Movie comparison Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comparison - Movie Review Example ew just Kung Fu but the army against which he was fighting was provided with latest weapons of that time so he tried to discover new techniques to beat this army (IMDb, 2014). This movie is based on the biography of Ip Man who was the legendary martial arts trainer and he was the man who trained the martial art legend Bruce Lee. The director took extreme care of the cinematography and the role of the hero was played superbly by Tony Chiu Wai Leung, the movies did not just revolve around martial arts tactics but also there is a family of the hero which he lost during the invasion of his country by the Japanese, then he settled in Hong Kong The fight scenes in this film are epic and especially the fight between the hero and the heroin is really entertaining (Zacharek, 2013). In this movie the director Wong has succeeded in extracting the best from the hero as well as the heroin, the costume designing as well as the cinematography is superb which make this film nominated for two academy awards this year in both of these categories. The movie is such a success in itself that it makes you forget the pathetic movie â€Å"My Blueberry Nights† which was the directorial debut of the director (Musetto, 2013). This is a film based mainly on the kung fu fighting and it is the biography of the legendary Ip man who was a great kung fu master and also the teacher of legendary Bruce Lee. Tony lung has done the justice with his role of Ip man, the movie is set in the middle of 1930s in china when Ip man is chosen to take the role of successor of the grandmaster Gong Baosen, the only individual who can beat Ip man is the daughter of the grandmaster â€Å"Gong Er† but she was a female so she cannot be the Grandmaster so in fighting with Ip man they both fall in love with each other so this movie is mainly based on kung fu and a lot of fighting sequences with a tinge of romance between the Ip man and Gong Er. Tony Leung, who has played the major roles in Wong’s multiple projects

Pearl Harbor Battle Analysis Essay Example for Free

Pearl Harbor Battle Analysis Essay On a pleasant and beautiful Sunday, December 7, 1984, Japan implemented a surprise attack on the US Naval Base in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii which gave United States a door to enter into World War II. Even though Japan did not follow through with the attack causing the third wave of bombers to break contact from dropping bombs to finish off the rest of the fleet docking in Pearl Harbor, it was a well prepared, and carefully orchestrated attack on the Americans because the Japanese followed almost all the nine Principles of War. However there was one principle that the Japanese did not executed causing them to surrender later on in World War II. There are nine Principles of War, that is; unity of command, mass, objective, offensive, surprise, economy of force, maneuver, and security. The attack include massconcentrating the combat power at the decisive place and time. The objective was clear and directed every military operation towards a clearly defined, decisive attainable objective. The attack was clearly offensive where it seize, retained, and exploited the initiatives. Surprise was the definitely the most important principle used striking Pearl Harbor on a given time when it was unprepared. Economy of force was allocated to the wave of attacks where essential combat power was given as a secondary effort. The maneuvers were clearly executed where Japan placed United States in a position of disadvantage through the flexibility application of combat power. There was unity of command in which the Japanese ensured each objective had a responsible commander. Unity of command was visible within the Japanese fleet. The commander for the December 7th 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor was Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (PeopleJapan, ). Yamamoto was responsible for the combined Japanese fleet where he devised the strategy for the attack, and because of his careful, organized, and educated planing, Pearl Harbor was almost fully destroyed. Under Yamamoto is Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumoto who was in command of the First Air Fleet. Nagamuto relied heavily on the experience of his subordinates Comander Minoru Genda, and Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka. â€Å"No one can truly understand what happened at Pearl Harbor without at least a nodding acquantance with these men, for the plan’s inception, preparation, execution, and stunning success were shaped by the personalities and experience of these men† (Goldstein, 1991). By element of mass with in the nine Principles of War, the Japanese attack forces was well equipped for the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Japan understands that their country cannot defeat United Staes in a â€Å"conventional war, lacking as it did sufficient man power and raw materials (notably oil) for such a sustained effort however Japan was able to put together combined fleet large enough to go toe to toe with the United States Navy in Hawaii† (Long, 2007). Japanese air attack forces consisted of six carriers named Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, and Zuikaku. Support forces consisted of two battleship and two heavy cruisers known as Tone and Chikuma. Screening forces consisted of one light cruiser and nine destroyers named Akuma. Patrol forces had three submarines. In addition, the supply forces ha eight oilers. Together these combined fleet was named the Kido Butai, or task force which was the largest number of aircraft carriers ever to operate togeth er (Carlisle, 114). Admiral Yamamoto and the Kido Fleet’s objective was to destroy the naval ships in Pearl Harbor and knock out the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In retrospect, this attack is also an offensive attack as a significant Japanese fighting force so that the Americans could not oppose on Japan’s conquest of South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Another reason for the attack is because President Roosevelt had banned all exports of scrap iron, steel and oil to Japan. The reason for the embargo was the Japanese invasion of China. Japan had lost more than 90% of its oil supply (Carlisle, 2006). The economic isolation crippled their economy and military. In addition, Japan were keen on expanding their empire and had to make a decision between surrendering or going to war with the United States. Lastly, United States had not yet entered the Second World War, because they were still reeling from depression due to the First World War. United States did, however, still possess the strongest naval fleets. In that perspective, the Japanese were almost as strong as the American navy. As time passed, America favored more and more towards joining the war. The Japanese anticipated a full-blown naval war with America and therefore, decided to act first by bombing Pearl Harbor which was a key terrain feature in the Pacific due to it’s massive and deep harbor for naval ships. The element of economy of force was also present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. This allowed Japans zero bomber to allocate minimum essential combat power towards the attack. With the economy of force, the element of maneuver also played abig role towards the raid. There were two aerial attack waves, totaling 353 aircraft that was launched from the six Japanese aircraft carriers. In actuality, Admiral Yamamoto’s plans consisted of three waves of attack. The first wave of attacked was launched at 0740 with 163 aircrafts that was coming from the North Shore. Their objective was to destroy airfields at Wheeler, Ewa, Hickam, and Pearl Harbor. The second wave was launched an hour later to the Windward side of the island with 167 aircraft bombers. Their mission was also to destroy airfields in Kaneohe and Bellows, Hickam, and Pearl Harbor. Admiral Yamamoto called off the third wave because he believed the second strike had essentially satisfied the main objective of his mission which was to cripple United States Pacific Fleet. In addition Admiral Yamamoto did not wish to risk further losses. With Admiral Yamamoto’s careful planning of the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan was successful on completing their objective in the Pacific by destroying the Naval fleet. However, they failed to follow through with the element of security. Security states that Japan should have never permitted United States from acquiring an unexpected advantage. With Admiral Yamamoto calling off the third wave, this allowed United States to get back up on its feet. Japan may have won the battle on Pearl Harbor, however that decision â€Å"woke up the sleeping giant† causing Japan to surrender the war to the Americans. The biggest impact on the Japanese attack was the element of surprise which was Japans key tactic on Pearl Harbor and other military bases on Oahu that struck Americans as a â€Å"dastardly attack† â€Å"stab in the back.† On December 7th, 1941, everyone went about their daily routine. Naval and military commands in Hawaii did not suspect that this day would be the day they would get a huge surprise by getting attacked. Washington and Honolulu were aware of the Japanese threats to attack areas in Southeast Asia but they didn’t think a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor was in the plans. The commands in Washington and Honolulu had no idea because based on their intelligence they received mostly from U.S radio intelligence and diplomatic code breaking, the intelligence received told them that the Japanese were moving south and they weren’t going to be in â€Å"danger†. Washington received intelligence from the office of naval intelligence a few hours before the attack indicating that the all of Japan’s fleet carriers were in their home waters. This was one way how the Japanese completely fooled and the U.S. intelligence and surprised them with a damaging attack on Pearl Harbor and other military installations. Sunday mornings are normally a time of leisure for military personnel, and during this time, especially in the morning, some are still asleep, or at church with their families. With the Japanese knowing this, this was the best time to launch their surprise attack because they knew people would not be able to respond to the attacks quick enough to fight back and it would be the perfect opportunity to destroy all of their fleets and aircrafts Japan’s careful and well orchestrated attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, destroyed almost all the American Naval fleet in the Pacific. This allowed Japan to continue its imperialism towards Southeast Asian without United States interference. Even when Japan failed to follow through with the element of security towards United States, they still followed almost all the nine Principles of War in order for them to have a successful raid. The third wave of attack could have the destroyed the fuel storage, maintenance, and dry dock facilities that would have crippled the U.S. Pacific Fleet far more seriously than the loss of its battleships. If they had been wiped out, United States could not have been able to bounce back, join the war, and eventually forced Japan to surrender. Work Cited Carlisle, Rodney P. December 7, 1941: One Day in History : The Days That Changed the World. New York: Collins, 2006. Print. Long, Tony, July 27, 2007. Dec. 7, 1941: Attack at Pearl Harbor a Bold, Desperate Gamble. Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2007/12/dayintech_1207 Goldstein, Donald M. The Way It Was Pearl Harbor. The Original Photographs. Washington: Brasseys, 1991. Print. Global Research. Pearl Harbor: A Successful War Lie. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.globalresearch.ca/pearl-harbor-a-successful-war-lie/22305 How Did Japan View the Pearl Harbor Attacks? ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0214300/nzjapaneseview1.html Hoyt, Edwin Palmer. Pearl Harbor Attack. New York: Sterling Pub., 2008. Print. Kam, Ephraim. Surprise Attack: The Victims Perspective. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1988. Print. People-JapanAdmiral Isoroku Yamamoto, IJN, (1884-1943). People-JapanAdmiral Isoroku Yamamoto, IJN, (1884-1943). N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013.http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-for/japan/japrs-xz/i-yamto.htm The Attack by the First Japanese Wave. The Attack by the First Japanese Wave. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. http://www.pacificwar.org.au/pearlharbor/FirstWaveAttack.html Tures A. Tures, LaGrange. William Billy Mitchell, the Man Who Predicted the Pearl Harbor Day Disaster. Yahoo! News. Yahoo!, 06 Dec. 2011. Web. 23 Jan. 2013. Wisniewski, Richard A. Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial: A Pictorial History. Honololu, Hawaii (P.O. Box 8924, Honolulu 96830): Pacific Basin Enterprises, 1986. Print.

A Vietnam Country Review History Essay

A Vietnam Country Review History Essay Vietnam as we know is approximately 331,688 km ² in area but it does not include the Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands, it is larger than Italy and almost the same size as Germany. Vietnam is located in South East Asia, bordered to the north near China, to the west near Laos and Cambodia and to the east, by the Pacific Ocean. The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi, it is located in the north and is the second largest city in Vietnam, as the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years now, and Hanoi is considered to be one of the cultural centres of Vietnam, where most of the Vietnamese dynasties had left behind their imprint. After that I will summarize some culture of Vietnam. First of all, the Culture of Vietnam, or in particular the culture of the Kinh ethnic origin in the northern Vietnam, is one of the oldest cultures in the Pacific region. Although so, the major influence is China, Vietnams culture had created a lot of features, quite similar to the other people of East Asia and other countries in the Pacific Ocean (such as Cambodia , Laos and Thailand) that have suffered a major cultural influence by India. Nowadays, the culture of Vietnam has changed from time to time, it is a special blend of the many ancient cultures with the indigenous culture of the Vietnamese. Other than the influence of China, the cultures of the Vietnamese people are also influenced by the Western culture. Some examples of the Vietnamese culture are: food, apparel, religion, and the cultural territory. Body Climate First of all I will talk about the climate in the south of Vietnam, it is located in the tropical monsoon equatorial so it has a very high temperature throughout the year and it only has two seasons, which are rainy and dry. The rainy season begins from the month of May to November and dry season will begin from the month of December to April the following year. Because the south rainy season is longer than the dry season, so this has some sort of influence in the change of culture I ways of food to the culture in the south, the central, and the north of Vietnam. As we know the cuisine of Vietnam is very famous around the world, Ho Chi Minh Citys cuisine is also partly reflected by the cultural life and natural minerals, its cuisine is influenced by the French cuisine, Cambodian cuisine and the Thai cuisine. Today, the specialties are easily found at Ho Chi Minh, it is a combination of the food from the North, Middle, South and international cuisines, for example: sour soup is a combination of the sour salty of the north, spicy peppers of the central, and sweet fresh of the south. Another example is the beef steaks which are thinner and more mature and it is also spicier vegetables served with it compared to France. By contract, the nature of the part middle of Vietnam is it has a very hard climate, it is influenced by the sea breezes as well as the mountain winds. The people living here are austere and rich energetic. The Central Food has food that are very spicy, very spicy-hot, as positive (for the cold when it comes to soaking in water and odor resistant nature of the seafood capital nature-sound welding) and it is very salty. The food materials are often simple, but if you ever have the opportunity to really enjoy, it will be an experience that will never be forgotten. Besides that, for the north of Vietnam which Hanoi is the capital, the season of Hanoi has four seasons: summer, spring, winter, autumn. So the culture of Hanoi people is more confidential and always upholds their cultural pride with elegance. Hanois cuisine is not spicy, their flavors are mainly using fish sauces. The cuisine of Hanoi is still considered of elegance, sophistication and harmony from color to flavor. The richness and diversity of the cuisines of Hanoi is the consequence of the weather. So that is why I think the change of climate can help my country to improve our cuisine. Topography The topography of Vietnam mostly consists of hills, mountains, forests and the sea. Moreover, the country has two major river deltas, the Red River Delta in the north and the Mekong Delta in the south. Based on abundance of topography I will analyze the influence they have toward our culture. First of all, the North is covered by mountains, and that is why the culture of the North has a close relationship with China and Laos and there are ethnic people living near the mountains. So that can help them to practice commerce and trade with each other through the day market at the borders. It is very good as it can help the people of Vietnam to exchange cultures with the other country. Secondly, the middle of Vietnam are mostly adjoins with the East Sea in the east and Truong Son Mountain on the west, and it also is very good to exchange seafood with other countries. Finally in the South, theres the Mekong River Delta, which is approximately 40,000 km2. The region has very good climate conditions for agriculture and as a result, the Delta is the largest rice growing region in Vietnam. The South peoples culture is mainly based on working. Every day they are obliged to wake up early for work. Based on topography of the life, the South people live better than Middle. Nature resources All natural resources of Vietnam are mainly oil and gas, mineral resources (anthracite) and other resources (marine resources, tropical forest, and agricultural potential). The country has 4 world heritages accepted by UNESCO, it also has beautiful beaches, national ecological forests, countryside, high-land and historic places. Based on the abundance of natural resource, I will explain some natural resources that will influence Vietnams culture. As I mention before, Vietnam has a lot of rivers and the sea. With people live near the river or the sea, they have cultures that are religious, which means that before they go fishing on the sea or rivers, they always pray which is believed that they will be assured. Actually, it also creates a superstition in here that is spiritual culture of the coastal fishermen festival. It is a part of the traditional culture and its customs are passed down from one generation to the next. However it does not affect the economy. In the past, Vietnam was so poor due to the war. But after that people lived in Vietnam were diversified from natural resources so that they can change from nomadic culture to civilized culture. So anywhere that has good natural resources, it always have a good population. Its a stimulant factor of the Vietnamese culture. However, the downside of it is that the forests could be excessively exploited and this definitely is causing a great impact on the societys life of the area. Conclusion After I analysis three of geographical factors that can influence culture in Vietnam are: Topography, Climate and Natural Resources. The cultures of Vietnam has a lots of differences changes follow each of part of Vietnam (South, North, and Middle), from the past to future time. Nowadays, the culture of Vietnam has changed, from time to time, it is a special blend of the many ancient cultures with the indigenous culture of the Vietnamese. Based on some change of geographical that why government have some change for policy, innovation, and integration. It can help spirit for promote the social to progress. So I can believe renew culture in the quest to promote social progress in Vietnam today.

Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy

Eulogy for Friend I'd like to say a few words of tribute to this special man, from me and on behalf of other close friends of his. When he heard the news of Alan's death, a mutual friend and colleague noted poignantly that Alan was a man that was non-judgmental. Alan accepted people largely for what they were and for who they were. Alan was a man without prejudice. His many friendships crossed the barriers of social position and educational background. And his spirit, his generosity, his warmth also reached through barriers of race and cultural background. They reached through the barriers of age and generation. Because everyone was welcomed into Alan's circle of friends and what a multi-coloured, multi-cultural, multi-national, and multi-generational circle of friends it is indeed. What's more, Alan worked eagerly to bring these people from different backgrounds together. To me, he seemed happiest when he'd organised a gathering of the most diverse people one could imagine. If Alan couldn't remake the world outside to his liking, he would make it so in his backyard. He was a man without prejudice. This was not just a matter of principle for Alan, not something he merely theorised in his academic work and teaching. It was his instinct, his very nature. This was not simply tolerance, it was his personal culture. Because when we stop to think about it, Alan's preoccupation in life was people. He was always introducing people to other people. Always saying: you must meet so and so; and with his extraordinary sense of social occasion, by and large you did get to meet them. How many people have we met and got to know through Alan Smith? Dr Alan Smith was among the most intelligent people I have ever known. A sociologist by original training, he completed his Bachelor degree with Honours at the University of Wales in 1978 and was awarded his Doctorate by that University in 1990. His doctoral thesis, titled 'A Cartography of Resistance: The British State and Derry Republicanism' was a learned study of the Irish republican struggle. The freedom of the Irish people and Gaelic people generally was a cause very close to his heart throughout his adult life. His experiences in Londonderry in the 1980s exposed him to the brutal realities of war and I think shaped his political outlook in particular ways. One of these I believe was to deepen his affinity with people from oppressed nationalities and cultures wherever they were and whenever he came across them in his many travels around the world. Eulogy for Friend :: Eulogies Eulogy Eulogy for Friend I'd like to say a few words of tribute to this special man, from me and on behalf of other close friends of his. When he heard the news of Alan's death, a mutual friend and colleague noted poignantly that Alan was a man that was non-judgmental. Alan accepted people largely for what they were and for who they were. Alan was a man without prejudice. His many friendships crossed the barriers of social position and educational background. And his spirit, his generosity, his warmth also reached through barriers of race and cultural background. They reached through the barriers of age and generation. Because everyone was welcomed into Alan's circle of friends and what a multi-coloured, multi-cultural, multi-national, and multi-generational circle of friends it is indeed. What's more, Alan worked eagerly to bring these people from different backgrounds together. To me, he seemed happiest when he'd organised a gathering of the most diverse people one could imagine. If Alan couldn't remake the world outside to his liking, he would make it so in his backyard. He was a man without prejudice. This was not just a matter of principle for Alan, not something he merely theorised in his academic work and teaching. It was his instinct, his very nature. This was not simply tolerance, it was his personal culture. Because when we stop to think about it, Alan's preoccupation in life was people. He was always introducing people to other people. Always saying: you must meet so and so; and with his extraordinary sense of social occasion, by and large you did get to meet them. How many people have we met and got to know through Alan Smith? Dr Alan Smith was among the most intelligent people I have ever known. A sociologist by original training, he completed his Bachelor degree with Honours at the University of Wales in 1978 and was awarded his Doctorate by that University in 1990. His doctoral thesis, titled 'A Cartography of Resistance: The British State and Derry Republicanism' was a learned study of the Irish republican struggle. The freedom of the Irish people and Gaelic people generally was a cause very close to his heart throughout his adult life. His experiences in Londonderry in the 1980s exposed him to the brutal realities of war and I think shaped his political outlook in particular ways. One of these I believe was to deepen his affinity with people from oppressed nationalities and cultures wherever they were and whenever he came across them in his many travels around the world.

Dostoyevsky’s The Underground Man Essay

In Notes from Underground, Dostoyevsky describes a character burdened with significant inner conflict over love which interferes with his ability to think rationally, prevents him from developing lasting friendships, and cause him to believe he has found true love following a sexual encounter. After being bumped by an officer in a tavern, the Underground Man became obsessed with â€Å"revenge† against the officer and planned a subsequent encounter where he could â€Å"bump him with [his] shoulder† and not ‘yield an inch,† (133, 135). The Underground Man wants the officer to treat him with dignity and respect and as his equal. However, the Underground Man’s inability to develop an actual relationship with the officer or even engage in a conversation with him is indicative of the Underground Man’s inability to think rationally. This passage shows that the Underground Man’s desperate desire for human interaction irrationally causes him to seek a negative human encounter. Instead of confronting the officer directly, the Underground Man spends months obsessing about the officer before he finally engages in pitiful revenge that leaves him feeling like a failure. The Underground Man learns he is an unwanted guest when one of his former college acquaintances tells him that he has only been invited to a dinner party because he â€Å"insisted on joining† them and the Underground Man feels â€Å"crushed and humiliated† that his supposed friends don’t really want him at the party (153). This is another example of the Underground Man seeking friendship but his base and rude nature interferes with his objective. He becomes so concerned that his college friends are ridiculing him that he insults one of them. As a result, his friends are disgusted with him and clearly wish he would leave. Although the Underground Man believes he has fallen in love with Liza and wishes to save her from a life of prostitution, he concludes â€Å"loving means bullying and dominating† which causes him to insult Liza by paying her for sex thereby treating her like a lowly prostitute (199). The Underground Man’s attempt to save Liza is misguided. He does not have a better life to offer Liza. He may have additional monetary security but he lives in misery without any close human connections and his life experience is less fulfilling than most prostitutes. The Underground Man has lofty goals of saving Liza from a life of prostitution but he ends up insulting her by thrusting money into her hand as he leaves his apartment. Dostoyevsky’s created a desperate and lonely man torn apart by inner turmoil and conflict. The Underground Man sought love and friendship but ended up with tragedy, hate and loneliness because he was unable to think rationally, he allowed his ego to interfere with his ability to create and maintain friendships and he insulted and alienated a woman who may have loved him.

Halfway House Essay

‘Aadhe Adhure’ or ‘Halfway House’ has often been described as a cross between Naturalist Theatre and Theatre of the Absurd. Interestingly, both these elements actually undercut each other as theatrical movements and are said to have polarized western theatre. Naturalism argues for heredity and a global perspective on human behavior, which is said to develop out of the social environment in which a particular individual lives. On the contrary, Absurdism believes that there are no solutions to the mysteries of existence because ultimately man is alone, forced to perform repetitive actions in a world without meaning. This play has many elements of Naturalist theatre, including a linear movement, a limited time span, an in-depth psychological characterization and a defined beginning, middle and end. However, the opening line– â€Å"Once again, the same thing all over again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  firmly typecasts it as a part of Absurdist theatre, as from the start itself there is a hint at circularity of events and a hopelessness and banality defined by the repetition of the word ‘again’ in the short sentence. Mohan Rakesh borrowed a common device from the theatre of the Absurd and in ‘Aadhe Adhure’, for the first time in Indian theatre the same actor was used to play five characters. According to Rakesh, â€Å"The woman is the central character and I want the four men to be played by the same actor. What I want to indicate by that is that it’s not the individual who’s responsible for his situation, for he would have made the same choice no matter what, regardless of the situation. Any choice anyone makes has a certain irony in it, for things turn out the same regardless of the choice.† Though it was passed off by some critics as a gimmick employed by the playwright, its thematic relevance came to the fore when Rajinder Nath, contrary to his own views on the importance of the technique, directed the play using five different actors for the roles. The conclusion was felt to be severely lacking as the notion of inherent ‘similarity’ in all the men which underlines the climax of the play failed to have the same impact. Interestingly, though Savitri implies that it is beneath their appearance, that this ‘same man’ exists, the implication is only forceful for the audience because of the simultaneous visual impact of one man playing different roles. According to Nath himself it was a powerful theatrical device â€Å"to show how according to one’s convenience the same man can put on different masks depending on the situation in which he is placed†. That the authorial view corroborates with this statement is clear from the prologue where the ‘Man in the black suit’ equates identity with fluidity and calls himself undefined. Each character, given a certain set of circumstances, can occupy the place of another. This also follows the assumption that there is no real development or evolution of character; the character at the beginning of the play will not be shaped differently by the situation, enforcing the idea of a universality of experience, that â€Å"things turning out the same regardless of choice†. The prologue defines the play as ‘amorphous’. The audience is told that there is a bit of each character in all of them. Those watching the play and even those outside the theatre. The characters are said to be people â€Å"you bump into by chance in the street† stressing the alienation of urban crowd from one another as the source of difference as well as similarity, since they are all nameless, faceless people who can easily get lost in a crowd comprising of the same. Therefore, one man can play five characters because they are, in essence, the same man. This likeness is reiterated by the naming of the characters in their dialogues, not individually, but rather as First Man, Second Man, etc. According to the Hindi version of the play, the Man in the Black Suit â€Å"has a look of civility with a touch of cynicism†; the face of the First man â€Å"expresses the helpless anguish of having lost the battle of life†; the Second Man is â€Å"self-satisf ied and yet a little insecure†; the Third Man â€Å"projects an air of someone who is committed to a life of convenience†; and the Fourth Man â€Å"looks older, quite mature and shrewd†. They have different characteristics, lifestyles and manners of speech, yet according to critics Nita Kumar and N. S. Dharan, this device makes use of the inherent notion of playacting which includes the concept of freedom; to pretend and be whatever one likes. Every man remains an actor and therefore, it is easy for him to put up a faà §ade and to hide his interiority according to the demands of the situation. This concept is emphasized not by the fact that the same man plays all the characters, but rather by the fact that it is possible for the same man to play all the characters. Simply by changing his costume and facial expression, he manages to change into a different person entirely. Therefore, the assertion of the prologue of the interchangeability of these characters is understandable. The problematic element in the play arises out of the contention of the Man in the Black Suit that interchange of roles can take place not only between the men in the play but also between the man and the woman. This strikes a discordant note as, according to critic Arti Mathur, it negates Savitri’s gender-specific struggle against social constraints. One of the biggest contributions to the ‘sameness’ of the multiple characters is that they are all men. And men, by the patriarchal definition especially prevalent in urban middle-class India, have a certain societal role which leads to their convergence into one man. Irrespective of circumstances their position in society is defined while that of the woman is defined in relation to the man. However, the statement is not entirely wrong either as Savitri, as the breadwinner of the household is actually the ‘man of the house’. Every society has an economic base and a cultural superstructure, which is derived from the base. In Halfway House, the base has shifted and it is the wife who is economically independent, however, the tragedy of the ironically named Savitri lies in the fact that the superstructure has not shifted in accordance with the base. Mahendranath has not become the domestic centre just because of his confinement to the house; Savitri is still required to fulfill her ‘womanly’ domestic duties. She is defined by the context of what it means to be a woman and has internalized the patriarchal system. This is also made clear by Savitri’s contempt of what she believes is Mahendranath’s lack of manliness. She despises his dependency on herself as well as Juneja and constantly searches for escape routes through other, more sui table men. An element of unrealism is brought in, in which even the characters seem to be aware of an underlying similarity between the men, a device not available to them as characters. Askok’s sketch of Singhania leads Savitri to ask Binni if the portrait reminds her of someone, and on being asked, â€Å"Whom†, she replies â€Å"Your father.† This intermingling of the play and the outside elements draws attention to this device. There is irony in the fact that one of the ways in which these men are actually the ‘same’ is in their exploitation of Savitri. According to critic Veena Das, these characters are seldom all of a piece, they are the broken images of a decomposing society. Mahendranath is a self-described ‘parasite’ and is later shockingly revealed to be a former wife-beater. His inability to hold the position of the ‘head’ of the family has made him bitter and suspicious; suspecting his wife of illicit liaisons, which, although hinted at are never confirmed by the text. His ‘unmanliness’ makes Savitri lose all respect for him, till their marriage is reduced to a sham of public expectations. Singhania treats Savitri with condescension and his ‘favors’ are granted with an obvious air of patronization. His pompous manner and speech is calculated to make the listener feel inferior, a fact that is explicitly stated by Ashok. However, in Savitri’s eyes his position as her boss and his salary makes him ‘superior’ and she remains silent in face of his thinly-veiled innuendos and his humiliation positioning of her as â€Å"one of his child’s ‘aunties’†. His crude behavior is a caricature of the sexual exploitation that women have to deal with in work places. Jagmohan is introduced almost an antithesis of Mahendra. He is suave, successful, with a man-of-the-world air and is presented as the eleventh hour rescuer. He is the only outcome available to her from the â€Å"hell† that her house has become to her. However, this apparent proactive position loses much of its worth as it is weakened by the fact that she waits for Jagmohan to ‘fetch’ her. She overlooks his barbs at her expense and goes with him willingly, an act in defiance of society which is only rewarded by rejection. Again, this seemingly perfect man is unable to provide her with emotional support or security. Her disillusioned return drives home the point that there is no escape route left available for her. The point of concern becomes the fact that though Savitri is an economically independent woman, her means of ‘escape’ from the house is linked to a man. Savitri, in her search for the â€Å"complete man† speaks in the language of patriarchy, as the concept of ‘masculinity’ is a derivative of society. Even though she is a ‘modern, independent’ woman, she is unable to cut off the suffocating patriarchal bonds of the environment in which she lives. The Fourth Man, Juneja is introduced onto the stage around this point. He gains the sympathy of the audience by showing kindness towards Kinni, a character who is almost absolutely neglected in the play. He comes as a voice of rationality; as an almost omniscient character. He seems to have intimate knowledge of both Savitri and Mahendranath, as well as their circumstances. His seems to be the projected authorial voice in the play. His looks and manner of speech is structured so as to make the audience favor his point-of-view and assessment of character. Juneja espouses the belief that to Savitri the meaning of life is â€Å"how many different things you can have and enjoy at the same time.† He lays the blame for the current situation of hopelessness squarely on her shoulder and her quest for the â€Å"complete man†. According to him the problem is not a social reality, but instead lies in the psychological realm. All of the men she encounters are incomplete and therefore her solution is multiplicity. Her way of filling her void is â€Å"excess†. And she is only attracted to men because, â€Å"they are not Mahendra.† According to Juneja, if she had married one of the men whom she is attracted to she would have still felt she had married the wrong man. Juneja brings in another element of unrealism by accurately recounting the encounter between Jagmohan and Savitri because â€Å"in his place I would have said the same†. Once again this brings forth the ‘sameness’ of these characters, as Juneja’s claim is validated by Savitri’s shattering realization- â€Å"All of you†¦every one of you†¦all alike! Exactly the same. Different masks, but the face†¦? The same wretched face†¦every single one of you!† The tragedy of the realization is heightened by Juneja’s ruthless perusal- â€Å"And yet you felt you had a choice†¦? Was there really any choice? Tell me, was there?† In the above dialogues lies the greatest significance of that particular theatrical device. It brings out a clear dichotomy between the ideal and the real. What Savitri has been pursuing all along, the ‘ideal man’ does not in fact exist. The notion of her having had a ‘choice’ has been illusory all along; she is trapped in a world with no exit. The play shifts focus to lack of freedom for a female in urban, middle-class India. The tragedy is that Juneja’s speech provides a dual closure for Savitri; both in her search for the ‘perfect’ man who can â€Å"fill her void†, as well as an acknowledgment that she shall never gain satisfaction, and related to that, happiness. In naturalism, free will is not denied but is contained and confined within the environment in which the individual lives. Savitri’s free will is her ability to choose but the fulfillment of that choice depends on the context. Her freedom is linked to a man. She is free to choose which man, but it has to be a man. The illusion of choice arises from the four men and her ‘independence’ is related to shifting from one man to the other. In the prologue, the Man in the Black Suit had asked the existentialist question of ‘who am I’. This is now problematized, as the dramatic innovation of using the same man for multiple characters casts doubt on whether there is an ‘I’ at all. ‘I’ refers to individuality, the existence of a self different from the ‘other’, a projection that the men in the play are all different which is negated through Juneja’s speech. Savitri uses the language of social realism to justify her belief that she moves on to other men because Mahendra is not the right man. Juneja uses the language of absurdism to articulate that there is no ‘right man’; her search is futile because such a man does not exist. All the men in her life are essentially the same man and can only satisfy her for a limited period of time. Surprisingly, the text does not lead up to its realist conclusion; that she is trapped because of the prohibitions of the society in which she lives, a world in which a woman has no choice in her own destiny. It, in fact, veers from its apparent initial realist stance of ‘all men are the same in a patriarchy’ and seems to suggest that all men are the same only to Savitri. Halfway House has often been described as a woman-centric misogynistic play. â€Å"Even as the play builds up a dark vision of trapped humanity, it weakens the force of its statement by simultaneously cutting Savitri’s credentials.† (Nita Kumar). The play does not imply that if the only conditions were different or could be changed then Savitri would be able to escape from the ‘trap’, instead her sexuality is morally condemned, she ought not be able to escape. Juneja contends that all the men who had come into her life were different. They were individuals with their own diverse characteristics and, according to critic Veena Das, what made Savitri see them as parts of the same fractioned entities was her own â€Å"diseased imagination†. Juneja, in saying that all men are the same, is trying to define the essential nature of desire. Desire is always in excess of the individual and can never be completely satiated. The frightening aspect of desire lies in its limitlessness. All men are the same because they are looked at through Savitri’s desire, the fact that they will all eventually be unable to satisfy her is the reason for their ‘sameness’. Their amorphousness derives from the fact that they change in accordance with Savitri’s assessment of them. The transcendental nature of desire will always make her move on to other men and search for completeness. It seems to suggest that every being is half-incomple te, it is not a tragedy, but rather a fact of existence, and Savitri, in her search for masculine perfection and inability to accept this fact, is herself responsible for her ruination. Unexpectedly again, the play doesn’t build up even to the absurdist conclusion; it does not suggest that everybody in essentiality is like Savitri, because desire is universal, exceeding every individual. Instead, the elements of Naturalism as well as Absurdism are developed only to lay the blame on Savitri’s inherent nature, which is considered responsible for the destruction of this particular family. She stands the last accused and the play ends before there can be any possibility of defense on her behalf. Interestingly, though certain relationships in life are deterministic, including that of a mother-daughter, sister-brother, etc, the same cannot be said about spouses; however, in this very context the language used by Juneja is the final language of containment, of absolute, rigid determinism. As earlier mentioned, the device of one man playing multiple roles is that of the actor and is not available to the character, and therefore it is significant that the visual of the play itself shows that nothing can be changed. Juneja’s speech corresponds to the structure of the play, which has to come from without and therefore indicates a concurrence with the playwright’s view. According to critic Kirti Jain, this device loses a little of its relevance in the actual stage performance as the focus of the audience is drawn primarily towards the clothes, mannerisms and voice of that one actor rather than the thematic import. However, there is no ambiguity on the fact that the nature of the play cannot be understood without a reference to this particular device. Through this, the area of thrust changes entirely from the ‘universality of human experience’, and the ultimate censure is not of society, or even the circumstances, but rather of Savitri’s desiring nature. Her lack of constraint and implicit sexuality stand accused as the essential reasons for what makes her home an incomplete, halfway house.