Free Essay

My Veil, My Identity

In:

Submitted By hessahh
Words 2398
Pages 10
Abstract
This paper is about France’s issue with women wearing the veil in public. French people justify wanting to ban the veil by saying that it affects their identity, is threatening, and stands for oppression of women. A lot of statistics are used to prove that what they are claiming is incorrect. I will also be supporting my argument with stories of women who are affected already from credible sources like books. As a woman who wears the veil, I want people to think about the impact that this ban can have on women like me. Even though I do not live in France, countries around France are beginning to act similarly, and so sooner or later it will affect me and the women around me.

“In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,” he said to rolling applause. “The burqa is not a religious sign, it’s a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement – I want to say it solemnly: It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic” (“Sarkozy speaks out against burka”, 2009) is what French president Nicholas Sarkozy said on March 2004, according to BBC News. What happens if the ban is applied is that women who are seen wearing the veil in public will be fined 15o euros (£119). 30,000 euros and a one-year sentence to jail will befall men who force their women to wear the veil (“French Senate Votes to Ban Islamic Veil in Public”, 2010). The word people use to describe the veil differs from a group to another. Muslim women in France refer to it as Hijab, French refer to it as foulard, English refer to it as headscarf, and the media refers to it as veil (voile). The veil itself has no meaning, since it is just a piece of cloth, just like a shirt or a trouser. It is the symbolic meaning that matters. Since 2004, France has become known for targeting Muslim women wearing the veil because it believes that the veil affects its natives’ identity and culture. In short, a piece of cloth threatens the French society. Because of all the issues going around the world, people shouldn’t easily believe whatever political figures and media are feeding them. France should not ban the veil, as it is different, but not threatening. Whether a woman in France is wearing the veil or not does not affect the people’s individuality or identity.
According to Gemie (2010), “Alima Boumedienne-Theiry, a French Green euro-deputy, gave a speech to the European parliament in 2004, which included one of the most complete lists of the varied terms used to describe such people. She referred to a population that has been classified as “natives, foreign workers, immigrants, descendants of immigration, French Arabs, North Africans and – today – Muslims and, according to some, potential terrorists.”” (p.10). She talks about Africans, immigrants, workers, and Muslims. She could have easily said Arab or stated the country they are from. Why did she mention Muslims? Why did she use the religious term? That’s probably because the term is loosely used in French media. These events (attacking the veil) started in 1989 when three Muslim girls refused to take off their veils and were expelled from middle school. Then in 1994, a gym teacher claimed that the veil was rather dangerous in class. After that, in 2003, the minister of interior (at that time), Nicolas Sarkozy, insisted that Muslim women take off their headscarves for the official identity pictures. He claimed that he was concerned over his people because of what happened in the attacks of September 11 in the U.S (Scott, 2007, p.30). Around the same time, in a small school in Nice, girls who wore hijab were excluded of entering the school and studying (Scott, 2007, p.23) French people believed that the girls were threatening because of what President Sarkozy said. The girls did not add up to 1000, and they were threatening the whole French society by wearing the hijab, a piece of cloth. As a result, veil-wearing school girls were banned in 2004. (Gemie, 2010, p.2) When people think of France, they immediately think of high-end retail stores on Champs-Elysees, delicious baguettes, Napoleon Bonaparte, Eiffel tower, the Monalisa, etc. People would not think of the Veil as a part of France’s identity. People may think that Islam questions the very identity of France, while others might think that it is a sign of difference between cultures. First and foremost, France was actually shaped by immigrants (R. Bowen, 2009, p.15). Every immigrant has something to add to the country, but the veil is the only thing that is revolting and affecting the identity. Also, veils are not the only the visible sign of diversity that come with religious Muslims. Men can have distinctive food preferences, appearance, like long beards and loose attire; and conduct, like prayers (Scott, 2007, p.4). Are all of these differences not considered threatening? I am not saying that they are threatening, just that they are indeed signs of differences. France chooses a piece of cloth to be threatening its whole republic. Moreover, before the law was passed, only 14% of Muslim women in France wore the Hijab. 51% declared that they practiced their religion (Scott, 2007, p.3). In other words, most of Muslim women “fit in”. So, even if Muslim women wear the veil, it does not take from France’s identity nor does it affect it. However, by preventing Muslim women from wearing the veil, it takes away the symbol of Muslim identity.
A lot of people may believe that wearing Hijab/veil is threatening (in a terrorist-related way) and consider it as an aggressive act. The media’s image of Arabs and Muslims in general are to blame. The news constantly shows Muslims as terrible terrorists who kill anyone within reach. The Muslims the news show usually are not real Muslims. They hide behind Islam and twist it to their own benefit. Islam does not call for war or bloodshed; on the contrary, it calls for peace. The word “Islam” comes from the root “Salaam”, which means peace. The acts of terrorism are NOT what The Quran or Islam teaches us. Sadly, groups like Taliban and Al-Qaida and other so-called “Muslim” extremists represent Islam and portray a bad image of it. That is why the west fear Muslims and view them for what they are not, monsters. In the previous example I gave, I talked about schoolgirls being banned from going to school because of their hijab. How can mere schoolgirls (which were less than 1000) threaten the whole republic? Were they terrorists? Even if the whole nation believed that the girls were terrorists, there wasn’t any proof that their act was threatening. The contradictions that lay in French people’s belief about the veil are that: First, Marianne, the symbol of the French republic, is always depicted with her hair covered (Gemie, 2010, p.18). Why is Marianne not a threat and Muslim women are? If people view Marianne from French belief that the veil is threatening, then Marianne should be considered a terrorist, not only Muslim women with veils. Second, are veil-wearing Catholic nuns considered aggressive? Again, nuns cover their hair, but why are the Nuns not targeted? France specifically targets Muslim women. The whole issue with banning the veil is pointless because less than 2,000 women in France wear the face veil. That is 0.1 percent of the two million adult Muslim women in France. That's 0.003 percent of the French population as a whole (Gemie, 2010, p.46). That is a pretty small number to be worried about. Nevertheless, people still believe that veils are threatening. Exactly how many thefts, how many suicide bombings, or how many terrorist attacks have featured the face veil? Are there any statistics to prove that they actually is related? If people look at this issue in a deeper way, they will find out that this alleged reason behind wanting to ban the veil is all just a myth. There is a certain concept of freedom that has a lot to do with the west. French people are with banning the veil because they have always feared slavery and oppression; however, they do not see the fact that the veil does not harm them or who wears it in any way.
The law itself is self-defeating, because all it does is alienate an alienated Muslim minority in France. It urges young women in France to act rebelliously and break the law and actually be different. What happens when there is an alienated group of people is that others start to not know who those people are. When people do not know who these other bunch of individuals are, they start to fear them; since it is rather normal to fear the unknown. Logically, as soon as fear grows in people’s hearts, they will start to fear whatever actions the alienated group starts to do. As a cause of alienation and banning veils in schools, one can assume that Muslims will start to open their own schools; which will lead to even more alienation. A twelve-year old veiled girl said, according to Gemie (2010), “Last year, I was attacked by three men outside the school who spat on my face, hit me, and insulted me. At school, they tell us that we are weak-minded and manipulated.” (p.33). It is rather heartbreaking to know that a mere twelve-year old girl was bullied, maybe still is, in this horrendous manner. What did she do to deserve being spat on, hit, and insulted? Wearing the veil is not an act of aggression, it’s a choice; however, hitting a twelve-year old girl and spitting on her is. If random people were to decide who the terrorists really are, in this case, it will surely be the three men!
The most known reason that makes people stand against the veil is supposedly because it stands for the oppression of women. This is contradiction-filled statement. If the banning of the veil prevents oppression of women in French public, then we must ask the following question: Are there women who willingly wear the veil in French society? There is no proof that this is not the case, therefore we can rationally assume that there are women who agreeably wear the veil. Besides, once the president gave his speech about banning the veil, women started to protest against it. However, prohibiting these women from wearing the veil fits the definition of oppression. For what is oppression, other than, taking away the freedom of doing something from someone? Therefore the law, by preventing oppression, causes oppression. Whether you like the veil or not, the French ban violates a person’s freedom of thought, appearance, and religion. It violates a whole sequence of essential human rights. Restricting a woman's freedom to wear the face veil in public is as much a violation of her human rights as it is to force her to wear that same face veil. Gender inequality seems limited to Muslims and does not include German or Dutch practices that also include the subservience of women. It is as if oppressing women were uniquely an Islamic phenomenon! In the words of Gemie (2010), “As the veil-wearing Fatima, from Saint-Denis, notes: “if my veil is a “symbol of oppression”, am I then supposed to conclude that I am oppressing myself?”” (p.40). Can a person really oppress him/herself? Fatima wears the veil because she wants to wear it, yet the law will not allow her to wear it. The same law that is supposed to liberate her will oppress her.
A Pakistani woman named Fatima asked in Doha Debate’s “This House believes France is right to ban the face veil”: “Hello. I just wanted to ask this question for Mr. Jacques or the speakers who are speaking for the motion. How will the French law that bans the face veil differentiate between these two people (points to two people standing next to her, one in a medical mask and one in a niqab)- one person here just wears a surgical mask for fear of getting a disease, catching a disease, and the woman here who is wearing the niqab, who would you fine the 120 Euros?” (2010) Really, that was a very thought-provoking question. The identity of the man in the mask did not change because a veiled woman was sitting beside him. What I am trying to say is that whether a woman sitting beside you is wearing a veil or not, doesn’t change your identity. You are who you are. People should understand that instead of penalizing other people for their differences, they should try to live as one. I am not asking everyone to pack his or her bags and move to utopia, because there is no utopia. It will take time and it will take a lot of patience and effort, but people should keep on trying to understand the individuality of one another. People should strive to value each other. There is no need for people to talk to each other, just value the existence of others. Why don’t we try to look at differences between people as a merit? There are more important things in life. People are starving, fighting, and dying. Life is too short to fight over trivial things like who wears the niqab and who doesn’t.

References
Bowen, J. R., (2010). Can Islam be French? Princeton: Princeton University Press.
French Senate Votes to Ban Islamic Full Veil in Public. (2010). BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11305033
Gemie, S., (2010). French Muslims: New Voices in Contemporary France. Cardiff : University of Wales Press.
Sarkozy Speaks out Against Burka. (2009). BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8112821.stm
Scott, J. W., (2007). The Politics of the Veil. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
This House believes France is right to ban the face veil. (2010). The Doha Debates. Retrieved from http://www.thedohadebates.com/debates/debate.asp?d=81&s=7&mode=transcript

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Oppression on Women in Margaret Atwood's the Handmaid's Tale and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis

...expressing our individuality, our style, defining who we are. Offred grew up in a similar environment but it was taken away once she became a Handmaid. That was the precise reason why she felt “ fascinated but also repelled” (28) at the same time when she saw the Japanese tourist. She says she “used to dress like that. That was freedom. Westernized they used to call it”(28). She says this because she no longer gets to dress like the tourists any more. In a very little amount of time, the society has forced every individual to change his or her mind about such clothes. Whereas Satrapi depicts in her graphic novel a picture of ten year olds forced to wear a veil because of the Islamic Revolution, “ We didn’t really like the veil, especially since we didn’t understand why we had to”(3) explaining further the complexities surrounding the veil. She says some religious fundamentalist feels that hiding hair could keep the men from...

Words: 960 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Ban the Burqa? the Argument Against (Thesis Proposal)

...   42886090     Over the past few years, the veiling practices of Muslim women have been the issue of public debate and come under direct government gaze. In particular, countries such a France and Turkey have issued a ban on wearing the burqa in public. The ban relates to the general wearing of the burqa and not for certain situations such as identity checks. This debate has spread to Australian soil where dozens of Australians, such as Cory Bernardi, have enunciated their approval and have called for such a ban in Australia. While some countries have similar meaning of the veil, the majority of non-Islamic individuals across Europe and Australia have interpreted the veil in their own way and thus attached to it different meanings causing different perceptions as to why or why not it should be worn. Using the article by Bernardi (2010) as a starting point, I will critique the feeble objections writers of the topic have against the burqa and justify why their reasons for a burqa ban are invalid and cannot benefit society, and if anything, set society backwards. By interpreting the results of my focus groups, this thesis will explain how the majority of women who wear the burqa do so by choice and society must accept their choice. Also, I will explain that just because some women are forced to wear the burqa, banning it is not the solution the Australian Government should take. Before moving on, a brief point will be made about the burqa to avoid any...

Words: 2312 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Persepolis

...Marjane Satrapi explores the realities of her native land. She begins the story as a intelligent young pre-teen with a promising future. As she grows older she sees how cold the world is outside of her homeland as she lives through a near self-destructing phase of her life. She is capable of catching herself in this free fall with the help and guidance of her family a little while after returning home. In the story, her country continuously is fighting from freedom all the while she’s searching for her own identity. Throughout the book there are various things going on that can alter an individual’s point of view in search of their identity. To understand clearly, I break down my research on topics concerning the government, religion, social classes, the history concerning the country and the educational requirements that need to be met in the Iranian society. My research consist of material from Marjane Satrapi’s book, Persepolis. “2500 years of tyranny and submission” as my father said. First our own emperors. Then the Arab invasion from the west. Followed by the Mongolian invasion from the east. And finally modern imperialism (Satrapi 11). In the views of her father, their country has always been fighting for freedom. Trying to escape oppression there is always a revolution on the rise as the position of power changes hands. Never the less written in a passage titled The Bicycle, Marjane Satrapi said “The revolution is like a bicycle. When the wheels don’t turn, it falls” (Satrapi...

Words: 2281 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Liberal Views in the Ruins of War in Marjane Satrapi Persepolis

...Persepolis To know one’s identity is to find the core aspects that make them who they are. This includes the positive and negative experiences that shapes one’s identity and strengthens those aspects. This idea leads to ponder, how one identifies themselves in such a structured society. In the novel Persepolis the author Marjane Satrapi express her life in an autobiographical graphic novel. She describes her experience of being brought up in war-torn Iran. Though it is her struggle to grow an identity as a liberal self during the revolution, will be concentrated. Living in the heat of a revolution Marji (name of main character) and her family were subjectively forced to liberate themselves from radical change. Their admiration was to find liberty. Writer Raymond Williams describes the word liberty as having this initial sense of freedom. Also considered as open-minded, which some political officials classify as unorthodox. This definition it practically true when referring to Persepolis. The start of the Islamic revolution brought about many restraint. Such as, the Islamic regime forcing female citizens to wear a veil (traditional head scarf). As a young girl Marji was did not understand the reason for wearing the veil. She goes on to illustrating the image of herself and other girls removing the veils and playing with them. However, her mother protested the veil believed to be a torment to their freedom. But, her mother also felt the intensity of not wearing the veil. An incident took...

Words: 1289 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

W. E. B Dubois Double Consciousness Essay

...“Double consciousness” is the idea that one's identity, particularly in African Americans is divided into two parts. The two parts are; an American, and a Negro. “One ever feels his twoness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” (The Souls of Black Folk) Throughout African American literature, DuBois’ idea of “double consciousness” can be seen. One piece of African American literature it can be seen in is the play Dutchman, by LeRoi Jones, formerly known as Amiri Baraka. W.E.B. DuBois published The Souls of Black Folks, in 1903. The book is a collection of essays that speak about racism against black people. In the book, DuBois speaks about his idea of “double consciousness.” He explains it as the idea that an individual is constantly looking at themselves through the eyes of others. “a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his twoness,—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.” (The Souls of Black Folk) DuBois believes that blacks were living with a “veil.” The concept of the veil has three meanings. The first meaning is the...

Words: 1903 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Women Veil

...Muslim Women and the Veil For this critical review analysis paper, I have chosen to do set four of the project. I will begin to analyze and break down the fundamental themes in each of the articles from the sources provided by the professor. My examination of the texts, Islamic and Body Politics by Asma Barlas and Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil by Katherine Bullock, will be purely academic. Both these articles share similar views of the concept of veiling and portrayal of the female body by opposing the monolithic and secular views given to the veil by the majority of the world. The view given to the veil is simple and is explicitly cited in Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil, it is that "the popular Western notion that the veil is a symbol of Muslim women's oppression is a constructed image that does not represent the experience of all those who wear it." My stance on the subject of veiling will be in support of: those who wear the Veil (or as I will interchangeably mention it in this paper, "Hjiab" - Arabic term for head scarf) do it so by their own will and not to represent the view of oppression that has been deemed on it, also, to reiterate that the Qur'an or any other Islamic text do not support the views of oppression of women. Through my investigation of the two given articles, I will support my view with the help of three different articles that share the same type of commentary on the issue of Veiling. My inclusion of the article Eastern Veiling, Western Freedom...

Words: 2393 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Harlem Renaissance Poets

...Harlem Renaissance Poets Vanica McCormick-Williams Robert Henry World Cultures II May 22, 2015 Beginning in the 1920s until the mid-1930s, the Harlem Renaissance was a well read, creative, and intelligent development that ignited a unique black cultural existence. Its significance was summed up by expert reviewer and Professor Alain Locke in 1926 where he stated that through art, “Negro life is capturing its first opportunities for group expression and self assurance.” Harlem became the center of a “spiritual coming of age” in which Locke’s “New Negro” transformed “social disillusionment to racial pride.” Ralph Ellison was born on March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He died of pancreatic cancer on April 16, 1994 in New York City. (Ralph Ellison, 2015) Richard Wright was born on September 4, 1908, in Roxie, Mississippi. Richard died from experiencing a heart attack on November 28, 1960, in Paris, France. (Richard Wright, 2015) Both of the authors made a major impact on society during their lifespan. According to Biography.com, Ralph Ellison was a 20th Century African American writer and scholar best known for his renowned, award winning novel “Invisible Man”. Ellison’s role in the Harlem Renaissance is his reputation as a deeply ingrained writer and a philanthropist that exceeded even the most esteemed circles of the American History. In addition, according to Biography.com, pioneering African American writer...

Words: 1567 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Analysis

...Today I will be comparing and contrasting the two stories, “ The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards. The literary devices I will be using to express these differences and similarities will be symbolism, imagery , and foreshadowing. While I would characterize Hawthorne’s style as mysterious and dark Jonathan Edwards reveals the reader’s understanding of Puritan ideals of religion by giving the readers a new perspective on the ideal of God. In the book “The Minister’s Black Veil” Hawthorne uses symbolism to disguise a person visage . It states “ so far as my vow may suffer me know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever both light and darkness in solitude before the gaze of multitudes and as with strangers so with my familiar. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn.”(Hawthorne 5). He’s stating that the veil is keeping him who he is and will...

Words: 694 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Character vs Appearance

...article “An Identity Reduced to a Burka” by authors Semeen Issa and Laila Al-Marayati, stereotypes regarding Muslim women are discussed. Due to strict law in the Middle East and plain ignorance many people today identify Muslim women who wear burkas as less capable than the average woman, which is very untrue. The character of any woman should not be determined by her personal appearance, but by the morals and values she portrays. The general public and mainstream media deeply affect the way Muslim woman are seen in the eyes of the average man. In paragraph 3 the authors say “One is hard-pressed to find an article, book, or film about women in Islam that doesn’t have ‘veil’ in the title…” (Issa, Al-Marayati 114) This bothered the authors due to the stereotypical titles used in these books. In paragraph 4 the authors state, “The word ‘veil’ does not even have a universal meaning. In some cultures, it refers to a face-covering known as a niqab; in others…” The authors are implying that it is very ignorant of media and publishers to focus their titles on such a stereotypical observation. All Muslims aren’t the same when looking at origin; some speak different dialects, act differently and dress differently. Muslims and Christians alike have different types of their religions. Like Americans, veils/styles are different depending on the origin in which one is living. Today in the Middle East very strict law regarding dress code makes it seem that the veil is the identity of Muslim...

Words: 618 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Religion-Wearing of Religious Garments

...Introduction: For more than 15 years numerous countries within Europe have been faced with the question of the wearing of religious garments in schools, most notably France. Until recently Ireland had remained untouched by these questions of Identity which arise from emigration and the consequent religious and cultural diversity which ensues. In recent years this situation in Ireland has reversed, as Ireland’s population grows to include a range of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Terms of Reference: The principal has asked that I make proposals in relation to a policy on the wearing of religious garments in the class room. I am required to consider the feasibility and implications of such a policy for the school. Background: As a health care professional I have worked for many years with professionals of various ethnic groups, and got to know their families through social occasions. More recently my home town was selected for the relocation of refugees from Serbian Kosovo conflict. Most of the refugees have made Baltinglass their permanent home; subsequently their children attend local schools. All of them are of the Muslim persuasion. I have observed some of the teenage girls practice the tradition of covering their hair. It has not posed any problems, generally accepted by all. Deeply appreciated I would imagine by teachers looking at some hair styles and colours they are faced with in Modern day Ireland. Methodology: ...

Words: 1913 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Critically Analyse as to What Extent the Corporate Veil Has Maintained a Separate Legal Identity Between a Corporation and Its Incorporators and Critically Assess as to Whether T ‘Piercing of the Veil’ Doctrine Has Served Its Purpose.

...Critically analyse as to what extent the corporate veil has maintained a separate legal identity between a corporation and its incorporators and critically assess as to whether t ‘piercing of the veil’ doctrine has served its purpose. The case of Saloman v Saloman established the principle that the company is a separate legal identity from its share holders or owners. This simply means at law the company is viewed as a separate being from its incorporators. A company may incur a debt and only the company will be liable for that debt its incorporators will not have to reach into their personal assets to relieve the company of that debt even if they are in sole control of that company. This principle has coined the term “the veil of corporation”. The veil of corporation has been a strict rule in company law, however there have been instances where the courts are willing to pierce this veil and view a company and its incorporators as a single entity. The extent to which the courts will uphold the principle in Salomon will be discussed below. In Macaura v Macaura Macaura exchanged his timber and estate for shares in a company, the timber was insured in his name and subsequently got burnt, Macaura neglected to have the timber insured in the company’s name hence the insurers said he had no claim to the timber. Macura followed the decision in Soloman however my point of focus is on Lord Wrenburys statement “The corporator even if he holds all the shares is not the corporation”...

Words: 2002 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Veil

...A veil is an article of clothing or cloth hanging that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. It is especially associated with women and sacred objects. One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space. The actual sociocultural, psychological, and sociosexual functions of veils have not been studied extensively but most likely include the maintenance of social distance and the communication of social status and cultural identity.[1][2] In Islamic society, various forms of the veil have been adopted from the Arab culture in which Islam arose The first recorded instance of veiling for women is recorded in an Assyrian legal text from the 13th century BC, which restricted its use to noble women and forbade prostitutes and common women from adopting it.[citation needed] The Mycenaean Greek term a-pu-ko-wo-ko meaning "craftsman of horse veil" written in Linear B syllabic script is also attested since ca. 1300 BC.[3][4] In ancient Greek the word for veil was "καλύπτρα" (kaluptra, Ionic Greek "καλύπτρη" - kaluptrē, from the verb "καλύπτω" - kaluptō, "I cover"[5]) and is first attested in the works of Homer.[6][7] Classical Greek and Hellenistic statues sometimes depict Greek women with both their head and face covered by a veil. Caroline Galt and Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones have both argued from such representations and literary references that it was commonplace for women (at least those of higher...

Words: 3504 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

The Importance Of Masks In 'Raymond's Run'

...causing them to pretend they are just like everyone else-even though they are not. Expectations help pull the masks over the miserable faces. Many people are pushed to hide who they really are when they mean to impress others because the want to appear “normal”. All this affects their self-worth and self-esteem, pulling them under a veil of regret and self-doubt. Similarly, the character Hazel Elizabeth Deborah Parker (also known as Squeaky), the protagonist in the short story “Raymond's Run” by Toni Cade Barbara, uses a mask to hide her feelings from others. She resides in poverty-stricken Harlem taking place in the 1960s....

Words: 1431 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Veil Piercing

...section 163 (4) of the Companies Act, No 71 of 2008 codified the common law approach in piercing the corporate veil i.e. to what extent did the 2008 Act brought some certainty regarding to the grounds in which the courts will disregard the juristic existence of a company. To achieve this I’m going to first explore the position of common law in this field of law. As a point of departure, the company is equal in law to a natural person. This is one of the cornerstones of South African company law, and has been since 1897 handed down in the Salomon case namely that a company is a legal entity distinct from its shareholders. It allows a company to perform juristic acts in its own name, as well as to sue and to be sued. Further, members and directors enjoy protection against personal liability. The corporate veil is a fundamental aspect of a company law and is a protective stratagem for those who exist behind it . Although this fundamental rule has a considerable influence in company law, it cannot be absolute and, as such, according to the case of Lock harts ltd v Excalibur Holdings ltd it can be saved for certain exceptions (where the courts may disregard the separate legal personality of the company) Herron CJ in Commissioner of Land Tax v Theosophical Foundation described lifting of the corporate veil as an ‘esoteric’ label, stating further that authorities in which the veil of incorporation has been lifted have not been of such consistency that any principle can be adduced. This...

Words: 1536 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Jane Eyre Key Scenes Revision Notes Analysis

...The Red Room The Red Room at Gateshead is the place where Mr Reed, Jane’s uncle, had died. “Mr Reed has been dead nine years; it was in this chamber he breathed his last; he lay here in state; hence his coffin was borne by the undertaker’s men; and since that day, a sense of dreary consecration has guarded it from frequent intrusion.” Themes The Gothic * “curtains of deep red damask” and “crimson cloth” indicate blood, linking to Mr Reed’s death. * Strange noises and odd furniture such as the mirror that distorts Jane’s image gives an eerie mood, making the reader wary of what is to happen. (links to identity) * Jane imagines how the ghost haunts the room, heightening the sense of horror she feels. The supernatural is a key element in a Gothic novel. * There is an overall sense of foreboding and spookiness that makes the reader empathise with Jane as she is so young. * The lack of realism heightens the sense of the supernatural. * The romantic scene of the rain in the moors sets up the Gothic theme for the rest of the novel. Passion * The purity of her childhood as she endures intense and bitter feelings that arise due to unpleasant life experiences. * She cannot control her temper, and is therefore punished. She is labelled a “picture of passion” as women were expected to remain calm and ladylike. Her anger comes as a shock to everyone at Gateshead, hence her punishment. * Red is the colour of passion, as well as danger and embarrassment...

Words: 3325 - Pages: 14