Unbelievable Horrors

Aorta Criminal Justice Administration 201 American Military University Skinnier Nikkei Abstract In recent years, the lawmakers and criminal Justice experts have conveyed alarm regarding the growing prison population in elder prisons, along with the crumbling prison structures housing these inmates. While a majority of individuals agree this issue warrants immediate attention, the concurrence diminishes about how to attack this problem.A review of decisions set into place with laws, it has become clear that monetary confinements of elder prisons have become invisible barriers to the bargaining table. The paper compares the cost of renovating elder prisons to the costs of creating new facilities. This autopsy of decisions delves into the financial aspects of closing down older structures and whether or not it was cost beneficial. The numerous facilities coming into the â€Å"over-the-hill† age require an extensive examination to prevent monetary waste in the future. A Review of Decisions The dark side of humanity has existed for millennia.Some would contend that murder is the darkest, vial atrocity blanketing humanity. From the first documented Biblical fratricide involving Cain and Able, to recent homicides plaguing the media outlets, mankind has struggled to prevent these unbelievable horrors and reprimand the convicted. Society did not want these individuals roaming freely, as their unspeakable crimes invoked fear in the mind of every law-abiding citizen. Thus, structures were erected to cage the criminals and further prevent crimes against humanity. As time went on, more and more structures were needed to house the influx of criminals.Existing facilities were running beyond capacity and some were in deed of dire repair. The question put forth was, â€Å"Is it financially practical to renovate existing structures or to build entirely new ones? † Additional costs factors, such as food, clothing, healthcare, and educational programs, were itemized and incorporated into that equation. Converting elder prisons with substantial monetary confinements may and may not be the best practical solution. Looking into the closure of the Eastern State Penitentiary the following questions can be answered: 1 .Was it practical to close the Eastern State Penitentiary? 2. Is it financially beneficial to e-open the Eastern State Penitentiary? 3. Why build new facilities? 4. What are the plans for abandoned U. S. Prisons? Understanding the true reason for this prison closure could answer future questions regarding taking a facility out of operation. Whether it is a court-ordered ruling due to cruel and unusual punishment or asbestos issues creating a health concern, it is necessary to truly evaluate the closure and expose monetary waste. Incarceration as a form of punishment was first documented in the 1st millennia BC in the early civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Suspected or guilty criminals awaited their death sentence or command to be come a slave in underground facilities labeled dungeons. The Ancient Romans adopted even harsher methods of incarceration by building prisons exclusively underground with tight walkways and cells in pitch darkness. (Prison History. N. D. ). Time gave way to incarceration reform and the world's first true prison, the Eastern State Penitentiary, was opened in 1829.Abandoning corporal punishment and harsh treatment of the inmates, the Eastern State Penitentiary was designed with complete and solitary confinement in mind to alp the criminal move to reflection and change their criminal ways. Was it practical to close the Eastern State Penitentiary? Situated on 11 acres near downtown Philadelphia, PA, the Eastern State Penitentiary was considered the most expensive American building during the sass's and soon became the most famous prison in the world.The design, o'clock wings radiating outward from a central rotunda, allowed each o'clock with â€Å"central heat, running water, a flush t oilet, and a skylight. † Additionally, each o'clock had an adjacent â€Å"private out door exercise yard contained by a 10-foot high wall. (U. S. History. Org. N. D. ). Originally built to hold 300 inmates, by the sass's, it was forced to house over 2,000. Due to the costs of the inflated prison population, the subsequent cells, even those built underground, did not have skylights, lighting, or flushing toilets.By the sass's, over 130 years after it was erected, the Eastern State Penitentiary was outdated and in need of extensive repairs. The neo-Gothic exterior has weathered the tests of time; however, the electrical and mechanical systems inside of the prison walls were deteriorating. The monetary resources needed to ring the structure back to its momentum were too vast and in 1971, the state of Pennsylvania closed the doors to the once famous prison. (Woodman, 2008). Is it financially beneficial to re-open the Eastern State Penitentiary?The city of Philadelphia, PA acquire d the title to the Eastern State Penitentiary for $400,000 in 1984. Plans for redevelopment of the site were halted by pleas to then-Mayor Goode and all proposals were rejected for commercial use. In 1988, the first limited tours were given at the abandoned prison. The Pew Charitable Trusts held fundraisers to obtain financial resources for the preservation of the National Historic Landmark. These efforts began in 1991. (Easterner. Org, n. D. ) The trickle of money into the preservation and restoration of the prison filtered in at a snail's pace.With the help of another fundraiser, the Eastern State raised over $5 million dollars in 2009. According to Annie Major, author of â€Å"Do We Really Still Need the Eastern State Penitentiary? â€Å", states $2 million dollars of the $5 million was spent â€Å"to conserve the prison synagogue, the Brillion millions, the print-shop roof, ND sections of the floor, perimeter wall and lights. † (Major, 2011). (One of the reasons the pri son closed was due to the electrical systems needing repair. She expresses concern with the constant money pit of renovations, Just to keep the prison alive for the sake of tours. She feels at this rate, â€Å"the Eastern State could be a century-long, multi-million dollar project; one that will leave in our midst a fully restored, inoperative 19th-century prison. † The plan is not to re-build the prison but the end goal is to keep it in a â€Å"maintainable† ruin. According to the website, Radiochemical. Mom, the prison is a â€Å"safe place to be since it is so old it has no lead paint or asbestos. † (Radiochemical. Com, n. D. ).Imagining the repairs that were completed with $2 million dollars, it isn't difficult to figure out that the costs of bringing the prison back to a full-scale operational facility would take less monetary resources than building a completely new prison. With the absence of asbestos and lead, thereby depleting the need for even more fin ancial resources, bringing the prison back to handle over-crowding in other locations may not take as much money as once suspected. However, that isn't what is currently planned for the state of Pennsylvania. Why build new facilities?The current Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Went have allocated $400 million dollars on two 4,100-bed facilities and construction has already begun. The elder prison these two are replacing, Aggregated, had accepted the inmates from Eastern State. Governor Corbett and Secretary Wendell will not release the figures it would take to renovate Aggregated, only stating that the state of Pennsylvania will â€Å"save money by alluding more efficient facilities. † (Decelerate PA, n. D. ). The monetary costs of renovating the Eastern State Penitentiary has also been withheld.In the sass's, when the decision was made to close the structure, the future prison population was unforeseen. Alt hough, based on Eastern State's experience with over-crowding, officials at that time knew there would not be enough space to house the influx of inmates. Yet, looking into the possibility of turning the Eastern State Penitentiary into a â€Å"super-Max† prison or a facility house only those on Pennsylvania death row would have been reviewed. The Eastern State prison could also have been used to house only those individuals for short-term prison sentences or the most violent, repeat offenders the state of Pennsylvania has witnessed.Now, there are two existing structures that could very well be renovated at a fraction of the costs of two new facilities. One is still in operation and the other is only open for public tours. Factor in the yearly operating costs statewide of all Pennsylvania prisons, there is a need to drastically curb waste and prevent unnecessary correctional structures. The fiscal year of 2010 brought about a $1. 6 billion dollar price tag for Pennsylvania pri son expenditures. 22% of this figure was outside of the normal prisons operating costs. (Vera. Org, 2012).The average cost, per year, to house over 48,000 inmates was $42,339 per inmate. Adding to the $1. 6 billion dollars is the $400 million for two new facilities, thereby costing the average taxpayer over $3,000. (Vera. Org, 2012). Looking at other ways to significantly decrease the burdens placed on the taxpayers by housing, feeding, educating, and reforming the ballooning prison population, there needs to be a more thorough examination into allocating millions of dollars for new prisons instead of renovating existing structures. What are the plans for abandoned U. S. Prisons?Numerous prison facilities nationwide have been closed and/or abandoned in favor of more modern and spacious correctional facilities. Some of these locations have turned into utter wastelands. Take for instance, the Old Essex County Prison in Newark, N. J. As a testament to time, the unabated decay has turne d into a haven of drug addicts finding refuge in the old prison cells. Condemning the property will not reverent serious injury or death and its negligence is far too severe to be restored structurally. Another location that sits idle is the former Missouri State Penitentiary.This prison opened its doors in 1831 and was fully operational for 168 years. (Longer than the Eastern State Penitentiary. ) It finally closed its doors in 2004. The monetary confinements by the state prevented any type of serious renovations and public tours began in 2006. (As of 01 October 2013, the public tours have been suspended due to a site assessment finding mold in sections of the prison. ) Due to the state of Missouri lading the title to the property and a dwindling economy, the future looks very bleak for â€Å"the bloodiest 47 acres west of the Mississippi. Lastly, the West Virginia State Penitentiary in Mountainside, W. V. Opened for operations 1876. Through its history, the West Virginia State Pe nitentiary made the United States Department of Corrections Top Ten Most Violent Correctional Facilities. In 1986, the West Virginia State Supreme Court ruled that the ex. foots cells were deemed cruel and unusual punishment. 9 years later, in 1995, the West Virginia State Penitentiary closed its doors for good. Today, public tours of the facility are the only operations occurring at this once notorious prison.As structures age and the prison population continues to increase, more and more facilities are being ushered in to deal with this revolving door off problem. Left in the wake are structurally sound buildings with very little to no use to the state or the cities they sit in. Other than daily public tours and haunted houses every Halloween, these buildings could have potential to save the taxpayers of the state millions of dollars annually. Instead of wasteful spending to build new facilities, existing ones an be renovated to comply with current federal and state laws at half t he cost.

A Study of Power Projects in Ravi Basin in Chamba District Essay Example

A Study of Power Projects in Ravi Basin in Chamba District Essay Example A Study of Power Projects in Ravi Basin in Chamba District Essay A Study of Power Projects in Ravi Basin in Chamba District Essay Dams have had serious impacts on the lives, livelihoods, culture and spiritual existence of indigenous, tribal and illiterate people, and on the physical environmental conditions and biodiversity. As far as the dam related developmental activities in Himalaya Himalayas are concerned, they got momentum during 5th five year plan and at present there are more than 400 power projects in five perennial river basins spread over 55,673 sq. Km geographical area. Every basin is being excessively exploited which has a considerable impact on environment and threatening the lives and livelihood of the mountain inhabitants. The present paper is based on the primary research carried out in Rave basin of the state. There are ore than 80 power projects of different magnitudes in 40 rivulets that have been earmarked for the planned development and received detrimental impact on the available traditional knowledge because of multiple reasons. In the present paper the responsibility of hydroelectric power projects for threatening the existing traditional knowledge which are serving social, cultural, spiritual, and economic aspects of communities since ages but with the installation of developmental projects these are being threaten, will be analyzed which is based on original micro lied research carried out in the lower Himalayan Region by using exploratory, descriptive and participatory method of research. To analyses the impacts on 03 commissioned power projects, 500 respondents from 55 villages divided in seven research cluster, selected by cluster convince simple random sampling methods have been used. Received data codified, interpreted by applying suitable statistical tools. KEYWORDS: hydroelectric power projects; traditional knowledge; environment, ecosystem services, impact on livelihood. Http://www. Tar]. In 65 INTRODUCTION environmental conditions and biodiversity. Throughout human history natural resources have been exploited to sustain growing human populations. Over the last few decades, rising economic growth rates in most developing countries have contributed to increasing levels of exploitation of natural resources and environment degradation, which unchecked could have detrimental effects on future growth patterns. The increase in the world energy demand forced to increase generation of energy from various sources. By 2100 global mean-temperatures are forecasted to be raised by 1. 4 to 5. Degree centigrade with an accompanying increase in global mean- precipitation levels [2]. The increase demand of energy can be met by increasing hydrophone generation [2]. Global hydrophone production currently supplying around 19 % of global demand, and is anticipated to be increased three-fold in next century [1]. However, studies indicate that declining river flows, as a result of climate changes will lead to declining hydrophone production. Against a backdrop of rising global surface temperature, Indian monsoon remained unstable in the past century. Using daily rain fall data, Swami et. (2006) observed significant rise in the frequency and magnitude of extreme rain and decrease in the frequency of moderate rain in central India. Swahili (2007), using a multinational global model, simulates energy supply and demand, price trajectory and growth. It is shown that higher energy prices generated by rapid growth in China and India may constrain other countries growth. Hydrological data defined on an annual time scale are generally characterized stationary unless there are l arge-scale climate variability, natural disruptions and human-induced changes such as reservoir construction Salsas, 1993). At present, in the developing state of countrys economy, requirement of electrical power for both industrial and agricultural use has been increased over the year. The Report of the Group on Power for 10th plan estimated the need based capacity addition of 62,213 MAW during 1 lath plan. Thus, it is necessary to commission projects to generate power to bridge the ever-increasing gap in demand and supply scenario. Up to March, 2010, out of total estimated potential capacity of power generation in India (1, 50,000 MAW) only 15 per cent has been commissioned and 7 per .NET is on the way of its commissioning. On the one hand, it is necessary to expedite massive plan known as Mission-2012, Power for All, under which 50,000 MAW hydroelectric powers is to be added in the existing power generation capacity but on the other hand, with this 22% exploitation of power ill-effects have become visible. Canadian group of researchers has observed that hydro power is no more pollution free; it omits greenhouse gases along with other many socioeconomic, cultural, psychological, livelihood and climatic impacts in the areas where such types of developmental mills are planned. Traditional knowledge (TX) generally refer to the long-standing traditions and practices of certain regional, indigenous, or local communities which are being used by them to sustain their TRANS Asian Research Journals lives. TX is also encompasses the wisdom, knowledge, and teachings of these communities and in many cases, it has been orally transmitted from generation to generation and sometimes from person to person in one generation. Some forms of traditional knowledge are expressed through stories, legends, folklore, rituals, songs, and even laws. Other forms of traditional knowledge are expressed through different meaner. Himalaya Pradesh is a mountainous state having about thousand perennial streams which form a diverse drainage system in the state. It has five perennial rivers of Indus water system I. E. Chance, Yamaha, Rave, Status and Baas (The fig. L shows four major rivers of Indus water system I. E.

Comp Research Paper

Comp Research Paper Comp Research Paper Paige Wilsher Dr. Sally Emmons Comp 1113 19 November, 2013 The Fiery Future â€Å"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.† − John M. Richardson, Jr. This quote is something one can see throughout Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. There are multiple characters that fit these descriptions but three main characters that fit it perfectly. Beatty the fire house captain lets it happen, Montag makes it happen, and Mildred wonders what happened. It is really sad to think that some people just leave their future to chance rather than making a future that is better and leaving a path for future generations. Without a past one cannot hope for a future, the past allows one to learn and grow and make a future that is livable. If one does not learn from the past the same mistakes are likely to be made in the future, leading down a path of possible destruction. The twenty-first century is supposed to be the greatest century ever; however like the novel Fahrenheit 451 people are sacrificing knowledge and intellectual thought for an easier, simpler, thoughtless lifestyle. Alliteracy and Illiteracy is something that is passed down through generations, inevitably sacrificing the knowledge to be able to read for an entire family. Fifty-nine percent of people from a survey done by NDP group in 1991 stated that they read less than ten books the previous year (Weeks 522). America has prided itself on being a literate first world country, whereas, it has been building an environment where reading is not required. With the technology in the world today children and teens spend most of their time playing video games, watching TV, or using social networking sites rather than reading a book. Then the parents allow the children to watch movies or play the video game before bed instead of reading them a story. There was a time when writers were celebrated for their works, but now people chose to celebrate actors, singers, and athletes instead. Acting, singing, and athletics are also very important to society but they are no cause to push out writing and reading. Weeks explains a lecture given by Kylene Beers. This lecture explains the two types of reading, efferent which is purposeful reading, and aesthetic which is for the joy of it. In order to be a good reader Beers believes people have to be able to visualize the text they are reading (Weeks 525). One of the reasons there are books and movies is to allow the audience to escape to a world that is unlike this, travel back in time, and to be the hero of the story. The only difference between movies and books is that books allow the person to feel as if they are one of the characters in the story, and that is something movies are unable to portray. If one spends all of their time skimming through books during school and then never even looking at it outside of school, then they are less likely to read to their children or teach their children how to read, sacrificing that knowledge not only for themselves but for their children. When most people think of an illiterate person they do not believe their illiteracy can cause them to suffer both mentally and physically. One thing nobody can deny is that the number of illiterate citizens in the America is on the rise. Illiterates are often lost in this nation of fast paced economics and rapidly changing technology. Illiterates are unable to do some of what seems to be the most simplistic of tasks to a literate person. For example most illiterates are unable to read newspaper article, words on the TV, voting ballots, menus in a restaurant, or their child’s report card. Those kinds of things can upset the individual emotionally but they do not cause any real suffering. The biggest concern when it comes to illiterates is when they are unable to read prescription instructions or warning labels, this can cause some serious harm to them if they overdose or ingest

Describe and explain the different stages of American policy toward Essay

Describe and explain the different stages of American policy toward China during the Cold War - Essay Example The first years of the Cold War are notoriously difficult to pinpoint since although the United States was against communism in the earlier years of the 20th century, it was allied with the Soviet Union during World War II in defeat of Germany and Japan. Therefore it is most common to claim the beginning of the Cold War as occurring in those years after World War II when the United States explored its options in terms of dealing with all communist countries (Wala 168). With specific reference to China, the United States spent the early 1950's deciding how to proceed with a Chinese nuclear disarmament plan. The following decade was dedicated to the war between North and South Vietnam, a conflict that gave further rise to unfriendly relations between the United States and China. While China supported the communist regime of North Vietnam, the United States supported South Vietnam in its efforts to establish a democracy. The Vietnam War was in essence a mirror of the non-violent conflict raging between the United States and China, and both countries saw the war as a way to manifest its own beliefs and prove one way or the other that theirs was the superior political strategy. In fighting for South Vietnam and providing troops with arms, the United States hoped to instill democracy in the nation and actually win over communism. The Chinese government felt exactly the same way about its involvement with North Korea and the installation of a communist government. The Vietnam War marked the pinnacle of the hostilities between the United States and China during the first stage of the Cold War period (Wiest 19-23). China and the Soviet Union were close allies immediately following the Second World War, and while the USSR took a central role in the spread of communist ideals on the international level, China's responsibility was to spearhead and Eastern revolution whereby all of Asia was hoped to be made communist (Ross 71-80). The influence of China was difficult to ignore both for the USSR and the United States simply because it was such a massive, populated country. When China became allied with the USSR, the United States government was confronted with the realization that it might be overwhelmed by the combined political and military influence of these communist states, and so when the opportunity came to ally itself with China, America took it. In the early 1970's US President Nixon took advantage of the wish of the Chinese government, headed by Mao Zedong, to establish more friendly relations with the United States. Despite the communist status of China, the major irritation to the democratic American government was the continued success of the communist Soviet Union and therefore Nixon and Zedong understood how an alliance could benefit them (Harding 391-395). Both America and China were experiencing issues with the Soviet government at this time, and although China and the USSR were both communist countries, the former had decided to change the focus of its political and economic appeal. This rapprochement is considered one of the contributing factors in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. In 1979 China and the US announced a full return to their diplomatic relations, and on this milestone US President

Research Paper about Marijuana legalization - Criminal Justice Studies

About Marijuana legalization - Criminal Justice Studies - Research Paper Example This research paper is therefore important for identifying whether or not alternative responses to the social, economic and health issues linked to marijuana may be more appropriate. This research paper therefore proposes to identify the social, economic and health issues linked to the abuse of marijuana and whether or not the cost of decriminalizing marijuana is proportionate to these issues. I chose this topic because I have personally observed friends who use marijuana regularly. Some of these friends function no differently than friends who do not use marijuana. Some of these friends however appear to be lackadaisical and unmotivated and do not function productively. I found the disparity in my friends’ functioning interesting and wondered if the different reactions to marijuana use influence the controversy over whether or not marijuana use should be controlled by legislation. This research is conducted by a review of the literature on the pros and cons of legalising mari juana and the literature on the social, economic and health consequences of marijuana use. ... Significance of the Study 10 VI.Research Methodology 10 VII.Organization of the Study 11 Chapter Two 13 A Review of the Literature 13 I.Introduction 13 A.Public Opinion 13 B.Legal Issues 16 C.Economic Issues 18 D.Social and Health Costs 22 II.Conclusion 25 Chapter Three 26 Research Methodology 26 Chapter Four 29 Results and Analysis 29 I.Results 29 A.Semi-Structured Interviews 29 B.Questionnaires 31 III.Conclusion 35 IV.Strengths of the Research 36 V.Weaknesses of the Research 36 VI.Areas for Future Research 36 Bibliography 41 Chapter One Introduction to the Study I. Introduction An increase in marijuana use during the 1990s has given way to an intensification of the debate on the legalization of marijuana (Strang, Wilton, & Hall, 2000). Proponents in favor of legalizing marijuana argue that marijuana is harmless when used as a recreational drug and has therapeutic/medicinal value. Opponents of legalizing marijuana argue however, that marijuana should remain a banned substance since its use is harmful to personal health and to public safety (Strang, et. al., 2000). In more recent times the debate over the legalization of marijuana gained increasing currency with the medical community’s involvement. Within the medical community there was sufficient recognition of the medicinal value of marijuana to persuade some states to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Medicinal marijuana is said to be an effective therapy for pain, nausea and vomiting linked to chemotherapy, excessive weight loss in AIDS patients and can help patients tolerate the side effects of some conventional treatments. Convinced of its medical value, between 1996 and

Critical Examination of the change management implications the Essay

Critical Examination of the change management implications the retirement of Terry Leahy's (Chief Executive) will have on Tesco - Essay Example Since its conception, Tesco has taken advantage and tackled major changes which have contributed to its success. Many changes facing the organization involve entrance of more women in the workplace, big disposable income, advent of weekly shop and the cheap food policy which was adopted in Britain after Second World War. The Origins and Development of Change in Financial Management The change in the financial growth of Tesco originates from e-commerce business activities which started in 2000 according to Finch (p184). Tesco concentrated more on its non-food business including the e-commerce business. Since then the company’s market shares have rapidly and impressively improved in the twenty first century. The management of Tesco since in history has been using technology for effective change. Tesco came up with a project known as Prospect to establish the areas in which technology could improve operational performance. The supermarket has indulged in a store-opening programme r for maintaining its position as the leading supermarket in the UK. The departure of a chief executive from any company attracts huge expectations in as far as changes in management are concerned as suggested by Toni and Tonchia (p947). The change can positive or even unsetting one depending on the leaving chief executive influence. The retired chief executive officer of Tesco spent his career developing the organization to be the biggest grocer in Britain. However his successor Phillip Clarke, will face the challenge of either maintaining the position or braking the company. The retailer has a wide range of products ranging from food to furniture as well mortgages and motor scooters. It has several outlets including its headquarters in Cheshunt and its branches in china. Tesco customers include buyers of high-quality goods and of low-cost goods while stores range from mega-stores to corner shops. One of the major changes that have been encountered by the retailer since the retirem ent of Leahy is the financial management. Since the set up of a joint venture with Royal bank which was done Leahy’s predecessor, Tesco has been offering financial services. According to Anon (69), this section has rapidly grown offering services such as loans, insurance and credit cards. One of the financial changes includes the now fully owned Tesco Bank which is aiming at becoming a great competitor to other banks. So far Tesco is selling its financial products to almost six million customers. Last year, the retailer launched a range of mortgages and savings account while in the current year Tesco is planning to launch a current account. The retail organization also intends to capitalize the discontent of customers through their current jobs. A focus by Liz Hartley who is principle consultant indicates that Tesco Bank will be among the top ten best banks in the country within the next five years. However the growth of the bank is likely to cause more changes in the organiz ation since banks are valued in a very different way compared to retailer. Key Implications of the Change to the Organization The change in financial management of Tesco has brought with it different implications. These implications include: The implication of balancing the current cost of managerial time with the new suppliers benefits as well as how to cope with the existing suppliers. With the retirement of Leahy, Tesco financial managem

Gaskell North and South Essay Example for Free

Gaskell North and South Essay Gaskell’s ‘North and South’, set in Victorian England, is the story of Margaret Hale, a young woman whose life is completely turned on its head when her family moves to northern England. As an outsider from the agricultural south, Margaret is initially shocked by the aggressive northerners of the dirty, smoky industrial town of Milton, but as she adapts to her new home, she defies social conventions with her ready sympathy and defense of the working poor. Her passionate advocacy of the lower classes leads her to repeatedly clash with charismatic mill owner John Thornton over his treatment of his workers. While Margaret denies her growing attraction to him, Thornton agonizes over his foolish passion for her, in spite of their heated disagreements. As tensions mount between them, a violent unionization strike explodes in Milton, leaving everyone to deal with the aftermath in the town and in their personal lives. Gaskell’s novel could certainly be described as a social commentary; England at the time was extremely class-conscious, yet In almost all cases, Margaret does not so much choose sides as acknowledge mutually dependent and beneficial relationships. Though her family has very little in the way of money or assets, her family roots are in the gentry, yet when the family is moved up North to Milton, Margaret befriends and socializes with both ends of the social spectrum, mill owners and workers. Margaret is even capable of initiating a friendship of sorts between worker and owner, Higgins and Thornton even come up with a plan together to provide a canteen for the workers to get hot food. Differences in life in the South and life in the North are compared and contrasted often in a very subtle fashion, as are the differences in values and class structure. It is also very interesting to note that the difficulties of the lives of the impoverished factory workers are highlighted, however the difficulties faced by the factory owners are also presented. Through Margaret, Gaskell is able to transcend social class and at the same time create a hero amongst the industrial poverty of Milton, she acts in a way that would have been unconventional and frowned upon at the time for the good of such people as the Higgins family. When she is seen bringing a basket of food to the house during the workers strike, her peers condemn her at a dinner at the Thornton’s. Highlighting both the differences between northern and southern culture and the clashes between social conscientiousness. It could be said that ‘North and South’ is a novel defined by the resolution of binary conflicts; Margaret Hale is presented with a number of divisions of sympathy, between industrialists and the working class, between conflicting views of Mr.  Thornton, and even between her conflicting views of her own intelligence. Nancy Mann, in her essay â€Å"Intelligence and Self-Awareness in ‘North and South’: a Matter of Sex and Class† stipulates that the novel â€Å"concentrates on a crucial problem of the development of the novel in the nineteenth century, the relationship between abstract intelligence and self-awareness, and the ways in which this relationship may be affected by factors of sex and class†(1). What Mann is saying is that Gaskell is successful in throwing off the conventional boundaries of the classic romantic Victorian with all its feminist connotations and persuasions and has created a character that transcends the constraints of class and what is proper to actually do some good in her new environment. Gaskell’s most prominent social explorations however come in the form of contrasts. For example Margaret’s relationship with the Higgins family, especially Bessie, both nineteen years old when they meet, one healthy and the other gravely ill can be seen as a dramatic comment on class iniquity. Gaskell uses Bessie as a dramatic device in the novel to draw Margaret and her father closer, a task some literary critics consider to be so well done that Bessie is often discounted from the actual story. She is also a device to show the plight of the working class woman, Bessie is even described by one critic as ‘the most extensive portrait of a factory girl in the mainstream industrial novels, and as such, she reveals the political and economic tensions surrounding working class women'(2). Even Margaret says â€Å"Bessie’s comments address the specific problems of working-class women, problems that both unions and the middle class have an interest in ignoring. Even when Bessie’s religious beliefs and her questioning of unionism are considered she is very revealing, Margaret sees her as having â€Å"a politics of her own† which both reveals her sense of disenfranchisement from the ongoing struggle between masters and men and presents the most telling evidence in the novel of the iniquities of the class system. Something else that has to be considered in this scenario with Bessie as a dramatic tool towards Gaskell’s social commentary Elizabeth Gaskells North and south: A National Bildungsroman. Victorian Newsletter 85 (1994) Briefly traces the emergence of and critical debate on the industrial novel, noting the industrial novels have been read largely in relation to male working-class history, not in relation to female working-class history or to the emerging nineteenth-century womens movement. The critic also goes on to stipulate that the comments on the patriarchal foundations of both Chartism and the union movement makes a case for the need to consider Marxist and feminist issues when considering the issues raised in north and south. He goes on to suggest that by placing her heroine, Margaret Hale, between North and South, Gaskell attempts to bring to the surface the unconscious bifurcations that produce class and gender ideologies and that because the novel is both a Bildungsroman as well as an industrial novel it acquires unusual dimensions in both categories(3). Feminism also plays a big part in Gaskell’s novel, through her three main characters, Margaret, Thornton and Higgins Gaskell shows a struggle for growth and indicates what the future of society may hold for people in similar situations and how society can grow as a whole. When the novel is examined as a debate on class and gender issues, the amount of time the characters spend arguing about word choices, definitions and analogies it is clear that almost all interactions in the novel are affected in some way by gender or class, even in language, every term that comes under debate is changed with class or gender import(4). With this much importance forced upon the character’s class and gender by their social environment a reader is certainly inclined to read the novel as an exploration into the Victorian class system rather than a conventional love story of the time. Even in Margaret’s romantic capacity as a woman, her gradual sexual awareness of John Thornton and their Marriage at the end of the novel is more understandable to read in a more feminist light than a romantic one. In marrying Thornton Margaret enters into a mutually equal relationship, one where her influence and goals will be felt as well as his, through Margaret, Gaskell subtly reveals the new directions women are taking toward independent action and freedom(5). However at the same time recognizing that the changes she undergoes are in no way revolutionary and that though the conflicting ideas of obedience and freedom are not completely settled by the end of the novel, at least one woman has emerged into responsible adulthood and has claimed her part in deciding the terms of that settlement(6). What is most interesting about this novel is that all the elements of a romantic novel are there, but it is written in a way that turns the readers head from the sentimental pride and prejudice Esq. prose and makes them focus on the environment and its social deficiencies â€Å"through this story of social rejection and Christian compassion, Gaskell charges her culture to replace what she sees as a rigid and reductive old testament ethic of charity(7). This idea of a old to new change in a religious sense is also backed by Gaskell’s own Unitarian background, her father was a Unitarian minister, as was her husband, Margaret’s father in the novel itself is also a minister it could even be suggested that Gaskells beliefs provided her with an alternative vision of society and code of behavior(8) the importance of Gaskells religious beliefs and Unitarianism can be found in many aspects of the novel, not least that Unitarianism believed in the cultivation of the intellect regardless of sex, she found the religious authority to challenge the patriarchal subjugation of women, especially those who failed to fulfill their designated role in society. It is ironic to think; in a period nearly defined by its theological doubt, Gaskells spiritual faith authorizes her revolutionary vision(9). When Mr. Thornton, without further verbal explication, proposes to Margaret in a â€Å"strange and presumptuous way† at the end of the novel, we see the proper structure of an intimate relationship, both sides respect each other’s power while Thornton refuses to impose a political hierarchy. This is emphasized by the exchange over the flowers, which he bought as a token of her independent self, which is a revolutionary idea in itself at this point in history and conversely, gives rise to his second comment referring to marriage as possession, saying he had â€Å"no hope of ever calling her mine†, and the second refutation of such terms. Although the novel does not strive at any point to be romantic at the expense of the real issues that Gaskell tackles in the way people lived at the time, their unspoken resolution to marry signifies the resolution of the novel the binding of two genders, halves of England, social classes, and individuals, into one. In conclusion Gaskell is very successful in going further than any of her peers in actually exploring deficiencies in Victorian culture and society, although the main components of a classic love story are there, Margaret opts for the conscientious, religious option at every turn making the novel more a serious social commentary than anything else. Gaskell’s religious persuasion adds to this in that it allows her to transcend the class system and her constraints as a woman in Victorian England to address these problems under the banner of religion.