Social Stratification in South Africa free essay sample

Social stratification is the hierarchal arrangement of individuals or people or groups of people. It is a form of social inequality. (Haralambos and Holbon: 1990). We will write a custom essay sample on Social Stratification in South Africa or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is mostly based on aspects such as class, gender or race being classified into groups.. In this essay it is going to be discussed how social stratification was practiced in South Africa before the inception of democracy and how exactly these occurrences have changed. It is going to be shown how social stratification has changed after the democratic era. BODY Social stratification in South Africa before independence in 1994 was mainly practiced through apartheid. Apartheid was a policy that was made especially to separate white and black South Africans, mostly this practice favoured white people over black people. It was a tool that was used to oppress, dominate and control black, coloured or Indian people at the expense of the white people. Most people of South Africa dreamt of an egalitarian society which is a society in which everyone is equal (Haralambos and Holbon: 1990). However, after 1994, South African society has been changing. For starters, the country now has a bill of rights. This bill of rights which were put into effect in South Africa after 1994 have helped in the transformation of South Africa. In the past whites and non whites did not have equal rights. Non whites were segregated against using laws which were punishable if broken. Now there is a law against discrimination, stratification does not exist as much as it existed in the past. There is no such law such as the non mixing law between whites and non whites. The marking of territories such as ‘whites only’ is a thing of the past, black and white people are able to mix freely and socialize in all aspects of life from recreation to formal work. This can be proved especially in labour relations because blue collar jobs are now available to non white people in South Africa. This is shown as people of different kinds of races are able to work together in the corporate world. In the past black people were made to work in poor conditions and were sent to unskilled labour market so as to let the whites dominate. In the present day, it is noticed that both white and non whites acquire education in the same institution and are treated equally so as to achieve the same knowledge. These is proved because more black people are educated and have high paying jobs unlike the low class jobs black people had in the past. Good quality schools have been introduced to less affluent areas hence giving under privileged people a chance to get good education, this gives underprivileged black people a sense of belonging. A good example is that since 1994 South Africa has had 3 learned African republican presidents unlike in the apartheid days when the main people in power were white. In the democratic South Africa people have more freedom, be it freedom of movement, thinking, expression, religion just to mention a few. Everyone has the right to their own opinion or belief. For instance, one is free to worship whom they want to, people are now free to express themselves in any possible way. A very significant change in South Africa are the inter racial marriages and mixed marriages which are now a norm. In the past, inter racial marriages were punishable by law which the punishment on the black person being more. Gay marriages were legalized on 1st December, 2006. (Alexander, M: 2006). This shows that people are now free to express themselves and not suppress themselves. People have the right to make their own decisions. Other incidences of stratification that are changing are gender issues mostly on the feminine side. In the past women were looked down upon and just considered as people who just belong in the kitchen. This type of discrimination did not just apply to black people only but to white women as well. Women were not allowed to participate in political issues such as voting and women were not given as much opportunities as men to be educated and were not really allowed to have high paying jobs. South Africa now has a lot of women who are educated are able to maintain high job positions. Women are now allowed to vote which was not possible before democracy was initiated. Now gender quotas have been introduced. These quotas state that they should be a specific number of women in power in Parliament and a specific number of women should have high paying executive jobs. Women are no pushed down because it has been proved they are capable of doing a man’s job. The government of South Africa has tried to get rid of social stratification by emphasizing on right of citizenship, environment and human dignity. These laws basically state that people of all race and class are free to choose were they want to live as long as it is not beyond their means. People of all races are now free to move about and not be monitored like in the past were there were laws about carrying a pass, a person can be in any environment he or she feels like being at any time without being punished. The people in authority no longer use the media and laws to oppress the Africans. All humans with dignity and respect and are treated equally they is no more inferiority complex whether socially or economically. The introduction of the quotas has really changed South Africa in one way or the other. The land quota system has ensured that even non white possess their own land in places that they wish to unlike before 1994 when black people were displaced from their so as to accommodate the white people. Quite alright, South Africa has been recognised as one of the most unequal countries but it should be understandable that the country has not been independent for a very long time and it is really making an effort to end social stratification. In conclusion, South Africa is slowly changing, social stratification is slowly being eradicated through many ways. People in high authorities have been trying their best since 1994 to change things from the way they were before the achievement of democracy. They have been trying to change things using various methods that make it easier to achieve the goals.

Helmuth von Moltke - Franco-Prussian War Field Marshal

Helmuth von Moltke - Franco-Prussian War Field Marshal Born October 26, 1800, in Parchim, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Helmuth von Moltke was the son of an aristocratic German family. Moving to Holstein at age five, Moltkes family became impoverished during the War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807) when their properties were burned and plundered by French troops. Sent away to Hohenfelde as a boarder at age nine, Moltke entered the cadet school at Copenhagen two years later with the goal of entering the Danish army. Over the next seven years he received his military education and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1818. An Officer in Ascent After service with a Danish infantry regiment, Moltke returned to Germany and entered Prussian service. Posted to command a cadet school in Frankfurt an der Oder, he did so for a year before spending three conducting a military survey of Silesia and Posen. Recognized as a brilliant young officer, Moltke was assigned to the Prussian General Staff in 1832. Arriving in Berlin, he stood out from his Prussian contemporaries in that he possessed a love of the arts and music. A prolific writer and student of history, Moltke authored several works of fiction and in 1832, embarked on a German translation of Gibbons The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Promoted to captain in 1835, he took six months leave to travel through southeastern Europe. While in Constantinople, he was asked by Sultan Mahmud II to aid in modernizing the Ottoman army. Receiving permission from Berlin, he spent two years in this role before accompanying the army on campaign against Muhammad Ali of Egypt. Taking part in the 1839 Battle of Nizib, Moltke was forced to escape after Alis victory. Returning to Berlin, he published an account of his travels and in 1840, married his sisters English stepdaughter, Mary Burt. Assigned to the staff of the 4th Army Corps in Berlin, Moltke became fascinated with railroads and began an extensive study of their use. Continuing to write on historical and military topics, he returned to the General Staff before being named Chief of Staff for the 4th Army Corps in 1848. Remaining in this role for seven years, he advanced to the rank of colonel. Transferred in 1855, Moltke became the personal aide to Prince Frederick (later Emperor Frederick III). Leader of the General Staff In recognition of his military skills, Moltke was promoted to Chief of the General Staff in 1857. A disciple of Clausewitz, Moltke believed that strategy was essentially the quest of seeking the military means to a desired end. Though a detailed planner, he understood and frequently stated that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. As a result, he sought to maximize his chances of success by remaining flexible and ensuring that the transportation and logistical networks were in place to allow him to bring decisive force to the key points on the battlefield. Taking office, Moltke immediately began making sweeping changes in the armys approach to tactics, strategy, and mobilization. In addition, work began to improve communications, training, and armaments. As a historian, he also implemented a study of European politics to identify Prussias future enemies and to begin developing war plans for campaigns against them. In 1859, he mobilized the army for the Austro-Sardinian War. Though Prussia did not enter the conflict, the mobilization was used by Prince Wilhelm as a learning exercise and the army was expanded and reorganized around the lessons obtained. In 1862, with Prussia and Denmark arguing over the ownership of Schleswig-Holstein, Moltke was asked for a plan in case of war. Concerned that the Danes would be difficult to defeat if allowed to retreat to their island strongholds, he devised a plan which called for Prussian troops to flank them in order to prevent a withdrawal. When hostilities commenced in February 1864, his plan was bungled and the Danes escaped. Dispatched to the front on April 30, Moltke succeeded in bringing the war to a successful conclusion. The victory solidified his influence with King Wilhelm. As the king and his prime minister, Otto von Bismarck, began attempts to unite Germany, it was Moltke who conceived the plans and directed the army to victory. Having gained considerable clout for his success against Denmark, Moltkes plans were followed precisely when war with Austria began in 1866. Though outnumbered by Austria and its allies, the Prussian Army was able to make near-perfect use of railroads to ensure that maximum force was delivered at the key moment. In a lightning seven-week war, Moltkes troops were able conduct a brilliant campaign which culminated with a stunning victory at KÃ ¶niggrtz. His reputation further enhanced, Moltke oversaw the writing of a history of the conflict which was published in 1867. In 1870, tensions with France dictated the mobilization of the army on July 5. As the preeminent Prussian general, Moltke was named Chief of Staff of the Army for the duration of the conflict. This position essentially allowed him to issue orders in the name of the king. Having spent years planning for war with France, Moltke assembled his forces south of Mainz. Dividing his men into three armies, he sought to drive into France with the goal defeating the French army and marching on Paris. For the advance, several plans were developed for use depending upon where the main French army was found. In all circumstances, the ultimate goal was for his troops to wheel right to drive the French north and cut them off from Paris. Attacking, the Prussian and German troops met with great success and followed the basic outline of his plans. The campaign came to stunning climax with the victory at Sedan on September 1, which saw Emperor Napoleon III and most of his army captured. Pressing on, Moltkes forces invested Paris which surrendered after a five-month siege. The fall of the capital effectively ended the war and led to the unification of Germany. Later Career Having been made a Graf (count) in October 1870, Moltke was permanently promoted to field marshal in June 1871, in reward for his services. Entering the Reichstag (German Parliament) in 1871, he remained Chief of Staff until 1888. Stepping down, he was replaced by Graf Alfred von Waldersee. Remaining in the Reichstag, he died at Berlin on April 24, 1891. As his nephew, Helmuth J. von Moltke led German forces during the opening months of World War I, he is often referred to as Helmuth von Moltke the Elder. Selected Sources Helmuth von Moltke: On the Nature of WarMakers of Modern Strategy: From Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age, edited by Peter Paret with the collaboration of Gordon A. Craig and Felix Gilbert. Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press, 1986.Franco-Prussian War

American Literary Periods

American Literary Periods American literature does not easily lend itself to classification by time period. Given the size of the United States and its varied population, there are often several literary movements happening at the same time. However, this hasnt stopped literary scholars from making an attempt. Here are some of the most commonly agreed upon periods of American literature from the colonial period to the present. The Colonial Period (1607–1775) This period encompasses the founding of Jamestown up to a decade before the Revolutionary War. The majority of writings were historical, practical, or religious in nature. Some writers not to miss from this period include Phillis Wheatley, Cotton Mather, William Bradford, Anne Bradstreet, and John Winthrop. The first Slave Narrative, A Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings, and Surprizing Deliverance of Briton Hammon, a Negro Man, was published during this period, in 1760 Boston. The Revolutionary Age (1765–1790) Beginning a decade before the Revolutionary War and ending about 25 years later, this period includes the writings of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. This is arguably the richest period of political writing since classical antiquity. Important works include the â€Å"Declaration of Independence,† The Federalist Papers, and the poetry of Joel Barlow and Philip Freneau. The Early National Period (1775–1828) This era in American literature is responsible for notable first works, such as the first American comedy written for the stage- The Contrast by Royall Tyler, written in 1787- and the first American Novel- The Power of Sympathy by William Hill, written in 1789. Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, and Charles Brockden Brown are credited with creating distinctly American fiction, while Edgar Allan Poe and William Cullen Bryant began writing poetry that was markedly different from that of the English tradition. The American Renaissance (1828–1865) Also known as the Romantic Period in America and the Age of Transcendentalism, this period is commonly accepted to be the greatest of American literature. Major writers include Walt Whitman, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, and Herman Melville.  Emerson, Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller are credited with shaping the literature and ideals of many later writers. Other major contributions include the poetry of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the short stories of Melville, Poe, Hawthorne, and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Additionally, this era is the inauguration point of American literary criticism, lead by Poe, James Russell Lowell, and William Gilmore Simms. The years 1853 and 1859 brought the first novels written by African-American authors, both male and female:  Clotel, by William Wells Brown  and Our Nig, by Harriet E. Wilson. The Realistic Period (1865–1900) As a result of the American Civil War, Reconstruction and the age of industrialism, American ideals and self-awareness changed in profound ways, and American literature responded.  Certain romantic notions of the American Renaissance were replaced by realistic descriptions of American life, such as those represented in the works of William Dean Howells, Henry James, and Mark Twain. This period also gave rise to regional writing, such as the works of Sarah Orne Jewett, Kate Chopin, Bret Harte, Mary Wilkins Freeman, and George W. Cable. In addition to Walt Whitman, another master poet, Emily Dickinson, appeared at this time. The Naturalist Period (1900–1914) This relatively short period is defined by its insistence on recreating life as life really is, even more so than the realists had been doing in the decades before. American Naturalist writers such as Frank Norris, Theodore Dreiser, and Jack London created some of the most powerfully raw novels in American literary history. Their characters are victims who fall prey to their own base instincts and to economic and sociological factors. Edith Wharton wrote some of her most beloved classics, such as The Custom of the Country (1913), Ethan Frome (1911), and The House of Mirth (1905) during this time period. The Modern Period (1914–1939) After the American Renaissance, the Modern Period is the second most influential and artistically rich age of American writing. Its major writers include such powerhouse poets as E.E. Cummings, Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore, Langston Hughes, Carl Sandburg, T.S. Eliot, Wallace Stevens, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Novelists and other prose writers of the time include Willa Cather, John Dos Passos, Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Gertrude Stein, Sinclair Lewis, Thomas Wolfe, and Sherwood Anderson. The Modern Period contains within it certain major movements including the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Lost Generation. Many of these writers were influenced by World War I and the disillusionment that followed, especially the expatriates of the Lost Generation. Furthermore, the Great Depression and the New Deal resulted in some of America’s greatest social issue writing, such as t he novels of Faulkner and Steinbeck, and the drama of Eugene O’Neill. The Beat Generation (1944–1962) Beat writers, such as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, were devoted to anti-traditional literature, in poetry and prose, and anti-establishment politics. This time period saw a rise in confessional poetry and sexuality in literature, which resulted in legal challenges and debates over censorship in America. William S. Burroughs and Henry Miller are two writers whose works faced censorship challenges. These two greats, along with other writers of the time, also inspired the counterculture movements of the next two decades. The Contemporary Period (1939–Present) After World War II, American literature has become broad and varied in terms of theme, mode, and purpose. Currently, there is little consensus as to how to go about classifying the last 80 years into periods or movements- more time must pass, perhaps, before scholars can make these determinations. That being said, there are a number of important writers since 1939 whose works may already be considered â€Å"classic† and who are likely to become canonized.  Some of these very established names are:  Kurt Vonnegut, Amy Tan, John Updike, Eudora Welty, James Baldwin, Sylvia Plath, Arthur Miller, Toni Morrison, Ralph Ellison, Joan Didion, Thomas Pynchon, Elizabeth Bishop, Tennessee Williams, Philip Roth, Sandra Cisneros, Richard Wright, Tony Kushner, Adrienne Rich, Bernard Malamud, Saul Bellow, Joyce Carol Oates, Thornton Wilder, Alice Walker, Edward Albee, Norman Mailer, John Barth, Maya Angelou, and Robert Penn Warren.

The tell-tale heart short story Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The tell-tale heart short story - Coursework Example He thus interpreted love and hate similar to Freud as universal emotions, hence severed from the particular conditions of time and space (Poe, 2014). He is, therefore, motivated to kill the old man whom he loved by neither passion nor desire for money but a fear of the man’s pale eye that triggers his hatred. Argument two is that Poe’s terror results to the narrator’s simultaneous love for himself and hatred of his rival. Such a double depicts the inseparability of love and hate and hence two forms of the key intense form of human emotion. The narrator thus loves himself, however, when feelings of self-hatred appear in him, the narrator projects such a hatred onto an imaginary copy of himself (Poe, 2014). Thus, he confesses a love for an old man whom he violently murders and dismembers. He thus decides to tell a story in which he will defend his sanity yet admit to having killed an old man. Argument three is that the narrator instigates the story by addressing the reader and claiming that he is nervous but never mad. Therefore, the narrator reveals his madness through an attempt to delink the person of the old man, whom he loves, from that of old man’s supposedly evil eye, triggering the narrator’s hatred (Poe, 2014). Subsequently, such delusional distinction helps the narrator to remain unaware of the paradox of claiming to have loved his

Obstacles and Constraints Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Obstacles and Constraints Paper - Essay Example It is a common term that is used by ecologists in their study to define the relationships between two or more organisms. Mutualistic is a term that is used to define a relationship between two organisms, in which they co-exist with the help of each other. In this case of relationship, both the organisms’ co exit in a mutual way, both of them gain benefits from each other, there is no organism that is at harm. Commensalistic is a term that is used to describe a relationship is which there one party who is benefitting is and then there is one party that is not benefiting at all. The two parties are existing together in a mutual way, and one is gaining advantage from the other while the other is gaining no benefit or no disadvantage as well. Parasitism is a term that is used when both the parties exist mutually but one party is living off the other. One of the parties derives benefits from the other party and the other party is getting harmed by the benefits. Competition in this both the parties try to exist mutually but then they fail due to the fact that both of them try to gain benefits but none of them gains anything out of it. In this both the parties end up harming each other. While the final form is Neutralism, in this both the parties remain unaffected and neither benefits nor is disadvantaged. In a good sense, the relation between the policy maker and the agent of implementation is an mutualistic relation. They can both function together in a mutual way and benefit each other. In this case, a policy designer is the person who designs policies, he designs policies keeping in mind the actual requirements of the city, now after he has done designing he expects that the policy implementer would implement it as it is and make amends only when required not on his personal opinion. When the relationship is bad then, we can say that there exists a Competition type of relationship, both try to implement and have their choice implemented, this way the genera l masses get no advantage out if it and they both end up harming their own reputations and their own egos (Amos, 1988).   In this case the government has faced a serious lack of implementation, they ordered a step but then refrained funding. It should have happened that the government should have actually provided the funds that were enough to sustain and maintain the police force. When such high amount of force is added, there is a need to accommodate their salaries, the ammunitions that is being provided to them and the uniforms that has to be provided. These are some of the basic things that have to be provided. The government had provided for the first timers only, later there was no release of funds which actually became a burden (Amos, 1988).   There are many financial constraints that are involved when any policy or any project is to be implanted. The budget is divided according to the requirements of the projects. But usually the prices are underestimated. It has also be en seen many times that the government or the higher officials do not allow the money to trickle down enough to be sufficient. Many a times the sanctioning of the budgets take up a lot of time and hence the projects are stalled a lot. There is always a serious need of training for the police officers that were hired; the government did not fund the training. When new people are hired they need to be trained. This is the

Agroclimate Factors of Oil Palm in Nigeria

Agroclimate Factors of Oil Palm in Nigeria EFE S. I. AWARITEFE O. D. ABSTRACT. Using multiple correlation analysis and student ‘t’test, the Agroclimate factors of Oil Palm production was examined for ten years periods. Result showed that Agroclimate factors (sunshine, temperature and rainfall) are highly correlated with oil palm yield. This is evident from a multiple correlation of 74%. It was also observed that oil palm yield is more in the dry season than in the wet season. INTRODUCTION Any agricultural system is a man-made ecosystem that depends on climate to function just like the natural ecosystem. The main climatic elements that affect crop production are solar radiation, temperature and moisture. These climatic parameters and other depend on them, largely determine the global distribution of crops yield and livestock (Ayoade, 1993). He stresses further that climate elements exert an influenced on all stages of the agricultural production chain, including land preparation, sowing, crop growth and management, harvesting, storage, transport and marketing. This view has earlier be noted by Oguntoyinbo (1983) when he attributed the donation of the cocoa and kola-nut belt in southwest, oil palm bush in southeast and the north south ridge of river Niger comprising area of groundnut, cotton and rice cultivation to these climate vagaries. However, climate influence on oil palm has attracted the attention of some scholars over the years. Amongst whom are Manning (1956), Broekman (1963), Oshodi (1966); and Hartley (1988). An examination of their views shows that Manning (1956), outlined the rainfall requirements of selected food and commercial crops grown in West Africa, and he opined that the mean annual rainfall for oil palm is between 1500— 3000mm in West African Countries. Devuyst (1963) correlated oil palm yield with the influence of rainfall alone; using the concept of useful rainfall. His work however showed a positive correlation. He regarded rainfall as the sole agent influencing oil palm yield, and consequently considers any yield maxima to originate in wet season. Broekman (1963) accepted the view of Devuyst but differs in his finding. He stressed that dry season rainfall is positively correlated with oil palm yield. To him, it is reasonable to except that the amount of rainfall during the dry season will be of particular importance, as moisture is a limiting factor during this period. On the other hand, Oshodi (1966) computed the effective growth energy index for some selected crops in Nigeria. The index was however based on only temperature and rainfall. The Effective Growth Energy (E.G.E) for oil palm in Nigeria is 250-300Â °F. Harley (1988) stated that oil palm yields are correlated with dry season rainfall with measures of effective sunshine, which take into account the distribution of such rainfall in’ the dry season. It is clear from the foregoing that rainfall and temperature correlation with oil palm has been substantiated, however, the relationship between sunshine and oil palm yield, as well as the joint contribution of sunshine, rainfall and temperature, has not be substantiated. Similarly there are divergent views on the relationship between the seasons and oil palm yield. Also, since the establishment of Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) in 1939 there have been a relative neglect in the development of Agroclimatological Research Unit in the institute. While other research units (Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Engineering Research, Agronomy, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Extension and On-Farm Adaptive Research, Entomology, Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology and Statistics) have been developed. What exists in that unit is a dilapidated weather station where climate data’s are collected and never used for research purposes. So, the present study of Agroclimatic factors of oil palm yield in Nigeria is borne out of the desire not only to fill the above gaps, but to proffer useful suggestion that will guide both the oil palm farmers, and the NIFOR officials on the need to plan with the climate of the area. Therefore, the aim of the study is to examine the extent to which temperature, sunshine and rainfall correlate with oil palm yield. STUDY AREA The Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) is located approximately 29km North West of Benin City, Edo State in Nigeria. It was established in 1939 as Oil Palm Research Station (OPRS) by Nigeria Department of Agriculture. It was taken over in 1951 as West Africa Institute for Oil Palm Research (WAJFOR) by West African Research Organization (WARO). This organ was dissolved in 1960 after independence, and the station was renamed Nigeria institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) by Nigeria Institute Act No. 33 of 1964 mandate extend to Coconut, Raphia and Date palm research. The soil in NIFOR is acid type of sand which is an important oil palm growing soil in Nigeria (Hartley, 1988). The soil are well drained and acidic with clay content in varying proportion at different depths. The soil are deficient in plant nutrient hence the great need for fertilizers application to cultivate palms in NIFOR. NIFOR belongs to the tropical equatorial climate belt of the world, and falls within the tropical rainforest belt of Nigeria. The region is characterized with high rainfall and temperature. Rainfall is over 2066mm per annum, and temperature of 30 33Â °C. Vegetation here is luxuriant type dense tropical rainforest, which comprises of evergreen trees such as mahogany, Walnut etc. The research institute today has sub-stations and experimental stations all over the country where crops are cultivated due to their different climatic requirements. CONCEPTUAL ISSUES The most important concept for this study is the concept of climate and agriculture relationship. This concept which have been adopted by Broekmans (1963); Devuyst (1963); Oguntoyinbo (1966); Hartley (1988); and Ayoade (1993) in similar studies. reveals much on how climatic parameters (rainfall, sunshine, temperature, evaporation etc) are closely interrelated in their influence to drops. Because of this crops/plants are grown in a climatic belt that is best suited for its growth. Thus all crops cannot thrives well in one climate region. For instance, oats and fruits are best grown in the Mediterranean climate while, root crops such as cassava thrives well in region of abundant rainfall and temperature (Neiwolt, 1982). Similarly, since climate is one of the most important natural factors which controls the growth of plants, plant communities therefore undergo gradual changes. And this is because of its ability to cope with the prevailing climatic conditions and also to compete for resources of that environment. Hence, the type of plants/crops cultivated in an area is related to the climate. Also, the annual yield and profitability of farming are predicated on weather elements. In fact, in this part of Nigeria, climate vagaries disrupt the efficient practice of agriculture, and climatic fluctuation creates significant changes for agriculture produces. It is on this that the growth and yield of oil palm is based. Oil palm are found in region with moderate rainfall, high temperature and sunshine which enable the fruit to ripe (Hartley, 1988). METHODS The data used for this study were extracted from the archives of the Agrometerological and harvesting units of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) Benin City. Monthly and annual temperature, rainfall and sunshine data were collected from the Agrometerological division, while the monthly and annual oil palm yield data were collected from the harvesting unit both data were collected for ten year periods. The choice often years was based on availability and consistency of data. The seasons were delineated using six months (April — October) as wet season and October — March as dry season. Reconnaissance survey was also conducted round the oil palm farms in the institute. Multiple correlation analysis and students ‘t’tests were used to analyze the data. The multiple correlation analysis was used to ascertain the joint relationship between oil palm yield and rainfall, temperature and sunshine. Apart from the joint contribution of the climatic parameters to oil palm yield, it will also enable us to ascertain the individual contribution of sunshine, rainfall and temperature respectively to the oil palm yield (Ayeni, I Q94). Student ‘t’ test was used to determine the season with highest oil palm yield over the years: as well as to ascertain whether there is any significant difference in oil palm yield in the dry and wet season. DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS The data collected from the study are presented and discussed in the table below. Table 1: Annual Oil Palm Yield (tons): Temperature (Â °C) Sunshine (hours): and Rainfall (mm) from 1989— 1998. From Table 1 above, the mean annual oil palm yield is 3464 tons, temperature is 32Â °C; sunshine 147 hours and rainfall 165mm. This showed a high yield, high temperature and a high sunshine duration respectively. During this periods, the highest yield of 4961 tons was recorded in 1996, this was followed by 4470 tons in 1989, 39O7tonsinl99O;38lltonsinl995,325ltonsin 1991,3245tonsin1993,3201 tons in 1992, 3177 tons in 1998,2983 tons in 1997 and the lowest yield of 1632 tons was recorded in 1994. This shows that there is no definite pattern of oil palm yield rather the oil palm yield has being fluctuating over the year (See figure 1 below). Temperature distribution during this period is generally high over the years, with the highest temperature of 32.8Â °C in 1997 and the lowest temperature being 30Â °C in 1996. However, there is a little variation in temperature over the years given a range of 2.8Â °C. Sunshine duration is also generally high during this period. This is evident from the mean of 147; and the highest and lowest sunshine duration of 179 in 1989 and 115 in 1997 respectively. Sunshine did not also follow a definite pattern as it varies with a range of 64 hours. Rainfall also fluctuates over this period of study. Fig. 1 above revealed that the three parameters (temperature, sunshine and rainfall) and oil palm yield followed a similarly pattern. There was a sharp drop in oil palm yield in 1994 occasioned by a drop in all the weather parameters. This gives a rainfall range of 78mm. It is evident from the above, that temperature, sunshine and rainfall influences the oil palm yield. The high yield recorded over the years could be explained to the high temperature, sunshine and rainfall respectively that encouraged its growth, and the ripening of the oil palm fruits. The seasonal distribution of oil palm yield, temperature, sunshine and rainfall is another pointer to the fact that climatic element correlates with oil palm yield. This is illustrated in figure 1. Figure 2 shows that oil palm yield, sunshine and temperature exhibits similar pattern of variation. Oil palm yields increases from 366 tons in January to 435 tons and 432 tons in March and April respectively. This being the months with the lowest oil palm yield, it then decreases from 288 tons to 186 tons in July and August, being the month with lowest palm yield. Thereafter it rises to 2112 in the month of October. Sunshine duration followed a similar pattern, the highest duration of sunshine were noticed during the dry seasons. This showed a duration of 201, 185 and 182 hours in the month of November, December and January respectively, while the lowest sunshine duration of 70, 87 and 97 hours was recorded in July, August and September being the period of wet seasons. Temperature also exhibits a similar pattern with oil palm yield and sunshine duration. Generally, temperature is higher in the dry season, than in the wet season. This is evident from temperature of 33.7Â °C, 34Â °C and 35Â °C recorded in the months of December; March and February; and 3 1Â °C, and 29Â °C in June, July August and September respectively. Rainfall distribution over the years showed a direct opposite pattern to sunshine and temperature with the highest amount of 317mm, 312mm and 313mm recorded in the month of July, August and September respectively (see fig. 2). The lowest amount of rainfall (23 mm and 10mm) was recorded in January and December being the dry season in Nigeria. To ascertain whether there is significant difference in the seasonal variation in oil palm yield, the student ‘t’ test showed that there is significant difference between oil palm yields in the dry and wet season. This is evident from the calculated ‘t’ value of 7560, which is far higher than the critical table value of 2.0. at 0.05 significance level. This is another pointer to the above distributional pattern, which shows that the dry season recorded the highest oil palm yield than the wet season. The effect of the climatic factor (temperature, sunshine duration and rainfall) on oil palm yield was also analyzed. Result showed that they jointly contributed 74% to oil palm yield. This is evident from the result of multiple correlation analysis of yield, sunshine, temperature and rainfall. Thus it can be deduced that sunshine, temperature and rainfall are significantly related with oil palm yield. The rest 26% could be explained by other factors such as edaphic factors, evapo-transpiration, pests, humidity and diseases, etc. The contributions of each climatic factors to oil palm yield was also shown from the multiple correlation result. The result showed that sunshine, temperature and rainfall contributed 70%, 25% and 5% respectively to oil palm yield during this period. From this analysis one could now say that sunshine exerts the highest influences of 70% on oil palm yield than the other factors. This is because, sunshine duration did not only aids in ripening of the oil palm f ruits, but also generate photosynthesis, which is the main energy source of all plants. Temperature influence on oil palm yield is as a result of the high sunshine duration. Rainfall, however, has a little influence on oil palm yield most especially during the dry season when plants generally needs moisture in the soil for growth and general survival. Apart from the Agroclimatic factors of oil palm yield, the field observation conducted round some farms in NIFOR, reveals that weeds as well as seasonal outbreaks of pests and diseases were prevalent in the farms. Oil palm yield lost caused by these factors may be considerable over the years. More so when the diseases are often weather related, either in terms of local weather conditions being unfavourable for its growth and development or in terms of the prevailing winds helping to import air-borne germs/ spores into a given areas. The pests and diseases were more during the dry season where rainfall is minimised. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The study revealed that Agroclimatic factors (sunshine, temperature and rainfall) exert high influences on oil palm yield. 74% expansion of oil palm yield is attributed to these climate factors. The rest 26% is attributed to other factors such as edaphic factors, pests, diseases, weed, humidity, etc. Sunshine, however, exerted more influence on oil palm yield than rainfall and temperature. Similarly, oil palm yield is more in dry season than in wet season. And there is more prevalence of pest and diseases in oil palm farms during the dry season than in the wet season. To improve oil palm yields and to eradicate pest and diseases there is the need for the fanners and NIFOR officials to plan with the climate of this prevailing environment. Thus, oil palm should be cultivated during the wet season because of availability of moisture for its growth, and harvesting during the dry season because of high sunshine for its ripening. The farms should be constantly cleared to eliminate weeds since they accelerate water loss by transpiration at the expense of the oil palm. There should be weekly or monthly routine check-up of the oil palm plantation, so that the affected stands can easily be treated with the necessary pesticides or insecticides. This will also lid p to prevent the spread of epidemic outbreak across the stands. The use of fertilizer and irrigation system should be intensified than the present level of usage in NIFOR. The irrigation is highly needed in the early age of oil palm growth during the dry season. The Agroclimate unit of NIFOR should be upgraded to research division and the attached weather station should be well equipped with modem Agroclimatic facilities/equipment. This division when upgraded will play advisory roles on the effect of climate factors on the various crops that is cultivated by this institute. REFERENCES Ayeni B. (1994), Quantitative Method for Geography Students. Research Support Services. Ibadan, pp. 72 81. Ayoade J. O. (1993), Introduction to Climatology for the Tropics. Spectrum book Ltd. Ibadan, pp. 204 220. Broekmans A. (1963), Growth, Flowering and Yield of the Oil Palm in Nigeria. In West African Institute for Oil Palm Research No. 12. Devuyst A. (1963), Annual Oil Palm Yield. West African Institute for Oil Palm Research, No. 12. Hartley C. W. S. (1988), The Oil Palm Tropical Agricultural Series, Longman Group Ltd, London. Manning H. L. (1956), The Statistical Assessment of Rainfall Probability and Its Application to Uganda Agriculture. Proceedings of Royal Society Series, pp. 144, 460 480. Oguntoyinbo J. S. (1966), Climate and Mankind. Annual Lecture Series Presented to the University of Ibadan. Oshodi F. R. (1966), Biometerological Studies of Nigerian Crops. Nig. Met. Services Lagos. Nienwolt S. (1982), Tropical Climatology: An Introduction to the Climate of the Low Latitude. John Wiley and Sons. Ltd. Chichester.

Belonging Essay: “Rabbit Proof Fence” by Phillip Noyce Essay

â€Å"A sense of belonging comes from having connections with people and place†/ Compare how the texts you have studied convey these ideas. Who am I? Where do I belong? ‘A person’s identity is shaped by their sense of belonging and/or not belonging’. This concept is clearly explored in the touching movie â€Å"Rabbit proof fence† of three girls running away to find way home, to where they belong to. Whereas, Peter Skrzynecki’s poems â€Å"Postcard† and â€Å"10 Marry Street† focus on the self-awareness and conflicts inside the author as he tries to find his identity and belonging through a postcard and his old house. â€Å"Rabbit- Proof Fence† is a 2002 Australian drama film directed by Phillip Noyce. The true story is set in 1931, about three aboriginal girls forced to leave their families in Jigalong as they are half caste children to be trained in the domestic ways of modern civilization. The film explores aspects of bo th belonging and not belonging in telling the story of these Aboriginal girls. Throughout Phillip Noyce’s â€Å"Rabbit Proof Fence†, Molly has a strong sense of connection to the land and to her family. As she says at the beginning, â€Å"Our people, the Jigalong mob, we were desert people then, walking all over our land†; it clearly shows where she feels she belonged. But her words â€Å"The white people†, shows her opposite feeling as she has no sense of belonging to white society. Young Molly is told by her mother about a significant figure of her culture, the spirit eagle which symbolises the totem of her community and the connection to her ancestor. The image of the family playing and hunting together in the opening scene is one of unity, support and protection. Unfortunately, Molly’s family is soon separated as the children are sent thousands of miles away. The scene when the children are taken by the police is extremely dramatic and intense. The sense of loss is made greater by the screaming of the children and mother, her repeating the word â€Å"mine† showing her ownership of her children and the frenzied feeling created through hand-held camera work. The children’s new home at Moore River is so unfamiliar and is juxtaposed with the natural world of their bushland home. The image of Molly, her sister and her cousin sleeping together in the same bed focuses our attention on their need to feel secure and protected. They are forced to s peak English, and their language was thought â€Å"wangka†, â€Å"jabber†. The girls are taught to give up their culture and their language to learn the white culture which is completely strange to  them. The enticements of the white people, â€Å"You’ll feel quite at home in this new world† does not attract Molly and even makes her sick. The climax is when Molly decides to escape from Moore River. They walked 1500 miles along the longest fence in the world being hunted by Constable Briggs and an Aboriginal tracker. The fence in the movie represents a symbol of the way to their home. When they grip the fence, the film juxtaposes image of their mother also gripping the fence, and a close-up shot of their smiles reveal their joy of being connected by beautiful emotional music. Molly and her sister then continue their long journey home overcoming many obstacles to be finally reunited with their family. The slow motion image of the mother crying, hugging the kids emphasises the significance of their need to belong and the strong connection to fa mily. The movie would not have a happy end as Molly is then taken away after she gets home, but it cannot stop her from running away all her life to be where she belongs. If â€Å"Rabbit-Proof Fence† leaves the audiences beautiful images of a family’s strong connection and the desire to belong to a real home, the poem ‘Postcard’ by Peter Shrzynecki explores the concept of belonging on the persona’s sense of cultural identity. It is a postcard that the author received, which depicts the city of Warsaw in Poland, his homeland. However he does not feel the same sense of connection to his homeland that his father feels, but rather feels alienated and disengaged. The negative connotations of the verb â€Å"Haunts† and its position on a line by itself highlight the persona’s unease and uncertain connection to the place. This contrasts his friend’s perception that his parents will react positively to this postcard, feeling a sense of connection to it: â€Å"he requests I show it to my parents.† The separation of â€Å"I† and his parents on a separate line suggests their different perception s to the postcard. The poet described the picture in the postcard without enthusiasm, from the â€Å"Red buses† to â€Å"The River and its concrete pylons and the sky’s brightest shade†. The colours in the post card are unnatural and his unfamiliarity with Warsaw is emphasised when he cannot tell whether something is a park. Skrzynecki however, is stuck by the moment. The usage of personification gives the effect of the poet’s conversation with Warsaw, â€Å"I never knew you†, which is his direct refusing of relation to the place. The following â€Å"Except in the third person† emphasises the poet’s sheer distance and detachment in his life from the city. Contrast to Skrzynecki’s  negative to the city, his parents and their friend as â€Å"dying generation† are continuing the attachment to the city with a strong sense of belonging. They â€Å"shelter†, â€Å"defend†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Despite living in a new city, these older migrants find a sense of collective belonging in reminiscing about their â€Å"Old Town†. The persona clearly distances himself from this, separated through the distinction made between the pr onouns, â€Å"I† and â€Å"They†. The author then confronts the conflict which lies in the rhetorical question â€Å"What’s my choice to be?† as his parents will be proud and speak of their â€Å"Beloved Ukraine†. The poet recognises the city’s offers but concludes that he cannot give it more than â€Å"eyesight† and â€Å"praise† and his response will not come from his heart. Yet, it then ends with a tone of desperation as he asks, â€Å"What more do you want besides the gift of despair?† Which reinforces the poet’s conflict to acknowledge his connection and loss with the city. The use of direct speech: â€Å"A lone tree whispers, we will meet before you die† personifies Poland and suggests it is calling him home. It is a prophecy that he must visit Poland in order to understand his identity. The reason he could not yet belong to Australia is simply because he did not understand his original heritage. For Skrzynecki, to belong to Australia he must first belong to, and understand Poland by visiting it and giving in to its calling. The experiences of belonging on the other hand, are often initiated at birth within family, as it is the first group an ind ividual becomes a part of. â€Å"10 Mary Street† is the address of Shrzynecki’s family, and the poem that conveys with insight into the concept of familial bonds, and our instinctive choice to belong in the home. The sense of the comfort is established in the beginning of the poem with the simile ‘A well-oiled lock’ indicates the positive image of the Skrzynecki household going through the sense of ownership and security it provides. The ‘Nineteen years’ also adds a depth to this and expresses the sense of belonging Skrzynecki felt to the place. Plus the repeat of the pronoun ‘We’ emphasises their togetherness and belonging to each other. In another simile, ‘ ravage the backyard garden like a hungry bird†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Skrzynecki compares his early boyhood days of hunger after school with a young bird in the nest revealing the delights of the family’s vegetable garden and it creates an image of comfort, security and familiarity. The garden is an important aspect of their lives where the poet’s parent â€Å"watered plants- grew potatoes†¦ like adopted children’,  stressing their strong connection to their home. The posi tive images ‘For nineteen years, we lived together’, and later of â€Å"visitors† sharing their common interests, ‘discussions’, ’embracing gesture’ present their home as a trusted site of the liveliness and friendliness. Contrasting to the warmth and security inside, outside of the house with â€Å"its china-blue coat†, represents a refugee for them, and an unwelcoming culture into which the family must go, but do not really belong. Once again there was a barrier, the â€Å"still too-narrow bridge† that separated the two worlds. Besides giving them a haven from nature, the enclosed space gives them a chance to preserve a private life and include their past life in â€Å"pre-war Europe†. ‘For nineteen years’, Skrzynecki ‘lived’ his Australian life style while his parents ‘kept prewar Europe alive with photographs and letters’. This juxtaposition portrays the adopted nature of the home for his parents as a refugee, and for the persona as a home. The immigrant family’s naturalisation into Australian society is described as becoming â€Å"citizens of the soil†. This metaphor creates a feeling of being connected as Skrzynecki’s family accepted and became a part of the land. Throughout the poem is tone of positive feeling and contented. The family’s only regret is leaving the home. In essence, belonging is a fundamental aspect of an individual’s life and one should make as many positive interactions with others in order to enrich their experience of this essential human need. Peter Skrzynecki’s â€Å"Post Card† extensively explores that the sense of belonging if is undefined can â€Å"haunt† a person their entire life. This is contrasted with the idea that positive interactions of an individual to a group or their family as is highlighted in the film â€Å"Rabbit-Proof Fence† and especially in Peter Skrzynecki’s â€Å"10 Marry Street†, as the members of the Skrzynecki family feel an enriched sense of belonging to one another.