Compare the Effects of the Use of Different Narrative Voice in Miramar and Devil on the Cross Essay

In both Ngugi’s â€Å"Devil on the Cross† and Naguib’s â€Å"Miramar† we see a distinctive use of polyphony to convey both the political stances and social viewpoints of the authors. Although, the use of this literary technique differs between the two novels, the authors both have the same intention of persuading the reader to agree with their personal stand-point. Ngugi’s use of this literary narrative technique consists of describing the argument that he is attempting to put across to the reader, from the perspective of all of the characters to portray it in a light that leaves no room for reasonable doubt, where upon in â€Å"Miramar† Naguib manipulation of the narrative is more subtle at commenting upon the social class divides and barriers in the Egyptian society of the era in which it was written. To consider now, how this use of polyphony affects the readers of â€Å"Miramar† the aim of Naguib must first be questioned. Upon interpretation the character Zohra can be seen as a crucial part of the novel despite not having a section to narrate her side of the story. The reason for this could be that Naguib wanted to use Zohra as a symbol for his notion of an ideal, modern Egyptian. Being a religious Egyptian himself, there are evident influences of his native culture, in the representation of this ideal Egyptian, Zohra. However, this concept of Zohra being a semiotic for Egypt is not the only point to consider whilst interpreting the narrative structure’s impact; rather, it is the interaction between Zohra and the different narrators in the novel, that is crucial to analyse . This is especially important, as the different narrators are all from different backgrounds and can be clearly discerned as representations of the different Egyptian social classes. The intention of Naguib could most definitely be, to help the reader understand the varying lives of people from the different social classes in Egypt and the problems that arise because of these divides. An interpretation as to the reason why Zohra doesn’t have her own section to narrate could be because of the fact that, as stated previously, she is the symbol of Egypt, and quite simply she represents the struggle Egypt faces when fairly telling its own story. Instead of being given the chance to speak freely the novel is only told by people who have been influenced by the â€Å"Wafd† or â€Å"the revolution† or even the colonists, and therefore they are tainted, and no longer considered pure of mind. There is an unmistakable feeling of Naguib’s resentment towards the way â€Å"times have changed. This bitterness is especially impressed upon the reader regarding the new beliefs that people should be separated into social class groups and is present throughout the narrative of each character. Especially in Amer Wagdi’s narration, as the reader can almost imagine Naguib speaking in place of Amer when describing that they are foolish â€Å"obstacles† that separates Zohra from her love, Sarhan, because although â€Å"times have changed,† â€Å"young men haven’t changed†. In a similar style to Naguib, Ngugi also uses a female character to symbolise his country. In â€Å"Devil on the Cross† Wariinga is clearly intended to be interpreted by Ngugi as a symbol of Kenya and Ngugi has also, like Naguib, used the narrative to help enhance the symbolic interpretation of the interaction between Wariinga and the characters around her. However, Ngugi’s use of autobiographical narrative is highly differentiated from Naguib’s in the sense that Ngugi merges the narrative voice unnoticeably into the tone of the character in which he is focusing on. Ngugi does this especially in the â€Å"Matatu† chapter of the novel. This is a highly symbolic scene, used to portray the perspectives of each character, and these perspectives are particularly important as each character is an exemplary representation of the different social classes and backgrounds in Kenya. As this autobiographical narrative is used, it makes the reader empathise more and become more emotionally attached to the characters because they can relate personally, where as attempting to relate to the masses of people that these characters are representation would depersonalise the interaction Ngugi is trying to achieve between the reader and the story. Wangari, a character who is easily recognised as a symbol for the â€Å"Old Kenya† and the â€Å"Old Haraambe† is a clear example of this shift into an autobiographical narrative as her thoughts are written to the reader, revealing a greater insight into there character than is otherwise normal, this is particularly important as her saga tells the story of the Kenya before the colonists. It is through her history that the audience is able to discern the passionate feelings Ngugi holds of resentment towards the capitalist society that Kenya has become. Focusing more on this conviction of scorn held by Ngugi, the â€Å"Matatu† is also a vastly important chapter of â€Å"Devil on the Cross† because of its use of Socratic dialogue. Likewise to Naguib, Ngugi uses a character of his plot as a medium to express his feelings towards what his country has evolved to. Considering now Wangari, the poor, woman who, â€Å"wore no shoes† and â€Å"fought for [the] country’s independence† is definitely the mouthpiece for Ngugi as he himself has fought and is still fighting, even with this novel, for the independence of Kenya. Moreover, the juxtaposition of this Socratic dialogue is even more effective as it is placed in direct opposition to the materialistic, and greedy views of Mwaura, the foreign minded matatu driver who measures â€Å"Independence not [by the] tales about the past but the sound of money in one’s pocket†; a parallel with this character can clearly be drawn between him and one of the people in â€Å"Western suits,† who â€Å"took the devil off the cross. † Contrastingly, unlike Devil on the Cross, Miramar’s revolutionists, are not fighting the same cause, and are in fact met with the same praise as Wangari was by the rest of the Kenyan’s in the matatu. The revolutions of Miramar are, although quite central to the plot, often talked about but yet never given a voice of their own. These revolutionists goal in Miramar isn’t as simple as encouraging the revolution, however, they are in fact symbolic of the greater problems in Egypt, because the characters never verbally oppose the revolution (the problems in Egypt since the colonial occupation) as they are afraid of the outcome, however, in their hearts they know it will never work. Another crucial point in assessing the novel is the way in which Naguib manipulates the narrative is through the language used by each character helps to shift the tone of the narrative. It is crucial in understanding the feelings Naguib has towards this social class. For example, minor sentences showed in the free indirect discourse in the opening of Hosny Allam’s account helps to create a good impression to the reader of what this character’s temperament will be. The â€Å"progeny of whores† who â€Å"push you noses in the mud† described right in the opening paragraph is more than enough to nderstand that Hosny Allam is a bitter character. To interpret this further, the reader can also question accordingly, the social class in which Hosny Allam the â€Å"gentleman of property† represents and uses the portrayal of his character to interpret the feelings held by Naguib towards this social class. As Naguib has deliberately used mainly pejorative vocabulary in the syntax of Hosny’s it is clear that he wants the readers to dislike this character and therefore have negative feelings towards people of his class. In conclusion, after a close analysis of the literary techniques coinciding with the narrative structures and styles used by both Naguib and Ngugi, it is more than plausible to say that these two novels are both highly critical and greatly detailed in not only their poetic language used but the significant features of their intricately structured narrative and they more than achieve their aims of informing the world of their political stance against corruption.

Do you think that cities can ever become sustainable?

In relation to cities, sustainability refers to development that lets the people living now get the things they need but without reducing the ability of people in the future to get what they need i. e. growth in a way that doesn't irreversibly damage the environment or use up resources faster than can be replaced. For example, an urban area that is growing by generating all its power from finite sources will exhaust its supply and could accelerate climate change. Megacities require so many resources that it is unlikely they will ever develop in a truly sustainable way, but there are things that can be done to make them develop in a way that is more sustainable. In order for urban areas to become more sustainable the key issues that need to be tackled are overcrowding, transport problems, crime and pollution. Exploring sustainability projects at different points along the urbanisation pathway in cities such as Shanghai (LEDC), Putrajaya (NIC), Chattanooga and London (MEDC) will give an insight as to whether city sustainability is more likely to be achieved in MEDCs or LEDCs. Whilst MEDCs may have the necessary resources and technology to make an impact on becoming more sustainable, their starting point is a much bigger ecological footprint. Therefore, there may be more potential in LEDCs becoming sustainable as they have a more appropriate use of intermediate technology. Shanghai, at the heart of China's economic surge, has realised that a key aspect of sustainability is transport. Their major challenge was to reduce energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions but at the same time maintain mobility within the city. The city developed an eco-friendly transport system which includes a network of 11 metro lines at a total of 325km which is integrated with a bus based mass transit system, reducing the need for people to use personal cars. A railway link to the new international airport, which involves the world's first commercial magnetic levitation trains capable of reaching 550kmh reducing travel time and greenhouse gas emissions, has been built. A reduction in the number of cars on the roads has occurred due to increasing licensing fees and restricted access to the city centre, whilst the electronic guidance system helps avoid congestion and keeps road traffic flowing. Whilst it is common for cities to encourage people to cycle by introducing cycle lanes, the 9 million cyclists in Shanghai may soon face a ban from major roads as the authorities struggle to control congestion and reduce the rising car ownership of the middle classes proving that their attempts to become more sustainable are failing. Furthering the transport systems, Shanghai is planning to create a new city designed to be completely sustainable, it will be called Dongtan and will be the size of Manhattan. It was to have been built on Chongming Island, near Shanghai, in the Yangtze River Delta. The first phase, comprising a city of 25,000 people, was due to have opened for the Shanghai Expo in 2010. By 2030 it was intended to house 500,000 residents. However no construction of the eco-city has taken place yet, so the project has fallen much behind schedule. It is claimed to be the world's first genuinely eco-friendly city powered by renewable energy sources (mainly HEP) and will be as close to carbon neutral as possible. However the waters are rich in aquatic life and it is an important feeding ground for migrating wetland birds, the construction of this city may cause a loss in habitats and safe resting places for the birds causing a loss in species diversity making this eco-friendly city not as sustainable as was hoped. Malaysia has become one of the many countries that have deliberately created a new capital city. In 1995 it was decided that the national government function should be moved from Kuala Lumpur, which remains the country's financial and commercial centre, to a greenfield site 25km south of the city. Putrajaya has a population of 67 964, and is located within a high tech zone 15km wide and 50km long known as the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), Malaysia's ‘silicone valley' stretching southwards from the centre of KL and includes KL international airport, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya (a ‘smart' city specialising in education, research and high tech business). The spine of the MSC is an electronic superhighway (fibre optic network) that provides high speed computer links. A large lake is being created, surrounding an artificial island, which will play an important role in flood and pollution control, an environmental benefit, as well as providing recreational and aesthetic value. 40% of the 500 hectare site will be left as green space in an attempt to counteract any greenhouse gases emitted. The main five precincts will be situated in the core and will contain offices, banks, shopping centres and sports complexes. The peripheral area will contain residential neighbourhoods with housing for all incomes, with community centres, parks, places of worship, schools, hospitals and other amenities. There will only be a small amount of housing available for those on low incomes which means there will be a degree of exclusion as the city will be mostly enjoyed by the affluent. The city aims to be indigenous with a modern look, based on new town ventures in the US and UK, with the running efficiency allowing a relatively low rate of consumption of natural resources. However, the environmental impacts will be considerable as the construction and development of the city will involve utilising and modifying a Greenfield site. Nevertheless, high levels of recycling and better flood and pollution control will have positive effects on the environment. Cities in the MEDW will have a hard time ever becoming truly sustainable as they use vast amounts of energy to power the technology used every day. Chattanooga in Tennessee is a classic example of how a city can become more sustainable. In 1969 the US Environmental Agency named Chattanooga as the ‘dirtiest city in America', just over 21 years later it was applauded as the nation's best ‘turn around story'. Credit for the re-imaging of the city has to go to the partnership between the city authority and the Lyndhurst Foundation (sponsored by coca-cola) as well as many individuals. It has tackled issues such as building affordable housing, providing public education and alternative transport systems, conserving natural parks and green areas to help reduce the ecological footprint, reducing pollution and improving recycling facilities and development of the riverfront. Top down strategies such as the Clean Air Act which forces manufacturers to invest heavily in pollution-control equipment, and bottom up measures e. g. Vision 2000 programme which calls for all citizens to visualise the city as they would like it to become, from the responses an agenda evolved resulting in major developments. 10km of waterfront along the Tennessee River was redesigned into an urban park cutting through the heart of the city, made up of playgrounds, spaces for outdoor performances, fishing piers and shaded walkways, transforming the once rundown downtown area. The Tennessee aquarium has attracted many visitors, encouraging the development of the old warehouses surrounding it into shopping malls, restaurants and apartments. Transport has been improved to be more sustainable, by means of an electric shuttle bus service capable of moving a third of downtown commuters at a tenth of the cost of diesel vehicles. It is claimed to be the electric bus capital of the world, with the city manufacturing 22 seater buses that are marketed all over the world. Over 3000 inner city housing units have been renovated, and a zero emissions eco industrial park and a grass roofed convention centre have also been constructed. The sustainability of the city has been enhanced especially in terms of outputs. The environment has benefited greatly from the substantially reduced industrial and vehicle emissions as well as increased green space leading to a decrease in the ecological footprint. Residents have benefited from renovations of the housing and the downtown are. I believe that whilst these urban areas and many others are attempting to become more sustainable, there is still much more that can be done to improve sustainability. For example, housing can be built to be carbon neutral by using solar panels and insulation to reduce the ecological footprint. Public transport could be improved further to produce little or no harmful gases, such as London buses which run on Hydrogen. Renewable energy sources should be used more such as LA uses HEP from Hoover Dam, and whilst renewable energy sources will never generate enough power to support large cities, they should definitely be used more by cities that have large ecological footprints. I feel that as we are so dependent on technology in today's society, cities will never truly become sustainable.

Brief View of Buddhism on Different Perspectives Essay Example for Free

Brief View of Buddhism on Different Perspectives Essay Buddhism in China was not first welcomed. People had different opinions on Buddhism. To analyze the responses to the spread of Buddhism in china by who expresses to the audience, why some people believe Buddhism is better for the country, and why some believe Buddhism is bad for China. Depending on what time period they lived in, changed the opinion of those who expressed their opinion to the audience. (Document 2) Zhi Dun is a Chinese Scholar, author, and a high official. During circa 350 C.E Northern China was invaded by Central Asian Steppe Nomads. There is war between the Asian Steppe Nomads and Zhi Dun believes that if you believe in Buddhism and have the right intentions, you can reach nirvana. (Document 3) This document is written by an Anonymous Chinese Scholar that expresses his opinion to the people of China. This is during circa 500 C.E., which was during the time of instability and disunity. He wrote this document anonymously because he was fearful of what other people think. They might not agree with his idea. (Document 6) The emperor response is toward the people of china. This is during 845 C.E, which is after the imperial structure is restored and he is saying that they don’t need Buddhism. Although some people agree with Confucianism, people think Buddhism helped China. (Document 1) In this document, it talks about the four Noble Truths. It shows how everyone suffers and the only way to get rid of suffering is to get rid of your desires. This was the first sermon preached by the Buddha in India during the fifth century. This document was written to persuade those to become Buddhists and follow the teachings. (Document 2), this document explains how if you have the right intentions, then you will reach Nirvana. This helps relief the people of china. (Document 5), Zong Mi, a Buddhist scholar said that Buddhism helped China. He said that the Buddha taught many teachings and in result, it encouraged the perfection of good deeds. Although Buddhism might seem good for China, other people believe that it ruined the country. Usually the higher classes thought Confucianism was better. This is because the lower classes are to respect the higher class. Han Yu is a Confucian Scholar and official of the Tang imperial court. This is during the 819 C.E. he says Buddhism didn’t even originate from China. He also says that Buddhism has nothing to do with the country and the culture. (Document 6), this is during 815 C.E. This is the time period after the instability and disunity of china. China is restored and they have an imperial rule, Tang Emperor Wa. His attitude towards Buddhism is furious. Since China is restored, he believes in Confucianism and Legalism, so there is no need for Buddhism. He even explains that Buddhism is selfish. All they do is eat and meditate, not helping the country by working. To analyze the responses to the spread of Buddhism by observing those who expressed their opinion to the people of China. It differed depending on what time period they lived in. it depended if they lived in the time of instability and disunity or when china was restored. Others believe that Buddhism helped China. They believe that it helped China during the time of instability and disunity. During this period of time, there was an invasion against the Asian steppe nomads in circa 350 C.E. Buddhism helped comfort those that were going to war by saying that they can reach nirvana. Even though Buddhism helped China, higher officials and Confucius believe that it ruined the country. This is because during 845 C.E. they had an emperor. They didn’t need Buddhism anymore because they had an emperor and china is unified by one leader again. A missing voice that is needed in the document section is a person that does not express their opinion to the public, like a private voice such as a person putting something down in a diary. The second voice that is needed is the common people’s opinion in China. This will show which philosophy they are rooting for during a period of time. The third voice should be a historian’s view during their period of time, so it shows how he interprets it. Brief View of Buddhism on Different Perspectives. (2016, Nov 12).

Scenario Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Scenario Analysis - Essay Example main point that he intends to bring out with these laws is that even though a person reacts to situations using his conscience, that person might do better if he has certain principals within which he abides by. As a policeman at a friend’s party I observe a group of people who are friends to my friend snorting cocaine, it is a legal obligation to arrest the people and take them into custody, but this is an old friend and I would not like to spoil our relationship The moral problem in this scenario is the usage of cocaine. This illegal and highly addictive drug has a tendency to affect the judgment of those who use it. It is wrong to use cocaine. The law does not allow the usage of this drug because of its adverse effects on users. There is a dilemma that comes out as a result on whether to act on conscience or by principles, which in this case are the regulations of the government. According to the government, I am supposed to arrest the people who are using the drug. If I were to react on my conscience, I would explain to them the situation in which they are putting me in. I would advise them not to do that again and join a rehabilitation facility. I would warn them that if this happens again, they would leave me no choice but to arrest them. According to Fuller, I would react on the instinct that tells me to defend my position as a police officer, according to his rules stated above there are rules that states a should take them in. If I d id not honor that rule, I would be failing the police department. Therefore, the main stand here would be to arrest the friends of my old friend and take them in. it might not be the morally right decision, but according to the rules, it is the right thing to do. I am in a situation where a friend has offered me a gift basket with some money. I am a community officer and people may take this as a bribe, I can chose to either refuse the token or take it. There is no rule deterring me from taking a gift from a friend. After

Britta Riede Harrison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Britta Riede Harrison - Essay Example These social techniques include driving, analytical, amiable and expressive. The four social styles the leader should know fall into three dimensions; responsiveness, versatility, assertiveness. Assertiveness is gauged from one’s tendencies to tell or ask in interacting with others. The â€Å"ask† tendency is more reserved whereas the â€Å"tell† tendency is more outgoing. Responsiveness is a perception of one by others as to whether he displays control in situations or shows his feelings and emotions. In this dimension, one can be more emoting or more controlling. Responsiveness can be expressed verbally based on the tone, subjects being discussed and the descriptions given, and non-verbally based on gestures, body postures and facial expressions. When fitted into these three dimensions, definite traits manifest in the 4 social forms. Knowing these traits is crucial for anyone in a leadership position. For instance, as he can understand himself and his subordinates better and possibly predict their reactions when faced with different situations. He is also able to assess his own character intelligently and make necessary adjustments. Analytical style is characterised by seriousness, exaction, indecision and manifestation of logic. Driving style is characterised by one being independent, formal, practical and dominating. Amiable style is characterised by dependability; supportive, pliable and openness and expressive style is characterised by animation, impulsive, being forceful and opinionated. Identifying ones social style is very critical in dealing with tension as a leader. You get to know how others perceive you, how to go about tension and other’s back-up styles and to talk about other’s tension but not one’s own in conversations. It is true that some tension is needed for optimum productivity, but too much tension lowers productivity and so does too little tension. Relationships go down in the

Service sector expectation and experience of service quality, branding Essay

Service sector expectation and experience of service quality, branding and loyalty in a customer perspective - Essay Example The paper tells that the service sector organisations are required to be focused on providing services and/or products based on the needs of the customers. The culture as well as the operations of service organisations is often identified to be customer-centred. Contextually, Sachdev & Verma stated that service organisations are much inclined towards developing service quality, brand image and customer loyalty with the intention of meeting the preferences of the customers and gain their satisfaction at the utmost level. Presently, customer satisfaction is recognised as an important consideration for a business corporation to conduct its respective business operations competitively and successfully. In the present competitive market scenario, service quality, branding along with loyalty play an imperative role towards assisting organisations in attaining greater success and profitability. According to Beneke & et. al. and Abd-El-Salam & et. al., the service sector is required to condu ct their operations based on which products and/or services are provided to customers in accordance with their expectations. In this regard, service sector related business organisations are focused intensely towards gaining superior customer satisfaction as an ultimate objective of developing competitiveness in the worldwide business market segments. In this similar concern, Agbor & Eriksson stated that level of profit margin and market share of any service sector related organisation raises or lessens are based on the concept of customer satisfaction.

Generation Like Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Generation Like - Essay Example One of these methods is clearly turning dedicated fans into designated but minor marketing agents (PBS 2014). Generation Like is an interesting means of investigating a world of social media endorsements like tweets and Facebook likes and the way they slowly turn into currency for social media interactions. In the process, such endorsements create a new breed of advisers that unapologetically seeks to form a risk-free public view. The fact that modern youths have developed a strong relationship with technology is not new. This relationship ostensibly has fewer roles with computers when it comes to privacy. In Generation Like, Douglas Rushkoff resumes his decade-old view of the human-relationship with technology to come up with new intriguing facts (PBS 2014). For instance, the celebrity craze in social media amongst youths and methods used by promoters to crunch information in an effort to convert enthusiastic adolescents and young grownups into brand disciplines are evident. Rushkoff says, â€Å"You are what you like,† which sums up the abundant quantitate of data present in social media today. The readiness of adolescents to endorse something popular box office hits like â€Å"The Hunger Games† expresses their intense desires to encounter the film in any form. This way, it becomes simpler for such Hollywood firms to trace and take advantage of each move. I agree with Rushkoff that internet personalities can produce the same viral impact as socialites. Internet personalities achieve this impact by using their fan bases for interrelated purposes. This way, the act of popularization turns into a marketable outcome on its own. Actors use the same reasoning and Generation Like does not fully tackle this point despite its impact and relevance in social media (PBS 2014). For instance, Ian Somerhalder from the Television series Vampire Diaries meets with a consultant in the documentary. In the process, Somerhalder is blown away at how the number of followers on his

Analyzing the History of the Human Form through Art Research Paper

Analyzing the History of the Human Form through Art - Research Paper Example Through this analysis, this purpose of this paper will show how the focus of the human figure shifted from a reproductive sense in the prehistoric era to a stronger character representation in the Byzantine era. In order to work through this process, each era will be designated with two works of art in each section. Prehistoric Art: Conceptualism and Realism Ranging from 75,000 BP to 1500 BP, prehistoric art includes multiple eras and methods. Essentially, prehistoric art is defined as art that was completed by a culture that did not have a spoken language. Without the ability to speak or write to document their legends, history and particular aspects of their culture, ancient civilizations turned to art as a way to capture their legacy (Art History Guide, n.d.). For example, the following picture of the â€Å"Venus† of Willendorf demonstrates how prehistoric art conceptualized the ultimate role of women as the vehicles for reproduction of the human race. With the exaggerated breasts and genitals, this representation of the human form in prehistoric art shows that the concepts of ancient civilizations regarding the human form centered around the notion of procreation. While this explanation demonstrates the idea behind conceptualism, the reality of prehistoric art in regard to the human form will be explored when looking at art that represents the realism that was portrayed in prehistoric times. Although topics of reproduction often resulted in embellished pieces to demonstrate fertility, art that portrayed a civilizations way of life often fell into the realism category. For example, the Lascaux Cave Paintings demonstrate how the human form was put into scale in comparison to animals that were hunted to provide food for the civilization. With the more lifelike replicas of human beings, it is clear that when being perceived as hunters, artists of the prehistoric era wanted to demonstrate these people as they were as they faced the beasts of the day in or der to secure food for themselves and their families. For art of this nature, the realism of what was taking place trumped any possible conceptual ideas, as is the opposite when concerning human reproduction. Aegean Art: Abstraction According to Ogborn in 2003’s Prehistoric Art, this section is comprised of the cultures of Greece, the Cyclades Islands and Crete. Aegean art is heavily influenced by an abstract feel in the sense that nearly all of the pottery, statues and paintings completed during this era portrayed in the human form in a non-obvious manner. In order to demonstrate the abstract nature of this artwork, this section will analyze both a male and female form in art to discuss how humans were represented in art during the Aegean period. Beginning with the statue of the Snake Goddess of the Palace at Knossos in Crete, this ancient art work shows a mystical woman in such a way that she is nearly unrecognizable as a person, aside from the clear inclusion of breasts to her figure. The key characteristics to highlight about this statue include the fact that this woman has no legs, no obvious reproductive organs as is common with prehistoric renditions of females and no hands. While her status as a snake goddess seems to explain the fact of her having

Mental Health Issue Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Mental Health Issue - Coursework Example The concepts of media images and perceptions are also explored, offering the possible negative and positive effect of media perceptions. Interestingly, the legal aspect of this issue is also detailed in the guide. A Case Study of Mental Health Service User X Cindy has a responsible job as a software engineer in a multinational company but she feels she is unable to advance in her career because of her inability to contribute in group meetings. It’s almost more than what she could bear just to sit in on meetings, let alone offer her opinions. Yesterday, her boss approaches her about the possibility of giving a presentation about their latest product to some customers. At that point, she began to be nervous and could not open her mouth to talk at all. He walks out of her boss’s office with lack of self-confidence and later refuses to give the presentation. 3 Phobias Phobias can be defined as the persistent and irrational fears that affect some people when they come into c ontact with external factors (stimuli) (Morgan, 2003). There are different categories of phobias based on the sources of stimuli, to which the persons affected withdraw or move away from. Examples of these categories are:- (i) Agoraphobia:- this is irrational and persistent fears about being in a place crowded with many other people, and which might make escape impossible in case there is a sudden danger (Gray, 1994). This may happen with or without a panic attack. (ii) Social phobia:- This is irrational and persistent fears about participating in a social or public event. A chronic form of social phobia also leads to avoidance behavior as the affected person keep running away from social duties (Kleiman, 1988). Cindy is affected by this kind of phobia as she dodges her duties. (iii) Specific phobias:- These are irrational and persistent fears to some specific stimuli. Examples of these stimuli include but are not limited to animal types, natural environment types, situational types , blood-injection injury etc. (Lefton, 1997). 4 Causes of Phobias Several researches have been conducted on the issue of phobias in order to detect their main causes. Although it is not quite certain what is responsible for one particular phobia; however, it has become known in recent years that phobias could occur based on (i) genetical factor—that is, certain fears may affect some families consciously or unconsciously; for example, twins that were raised in different environments still show fear for a certain object or condition; (ii) cultural factor—owing to their cultures, different people entertain different kinds of phobias; (iii) personal experiences—it is also believed that personal experiences constitute mainly the cause of phobias people have today; past unfavorable experiences may beat fear into people’s hearts that would last forever (Gray, 1994); (iv) uncertainty—it is also considered a fact that people tend to exercise some fears to u ncertain conditions or things they could not control like their future, job interviews and meeting new and unfamiliar people (Lefton, 1997). Symptoms of Phobias The symptoms exhibit by patients affected by phobias depends on the types of phobias and their severity. For those suffering from blood-injection injury, they do not normally feel afraid but experience disgust at the sight of needles (Morgan, 2003). However, there are some general symptoms of phobias, which include but are n