the word “granted” here, acknowledges this fact. However the second half of the line seems to counter this and shows her condoning her husband for his selfishness, whilst at the same time questioning the sanity in having these inner desires and wishes being realized. Thus it can be assumed here that Mrs Midas is portrayed by Duffy as believing that all fantasies should remain as fantasies, as having them transcend into reality could have unwanted and unnatural effects.
Topic: family

This line can also be said to warn of the future events to come which would lead to the end of the Midas’ marriage. Despite this new development however, Duffy manages to present Mrs Midas as retaining a sense of humor when referring to how Midas transforms their spare room into “the tomb of Tutankhamun”. This satirical comment enables the reader to visualize the depth of change that Midas’ touch has brought about, similar to that of an individual going from rags to riches. This mentioning of Tutankhamun, an Egyptian pharaoh, also enables the reader to imagine the vibrant glamour of the room, now comparable to that of a king’s throne room.
Topic: family

Later though, Duffy begins to display to the reader the slowly deteriorating state of the marriage as shown through the lines “Separate beds”, in the beginning of the seventh sestet. These words enable us to visualize the rift that has been created due to Midas’ new ability to turn gold, as well as the gradual loss of intimacy it is creating. It is also interesting to note in this sestet, Duffy’s clever pun on the word “petrified”, with regards to Mrs Midas new found fear of her husband.
Topic: family

Mrs Midas can be said to be have nearly frozen in fear of her husband whilst at the same time having narrowly escaped being petrified by her husband’s touch. Once again though, Duffy manages to preserve Mrs Midas’ sense of satirical humor and irony through the lines “the kiss that would turn my lips to a work of art”. This suggests that secretly, Mrs Midas would not mind being turned to gold, because at the very least, she would have many admirers. Unfortunately things become too unbearable for Mrs Midas, resulting in the physical separation of the couple.
Topic: family

The development of this inability to cope is hinted upon, by the following line “My dream-milk burned in my breasts”. The use of the metaphors “dream” and “burned” by Duffy, symbolizes Mrs Midas’ passionate desire to have a child and tend to it, however she realize that this desire of bearing a child will be nothing short of a fantasy now. Some critics make the arguement that Duffy also plays a pun on the word “burned” here, with the second meaning referring to her growing bitterness towards her husband for his selfish actions.
Topic: family

It can also be said that this is the first time Mrs Midas really gives the reader insight into her deeper thoughts and emotions, whilst at the same time openly displaying her sexuality. Duffy then portrays Mrs Midas as being the one who initiates this separation through the lines “So he had to move out”, which presents Mrs Midas as an individual who will not play the role of the stereotypical wife when important decisions need to be made. The emotional ties between Mrs Midas and her husband are eventually cut , despite the formers’ attempts to maintain what little remnants are left off their waning relationship.
Topic: family

The lines “At first I visited”, portray Mrs Midas initial efforts to make things work (an action that is more commonly associated with men), however Duffy then presents Mrs Midas’ resolve as diminished through her description of Midas as “thin” and “delirious”. These words clearly present Midas as something similar to a wild, stray animal that has lost what little sanity it had previously, and it is through this description that the reader is shown the hopelessness of the situation.
Topic: family

In the end, the reader finds that Mrs Midas has not completely cut off her feelings for her husband as shown through the final lines “I miss most even now, his hands, his warm hands on my skin, his touch. These lines are rather ironic, as while Mrs Midas is aware of the danger of his now tainted touch, she cannot cast of her emotional desire and longing as a woman for a physical display of affection from him. Peter Cash (2002), also reiterates this point stating “The ultimate irony is that Midas possessed a magic touch all along: namely, the physical touch which had the power to transform her into a loving wife.
Topic: family

There is also irony in the description of Midas’ hands as warm, when everything he touches now turns into cold, lifeless gold. In the second poem “Frau Freud”, Duffy uses the dramatic monologue in creating the persona Mrs Freud, who can be seen to be presenting a case to an audience of fellow feminists, in what seems to be a rally regarding the penis (which can be considered the symbol of male sexuality), using her own marriage with the great psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud (from whom came many theories on male and female sexuality) as an example. Thus throughout the poem it can be assumed that marriage and sexuality are the major themes.
Topic: family

Therefore, on a larger scale reminding the reader of two poems that serve as a repertoire to the ‘World’s Wife’, as the somewhat condescending title is a clever over turning of ‘the world and his wife’ implying that women are the property of men. Yet with this exaltation of men, we see that these two poems are not only reminders of the feminist characteristic of ‘The World’s Wife’ but these two women have been given voices by Duffy. Consequently, archetypes for how women respond to male domination reversing the idea of patriachalism and replacing it with an order based on feminine virtues.
Topic: family

In contrast Mrs Rip Van Winkle seems a much more easy flowing poem, each stanza containing only three lines and the first line being the shortest, depicting various time periods and events. The purpose of this is to convey how short lived they actually are for Mrs Winkle, as the poem initially starts with three lines and then ends with three also highlights the entrapment of Mrs Winkle, she began and ended with absolutely the same not being able to permanently free herself.
Topic: family

Thus to conclude, both poems seem characteristic of the ‘Worlds Wife’ not only defying male conventionalism, yet also making the reader aware of relationships that seem to be governed by men. Duffy highlights, not just in these poems but many others in her collection that in order for a woman, to be truly happy she must step out of the web that she has trapped herself into. For a woman also play a very important part in a society and patriarchal views will only ever begin to deteriorate if females begin to make a stand.
Topic: family

Mary Ainsworth developed a method to assess secure and insecure attachments between a child and its primary caregiver. This process is called ‘The Stranger Situation’. The importance of the stranger situation as a research appliance is that it allows researchers to assess whether or not children are securely attached. Ainsworth and Bell (1970) classified the children to be in one of three groups, which were secure, insecure and avoidant. The stranger situation takes place in a laboratory with a set arrangement of attractive toys and furniture. The infants have to be mobile and aged between 12-18 months.
Topic: family

Bowlby believed that if children’s attachment were broken then they did not develop healthy personalities, so therefore this provided evidence that attachment was a main ingredient for a healthy personality. Bowlby said that attachment is one of the main forms of survival. It helps to ensure protection, food and warmth. This allows the young to be around adults and learn how to look after themselves, this is done through imitation. This type of behaviour is predominantly seen in animals. Bowbly later suggests that attachment is seen as a ‘secure base’, which allows offspring to explore the environment around them, which helps cognitive development.
Topic: family

Bowlby believed that infants are born programmed to make an attachment with their caregivers and caregivers to make an attachment with their infants. Infants are born with natural tendency to express social behaviour and bring out social responses from caregivers. Bowlby suggests that an attachment before the age of 21/2 is vital, as it will be impossible to do later. A child with no attachment or a weak attachment will suffer from emotional damage and it may have an effect on future relationships. Bowlby argued that early attachments form templates for future relationships. This draws on ethological studies such as that of Lorenz.
Topic: family

The short-term effect is that the young follow the mother figure everywhere, which is important for food and safety. Lorenz shows this by taking some gosling eggs and divided them into two groups. One group was left with the natural mother and the other in an incubator. When the groups hatched they imprinted on the first moving thing, for one group it was the natural mother and for the other group it was Lorenz. Lorenz group followed him around everywhere. Lorenz distinguished the two groups by marking them. He then placed them altogether with their mother. They both quickly separated, one followed the natural mother and the other followed Lorenz.
Topic: family

Spitz and Wolf supported Bowlby’s theory. They researched 123 babies whose mothers were in prison. In this situation the babies were cared for by their own mothers from birth to about nine months. For three months the mothers were transferred to another block and the babies were looked after at the prison nursery. The babies hardly saw the mothers. The infants had shown symptoms of distress, loss of appetite, crying and failure to gain weight. This demonstrates the short-term physical effects of maternal deprivation.
Topic: family

Rutter suggested that unsociable disorders are linked with broken homes not because of the separation involved but rather because of the dispute and disharmony. It is likely that affectionless mental disorder is due not to the breaking of relationships, but because of the primary failure to form bonds. Rutter tested this in his own research in the Isle of Wight study in 1976. More than 2000 boys aged between 9 and 12, and their families were interviewed. Some of the children that Rutter had interviewed experienced separation due to a physical illness or death of their mothers; others had experienced separation due to psychiatric illness or friction within the family. In the final case, the boys were four times more likely to become delinquent than when separation was due to illness. This research supports Rutter’s hypothesis that it is family conflicts that leads to delinquency and emotional maladjustments, rather than separation on its own.
Topic: family

They researched the experiences of 152 children living in a variety of different families, including reordered families (those where parents had divorced and remarried with stepsiblings). Cockett and Tripp found out that children from reordered homes are more likely to have health problems, experienced friendship difficulties and suffered from low self-esteem. The children living in unbroken families, where there was marital conflict, did less well than children whose parents rarely argue but were better off than those from reordered families. In conclusion, reordering was the worst, followed by discord alone, but discord was found to be a major factor.
Topic: family

At first he refuses because he feels she would be “too soon married…she hath not yet seen the change of 14 years” (P57, Line 9). Capulet knows the age of his daughter whereas Lady Capulet had to ask the nurse, which again implies how Juliet is possibly closer to her father. He seems to be a generally easy-going man; but we know from Act 1 Scene 5 that Capulet can lose his temper very quickly when defied (here by Tybalt).
Topic: family

Juliet speaks very politely to her mother (P67, Line 65) and in the quote above is saying that she will not fall in love until her mother tells her to. This is complete obedience; however, Juliet believes she can control her emotions whereas we know that we cannot help whom we fall in love with. The thought at the base of this image is of Cupid shooting his arrow at a target, refusing to be controlled. Later on in the play, Juliet’s love and obedience for her parents becomes consumed in her greater love for Romeo. Her passion for Romeo is as sudden as his for hers. The obedient child who told her parents she would “endart [her] eye” (P96, Line 97) no further than she had permission to, now calls out and longs for Romeo, (though unaware of his presence) and says [she] will no longer be a Capulet (P97, Line 36).
Topic: family

Where we can see that Juliet wishes to marry for love; “If that thy bent of love be honourable,/Thy purpose marriage…” (P103, Line 143/4); her mother shares a different view on the ideal marriage. Lady Capulet in her proposition to Juliet about Paris says, “So shall you share all that he doth possess” (P69, Line 93). This implies (along with many other parts of her speech) that Lady Capulet sees marriage as sharing wealth and possessions rather than love. By suggesting the idea that Juliet marries Paris, makes Lady Capulet seem concerned for Juliet’s welfare that she will have a good husband who is obviously rich and would look after her.
Topic: family

However, this concern for her daughter is not necessarily accompanied by a close bond of emotion. In fact, Juliet and her mother have a distant relationship. It is by far affectionate as there are no terms, which show affection toward each other in their dialogue. There is also little emotional closeness because Lady Capulet did not bring her up, except for teaching her good manors and courtesy. She left her daughter to the nurse to look after and bring up, ever since Juliet was a baby and the nurse was her wet nurse. Because of this, Juliet is much closer to the nurse and often confides in her, such as about Romeo (P87) when Juliet told the nurse to find out about him. The nurse “can tell her age unto an hour” (P63 Line 11). Lady Capulet even had to check with the nurse how old her daughter was because she was not sure! (P63).
Topic: family

In today’s society, we would generally feel it wrong if someone was employed to look after the child when the mother could do it. We see the best upbringings as those where both parents are with the child to teach and support. However, in the 16th century, it would have been normal for aristocratic families like the Capulets to employ a nurse as a wet nurse. Some families continued to employ the nurse but others left. So, in their fashion, the Capulets are good parents.oweveHH
Topic: family

But Juliet takes the example of none of the people who brought her up. When she falls in love with Romeo, she is following neither her mother nor the nurse’s beliefs. Much of what she says contains sexual references. In Act 2 Scene 5, the nurse has anticipation for Juliet for the sexual pleasures of her wedding bed; “You shall bear the burden soon at night” (Line 75). Her mother, as already stated above, believes in marriage for security and wealth. Juliet is independent of both of these views and decides to marry for love.
Topic: family

Juliet’s mother tells her that her father has arranged for her to be married to Paris; she says he is “careful”; Capulet accepting Paris’ offer, despite his previous comments (“and too soon married”) shows how he is concerned and compassionate for Juliet. They believe that planning her marriage will make her happy and take her mind off Tybalt so in this sense they are being good parents by doing what they believe would make her happy.
Topic: family

However, the fact that this marriage has been arranged without any thought of what Juliet might think about it shows how out of touch they are about her feelings. It probably would not have occurred to them that they were not being good parents to Juliet. It was often the custom then to arrange a suitable marriage for your children – it was probably arranged for them by their parents. When Juliet refuses to accept Paris they are genuinely puzzled by her response. Their reaction is harsh:
Topic: family

This Scene, Act 3 Scene 5, is probably the best illustration of the failings of parental love in the play; even the Nurse, who has had the role of a parent to Juliet lets her down. When Juliet turns to her for help and support she advises her to make the best of things, to marry Paris and forget Romeo. Juliet realises she can no longer look to her Nurse as a mother figure. Juliet must feel completely abandoned by both her parents and Nurse. The nurse says:
Topic: family

We feel at this point in the play hate for Juliet’s parents because we see them through Juliet’s eyes. Her parents’ words are full of harsh language (“tallow-face”, “disobedient wretch”) whereas Romeo and Juliet’s speeches are full of passion, and beautiful language in sonnets and poetry (P85, 95-103). Romeo refers to Juliet as a saint, his love, his lady, the sun, moon, stars, and angels. Love is also a frequently mentioned word. Because of the language, we take the side of Romeo and Juliet and dislike the parents.