Strenghts and weaknesses of qualitative research method. Essays

Strenghts and weaknesses of qualitative research method. Essays Strenghts and weaknesses of qualitative research method. Essay Strenghts and weaknesses of qualitative research method. Essay Soma S? ¤gi Strengths and weaknesses of different research methods This semester my group was tasked with the conduction of a research about how the University of Baths great employability rates affected their University choice. We used qualitative research methods, every member of the group interviewed a first year Social Science student. We then later summarised the data, and looked for common points. All the interviews were semi-constructed, we asked questions which let the interviewee make his/her own points about the subject, thus the answers were not arrowed to the generic ones one could receive when conducting a survey. The interviews were recorded and transcribed for easier summarisation and can be accessed online ( see bibliography ). We found that the interviewees had mainly altruistic motives, they wanted to influence disadvantaged peoples lives, and one interviewee stated that his main motive was to make a world a better place ( see the interview with Adeel ). About the influence of employability rates, the results were mixed, less than half of the participants stated that such rates were a highly influential, for the others the ourse and academical structure was the bigger influence. When the interviewees were asked more specifically about the impact of their course choice on their employability, most stated that the reputation of the Universitys Social Sciences Department will give them an edge on the Job market. The great placement options and excellent quality of teaching will have a positive influence on their employability. It is unsurprising that none of the interviewees mentioned that their University choice would give them any disadvantages. On the topic of employability itself, the subjects agreed on that it is the skills that one acquires that will later being successful on ones field of employment. Extra languages, good communication skills and the ability to function as a member of a team were the most common examples given. I myself found the qualitative method much more enjoyable than the quantitative. Even though both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, and both can be used with equal success in most cases, the fact that due to the interviews one an actually meet those who are the subjects of the research. Through survey questionnaire one can not do but narrow down the possible answers. The interview format can lead to much nuanced results, the interviewer can ask specific questions related to the answers, thus can clear up any misunderstandings or can acquire new information which later on can prove to be critical for the research. The personal The problem is common in natural scientific experiments as well, and is called The Observer Effect. Just by being there, one can influence the outcome of the xperiment, this even more true when conducting experiments which rely on human honesty. For my research this did not prove to be a problem but it is easily imaginable that for more personal questions, which can cause shame or other strong emotions in the subject ( for example those which involve traumatic events ) this could cause serious issues and could hinder the research until necessary trust is developed, which may cost substantial time and energy and may even not develop fully. All in all, I am satisfied how I conducted my interview. I do not know the subject ery well, thus I was a bit nervous about the trust issues mentioned above, but it turned out there were not any. I chose an environment where the subject could feel at ease, and tried to make it as unofficial as possible, turning the serious questionnaire to a light chat. I conducted my interview in the University Canteen over a cup of coffee and used Just pen and paper to write down the subjects answers, thus making it possible to maintain contact and not barricading myself behind a computer. I do not feel like I made any mistakes during the interview session, but due o its rather light questions and short duration there were no real mistakes to be made. I would prefer using the qualitative research method in the future when needing to acquire data. The quantitative methods, the survey questionnaire feels like it is narrowing down the possible answers too much and Just by the wording of the question one can influence the subjects answers. There are some ethical issues with the qualitative method that need to be addressed. First of all, one always needs the permission of the subject to use the data acquired through the interviews in ones research. Anonymity is often sought after subjects affected by trauma or when answering other personal questions, including but not limited to those about intimacy, physical and mental health. Qualitative research could require the researcher to participate in the subjects everyday life to a great degree, especially in those cases when the subject of the research is a closed group, for example a tribe, rather than a single person. Researchers need to know their boundaries and when not to push these, because that can lead to the subject group shutting out the researcher and to a loss of trust, hus making the research impossible to conduct. Another issue is the question of interception. Does one try to help a child suffering from domestic violence? Does one get involved in issues out of their authority? By doing so they destroy their own research subject. Is that such a great price for actually making an another human beings life better? What if, due to the research, a hundred lives would become better? Those conducting qualitative research in serious issues face these dilemmas every day. In the end, let me express my feeling about such matters. I believe that the main oal of every social scientist should be to somehow, through their own research, may whole but we can bring small changes, even if it is to slightly alter and improve an academic topic, or even a smaller, yet equally important change: bring happiness. Bibliography: All interviews of Qualitative Group 7: httpwwww. scribd. com/doc/190612665/Qu-Alres-Group-7-Data [10. 12. 2013] orb, A. , Eisenhauer, L. , Wynaden, D. , 2000. Ethics in Qualitative Research. Journal of nursing scholarship, 33(1), pp 93-96. Accessed from: columbia. edu/†mvp19/RMC/ M5/QualEthtcs. pdf [9. 12. 2013]

Rules and Regulations of Youth Basketball

Rules and Regulations of Youth Basketball Team sports fill an important role in childrens lives. It teaches kids the importance of teamwork and provides an entertaining outlet for physical activity. Recreation is an important element in life and can help an individuals development both mentally and physically. Playing sports can also improve a childs self-esteem, help him develop strong interpersonal and leadership skills, and teach him the value of listening to his coach. Basketball is a fantastic sport for kids to play. Its relatively inexpensive and doesnt require much equipment. Most playgrounds, recreation centers, and gyms have basketball goals. At  least two kids and a basketball are all that are necessary to play. If youd like to get the kids in your neighborhood or homeschool group active, you may be interested in forming a basketball league. Before you get started, its important to understand the rules and regulations of youth basketball. Philosophy of Youth Basketball The philosophy of youth basketball is to offer the participants a high-quality program that will teach the basic fundamentals and the  offensive and defensive philosophy of the game. Learning good sportsmanship and teaching all participants to respect their coaches, officials, fellow players, and the rules is also an important part of youth basketball. Length of Playing Periods There will be four eight-minute periods for all divisions (except varsity and senior division). Varsity and Senior division will play four ten-minute periods. Every period will be on a running clock that is only stopped for timeouts and technical fouls. The Clock The clock will be stopped during the last two minutes of the game on all dead ball situations for all divisions (except Pee Wee division). If the point difference is ten points or more, the clock will remain running until the score arrives at less than ten points. Basketball Half Time The 1st and 2nd periods will constitute the 1st half; 3rd and 4th periods will constitute the 2nd half. Half time will be three minutes in duration. Timeouts in Basketball Each team will be allowed two timeouts in each half. The timeouts must be taken in their respective halves or they will be lost. There are no accumulations of timeouts. Player Participation Every player must play four minutes of each quarter, eight minutes per half for Pee Wee and Junior Varsity. Varsity and Seniors must play five minutes of each quarter, ten minutes per half. Every player must also sit out half of each period during the game, so as not to play the whole game, except in the case of injury or health problems. Sickness: Once the game has started and a player becomes sick or is unable to continue during a game, the coach of the player must enter, in the score book, the players name, time, and the period. The player will be ineligible to re-enter the game.Discipline: If a player misses consecutive practice without an excuse the coach will notify the site director. The site director will immediately notify the parents of the players. If these violations continue, the player will not be eligible to participate in the next game.Injury: If a player is injured and removed during a game, the player will be eligible to re-enter per the discretion of his/her coach. The partial period of play will constitute one full period for the injured player. Any player may be substituted for the injured player if the player participation rule is not affected. The player participation rules must be strictly enforced with  one full period of play for each player per half. Must Sit Rule: Every player must sit out at least half of the period. 20-Point Rule If a team has a 20-point lead at any time during the game, they will not be allowed to employ a full court press or a half-court press. No pressure is allowed. It is recommended that top players are removed and the substitutes play (only if player participation is not compromised). In the 4th period, and with a 20-point lead, the coach must take his top players out until the point difference is less than 10 points. Youth Basketball Pee Wee Division The Pee Wee Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 4 and 5,  with four players and coach on the court. Basket height:  6 feet, Basketball size: 3 (mini), Free throw line: 10 feet.​ Rules: The league will not adhere to a rule book. Since most of the participants do not understand fouls or violations, the officials will use their best judgment during the game. Penalties/violations will only be enforced if a player is gaining an advantage.Exception: Key violations - none and traveling - three steps.Defense: Teams may play zone or  man-to-man  at any time during the game. There are no limitations. Zone defense is highly recommended.Press: Teams may defend the ball only after the ball penetrates the half court line. The defensive players may not defend until the ball penetrates the half court line. No full court press.1st Pass/Back-court Rule: After the defensive player secures the  rebound, the 1st pass must be in the back-court, to the coach.Free Throws: Each player will shoot at least one free-throw prior to the start of play. Each successful free-throw will be recorded in the score book and count in the teams overall score. Officials will administer the fr ee throws. A player who missed will be allowed to shoot an extra shot to balance the team attempts, the free-throw line will be designated by the officials. A shooter may touch the line, but not cross completely over the line with his/her foot, on free-throw attempts. Players: Teams may have a maximum of four players on the court. The coach will be on the court on offense to help  dribble  and move the ball around. (The coach may not shoot the ball.) The coach may be on the court at the defensive end, may not play defense, and only coach defensively without physical contact. Youth Basketball Junior Varsity (J.V.) Division The J.V. Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 6 and 7, with five  players on the court. Basket height: 6 feet, Basketball size: 3 (mini), Free throw line: 10 feet Defense: Teams may play zone or man-to-man at any time during the game. There are no limitations. Zone defense is highly recommended.Press: Teams may defend the ball only after the ball penetrates the half court line. The defensive players must stay in the three-second area until the ball crosses the half court line.Foot in the Paint: Each defensive player must put at least one foot in the paint and stay in the 3-second area until the ball crosses the half court line.Three Second Violation: An offensive player may not be in the key (paint) for 5 seconds or more, This will be a violation against the offending team.Free Throws: Each player will shoot at least one free throw prior to the start of play. Each successful free-throw will be recorded in the scorebook and count in the teams overall score. Referees will administer the free throws. Both teams will shoot free throws at the same time but at different baskets. A player who has missed will be allowed to shoot an extra shot to balan ce the team attempts, the free-throw line will be at the dotted line inside the key. A shooter may touch the line, but not cross completely over the line with his/her foot on free-throw attempts. Youth Basketball Varsity Division The Varsity Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 8-10, with five  players on the court. Basket height:  10 feet, Basketball size: intermediate, Free throw line: 15 feet Defense: Any half-court defense may be played during the game.Press: Teams may full-court press only during last 5 minutes of the game. Any press is allowed.​Penalty: Only one warning per half for each half, a team  technical foul  will follow.Free Throws: The free-throw line will be at 15 feet. Shooters may touch the line but not completely cross over the line with his/her foot on free-throw attempts. Youth Basketball Senior Division The Senior Division consists of up to 10 players, ages 11-13, with five players on the court. Basket height: 10 feet, Basketball size: official; Free throw line: 15 feet. Defense: Teams must play man-to-man defense in the entire 1st half. Teams may play either man-to-man or zone defense in the second half.Penalty: One warning per team and then a team technical foul will be assessed.Man-to-man Defense: The defensive player must be within a six feet guardian position, A defensive team may double-team a player who has the basketball. Defensive team cannot double-team a player who does not have the ball. Officials will give one warning per half to each team. Further infractions will result in a technical foul.Press: Teams may employ a full-court press at any time during the game. During the first half, the teams must play only a man-to-man full court press, if they decide to press. Youth basketball is a low-cost team sport option that provides an opportunity for kids of all ages to reap the benefits of physical activity and sportsmanship. It also provides children the chance to learn the basics of the game so that those with the talent and inclination are ready to play at the high school level.

Marketing management project Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing management project - Case Study Example The critical problem of the agency involves a very important decision of whether to expand or continue the way it is for the agency. Grabbing a large portfolio would lead to expansion and better avenues of growth but it comes with the risks and the costs. Maintaining the status quo would be a less risky solution but not getting any return in the long run. Firstly, In case if the Yadana account doesn’t work well it would have to reducing the manpower hired for the account will damage the agency’s image. Secondly, determining the medium of advertising seems to be a problem, ignoring television would be ignoring the urban and metro market wherein radio and print would require a different skill set for a strong customer base to create. Thirdly, the customer although aware of the market is brand loyal and needs to be educated first. Fourthly, as the market seems to have shrunken it would actually be an opportunity in disguise. Very few players would always give a chance to grab a very large share of the market. 1. The investments would again run neck to neck with operating cost versus marketing costs. If the overall market is gloomy even if the most aggressive marketing techniques are implemented the results remain uncertain. 3. A customer survey and feedback would give a clear idea to the agency regarding the customer expectations. It would also give an opportunity to review its own strengths and weaknesses which is necessary. Advertising seems to be a very volatile business that fluctuates along with the markets and economic conditions. But if all the parameters of managing a business are to be applied then any business after doing an accurate assessment of its own strengths and weaknesses should go ahead and convert market threats into opportunities. Economic downturn is not a bane but certainly can be blessing in disguise. There are some changes which are forced by the environmental factors on the organization, but organizations who

Mission, Vision, and Value Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mission, Vision, and Value Paper - Essay Example The company is a leading player in the gum and mint category too (Hershey’s Company Profile, 2009). Continuing with the legacy of Milton Hershey, the company is committed to consumers, communities and children by providing high-quality products while conducting business in environmentally sustainable manner. At workplace, the company maintains safety and wellness for the employees fostering openness and inclusiveness making it a desirable place to work. Hersheys believes in sharing knowledge so as to grow together by not only creating an environment of mutual respect but also unleashing human potential at the workplace. In marketplace, the company is committed to consumer well-being as well as fair and ethical business dealings. The company always strives for and creates a positive impact at the local community level where it operates (Listen, learn and act, 2011). Ever since Milton Hershey laid the foundation of the company, the mission, vision and value statements have worked as a guiding spirit for the growth and development of the company earning goodwill among its customers and local communities. The company is ‘open to possibilities’ in all its endeavors, always ready to embrace diversity seeking new approaches. The aim is to achieve continuous improvement in what they do. There is no doubt that the clarity of vision and values has helped the company reach to its present state. In 2011, the company had 15.6% of its sales coming from outside the U.S. and as part of global expansion strategy the company is increasing its investments outside the U.S in the countries such as Brazil, Mexico, India and China. In view of the new growth strategy, the company needs to perform environmental scanning to assess external factors that might affect the Hershey’s in the long run (Sadler, 2003 p181). Numerous risks are

The Iliad And The Epic Style Essay Example for Free

The Iliad And The Epic Style Essay ‘Epos’ which   is the root Greek word for â€Å"epic†Ã‚   means , â€Å"early, unwritten narrative poetry, celebrating incidents of heroic traditions.(Rees.1966). High seriousness and elevated style are associated with epic, which is evidenced in the convention of Invocation at the start of an epic. In Iliad the poet invokes the muse to assist his dedicated labour:   â€Å"Sing Goddess the wrath of Achilles Pleiades/the ruinous anger that woes on the Danna’s brought.† Aristotle in his Poetics describes epic as seeing life as a whole. We see in the Iliad, the epic song as the expression of an entire nation or race, the epic spans a long period of action (at least 10 years of siege and conquest of Troy by the Achaeans). Critics named as ARCHITECTOINICS, the controlled power and design of the epic, in which the poet managed a vast canvass spanning oceans and including the gods in its scope; at the same time never wavering from its central design: the revenge of Achilles and the conquest of Troy are epic subject of the Iliad. Homeric similes and epithets became conventions following the Iliad where Homer constantly engages stock epithets like â€Å"fleet-footed Achilles†,† wine-dark sea† or â€Å"rose fingered dawn†. The epic simile is a device by which the poet would temporarily deviate from his subject while he is making a long drawn out comparison, which in itself stands like a descriptive poem independent of the subject. For example the reaction of Hector on hearing the encouraging words of Apollo in Canto 15 of the Iliad, where the poet launches a detailed comparison of a horse   highly descriptive and grand in its flow, as a parallel to the reviving spirits of Hector.(â€Å"Like a stalled horse fed to the full in the manger/breaks loose from his halter..etc.†) Other conventions like war council, elaborate games and competitions started with Iliad where Achilles is shown throwing a grand Game show after the funeral of his friend Petroclus. The intervention of gods in the destinies and affairs of men is a constant epic feature, called the â€Å"epic Machinery†. The seeds of disaster were in the Olympian incident of Paris son of Priam and prince of Troy acting as Judge in a Beauty competition among Goddesses, Aphrodite, Hera and Athena. Paris decides in favor of Aphrodite as she grants his wish of getting for wife the most beautiful woman. He meets Helen ,wife of Menelaus king of Greece, and abducts her to Troy and thus the Great War starts. It is God Apollo who guides Paris to kill Achilles by sending an arrow at his heels; the fire gods fashion the armor for the invincible Achilles.The gods represent inexorable Fate,in whose grip men are powerless; in whose hands men are puppets. The personae are all divine in origin too. Helen and Achilles’ parentage goes back to Zeus and the sea nymph Thetis respectively; Zeus Athena and Hera have direct stakes in the war, which is but an extension of their strife to control one another. Catalogues of chieftains who participate in the war and the list of the ships launched by Menelaus, which again are part of epic conventions, give an exalted setting to the heroic struggle. The revenge of Hector, the wrath of Achilles, the prolonged siege of Troy   provide the grand and solemn background   against which the characters like Agamemnon Ajax and Hector acquire supernatural stature. The Iliad has highly descriptive passages on the life in Troy, the tragic aspects of war, on friendship and simple aspects of life. The scene of Hector taking leave of his wife is immortal poetry, and the epic itself is a moving expression of heroism high Idealism. And patriotism. The Heroes themselves are partly historic and partly mythical, legendary characters.`   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   REFERENCE: S.O. Andrew M.J. Oakley, (translators) Homer’s Iliad, 1960.London JM Dent SonsLtd. RJ Rees, An Introduction To English Literature,(p.46-50).1966.Macmillan,London.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   [emailprotected][emailprotected][emailprotected][emailprotected][emailprotected]_

Mechanisms of the Mind Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Mechanisms of the Mind The human brain can be seen as one of nature's finest miracle. An object that weights merely three pounds is responsible for how we perceive reality, feel emotions, remember events and learn new things. For the past two decades, scientists and researchers have explored this hot field of neuroscience in hopes of finding some answers to how something so small is able to hold a lifetime of information. How exactly does the human brain retain experiences, thoughts, and memories? The answer to this has yet to be discovered. From the time I was young, I have always been fascinated about the processes of the brain and how the mind is able to remember and recollect memories. For almost two years now, I have been fortunate enough to be able to observe the actions and development of my little sister Michelle. From infant to toddler, I have observed the how the brain constantly refines her motor and hand-eye coordination skills. From her first words to her half Burmese/half Chinese complete sentences it is amazing to be able to watch her master difficult tasks such as learning a language, not to mention two languages, at the same time. How is it that she remembers to differentiate between the language she chooses to speak and the person to whom she is speaking? For example, when she talks with my grandmother, she seems to know to speak only Chinese or Burmese so she will understand. But when she speaks to my brother in Chinese and he doesn't respond, she will repeat it in Burmese or English. One instance of this I observed just recently. Ever since Michelle was little, she has been fascinated with computers and would ask us to show her the picture images saved onto the computer. But when my brother came ho... ...since. In which case, patients become prisoners of their past. Yet they can still learn new skills such as playing bridge and improve their playing skills each time they play, although they will think it is their first time playing the game. This suggests that the memory of skill development is controlled by a different part of the brain. The human brain is something to be marveled at. It is incredible to imagine that an object that consists of billions of neural connections and is made up of three pounds of brain cells is responsible for how we perceive reality, feel emotions, remember events and learn new things. Most of who we are lies inside this small organ which sits on top of our heads. Understanding how the mind retains a lifetime's worth of memories is still one of the toughest problems in biology. Internet Sources: http://www.chronicle.duke.edu/ Mechanisms of the Mind Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers Mechanisms of the Mind The human brain can be seen as one of nature's finest miracle. An object that weights merely three pounds is responsible for how we perceive reality, feel emotions, remember events and learn new things. For the past two decades, scientists and researchers have explored this hot field of neuroscience in hopes of finding some answers to how something so small is able to hold a lifetime of information. How exactly does the human brain retain experiences, thoughts, and memories? The answer to this has yet to be discovered. From the time I was young, I have always been fascinated about the processes of the brain and how the mind is able to remember and recollect memories. For almost two years now, I have been fortunate enough to be able to observe the actions and development of my little sister Michelle. From infant to toddler, I have observed the how the brain constantly refines her motor and hand-eye coordination skills. From her first words to her half Burmese/half Chinese complete sentences it is amazing to be able to watch her master difficult tasks such as learning a language, not to mention two languages, at the same time. How is it that she remembers to differentiate between the language she chooses to speak and the person to whom she is speaking? For example, when she talks with my grandmother, she seems to know to speak only Chinese or Burmese so she will understand. But when she speaks to my brother in Chinese and he doesn't respond, she will repeat it in Burmese or English. One instance of this I observed just recently. Ever since Michelle was little, she has been fascinated with computers and would ask us to show her the picture images saved onto the computer. But when my brother came ho... ...since. In which case, patients become prisoners of their past. Yet they can still learn new skills such as playing bridge and improve their playing skills each time they play, although they will think it is their first time playing the game. This suggests that the memory of skill development is controlled by a different part of the brain. The human brain is something to be marveled at. It is incredible to imagine that an object that consists of billions of neural connections and is made up of three pounds of brain cells is responsible for how we perceive reality, feel emotions, remember events and learn new things. Most of who we are lies inside this small organ which sits on top of our heads. Understanding how the mind retains a lifetime's worth of memories is still one of the toughest problems in biology. Internet Sources: http://www.chronicle.duke.edu/

John Proctor Essay

This description adds an air of mystery to him – he seems subversive and breeds paranoia, which is bound to encourage the audience to dislike him. This unpleasantness about him rubs off on the characters who side with him such as Parris, Danforth and Abigail, and hence rubs off on the society that gets caught up in his hysterical witch-hunt. Similarly to Proctor therefore, we feel alienated from this society, so different to our own. So while characters such as Hale may be portrayed as popular in the community, and therefore as good citizens following the teachings of their society, the audience sees Proctor as a good man. Furthermore, as the audience comes to dislike this society more and more, partly due to Hale’s influence upon it, and as the events of the play become more serious, our disgust with Salem as a society grows. This leads us to side even more with the characters that are portrayed as ‘good people’ (not only Proctor, but those accused of witchcraft more generally such as Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor) and against the ‘good citizens’. This is simply due to the fact that the ‘good citizens’ chose to distinguish themselves from the ‘good people’ in the eyes of the audience by accusing them of witchcraft, thus forcing us to side against them. However, the audience’s sympathy with Proctor is perhaps not absolute. In his relationship/interaction with Elizabeth, we may find a darker, less appealing side to Proctor. When we first meet her, Elizabeth is â€Å"softly singing to the children†. She obeys John’s orders, seeming mild, sweet and gentle. This serves to instantly ingratiate her with the audience. But similarly, she gains our sympathy. She has the air of a repressed housewife. In obeying John’s every command, Elizabeth appeals to the hearts of the modern liberal audience living in an age of comparative equality. Everything down to the way she laments â€Å"Pray God. I hurt my heart to strip her, poor rabbit† makes her ever more sweet and sensitive and worthy of sympathy in the eyes of the audience. Because of the audience’s sympathies with Elizabeth, when Proctor begins to grow angry and shout at her, for the first time we are encouraged to side against Proctor. Elizabeth, seeming weak and sensitive plays on our sympathies, so when John shouts â€Å"Woman †¦ I’ll not have your suspicion any more†, the audience sees her as the victim of the ‘bully’, John. Even then however, John manages to redeem himself. Elizabeth’s sweetness does seem to have an effect on him. Eventually, he recognises Elizabeth for the good woman she is, and when he comes to resolve his inner battle between truth and life, he values her opinion above all others. He appears therefore, to be a man of some compassion. He begs her to judge him, something that he had rejected bitterly before then, and was the source of their original argument. In his own words â€Å"You are a – marvel, Elizabeth†. In Proctor’s struggle at the end of the play – his choice between a virtuous death and a haunted life – we see open, frank and emotional expressions of his goodness and compassion. Indeed, it is here that we see the true evidence that John Proctor really is a good man. Here, for the first time, he openly recognises his flaws – â€Å"I cannot mount the gibbet a saint †¦ Nothing’s spoiled by giving them this lie that wasn’t rotten long before†. The audience now recognises him as a man of great humanity, who will own up to his past sins. Furthermore, his benevolence shines through in his recognition of Elizabeth as a better person than he. This is most prominently displayed in his desperation to be judged by her. He recognises her goodness and begs forgiveness, and when she sullies her own name his pain is most apparent: â€Å"PROCTOR (In great pain): Enough, enough – ELIZABETH (Now pouring out her heart): Better you should know me! PROCTOR: I will not hear it! I know you! † Never before has Proctor used such emotion as this, denoted by the short sentences, exclamation marks and short bursts of pained speech. It is clear that he loves Elizabeth above all other things, and would willingly die for her to think better of him. He is a man of true compassion and love. But most revealing of his good nature is Proctor’s ultimate choice. When it comes down to it, he cannot lie. As he tries to give the confession, he has great trouble in physically saying it. His jaws lock, we are told, as if God himself were intervening to stop a good Christian from sullying his name. His confession is short, pained and brief. He cannot bear to elaborate, simply uttering â€Å"I did †¦ He did† in answer to the charges against him. It is too much for this good man. He cannot darken his soul to save his life. He would rather die a good and honest Christian, than live a lie and stoop so low as those who interrogate and imprison him. It is here that he proves himself truly heroic, as he rises above the hypocrisy of Salem and dies a martyr to the cause of good and truth, and this he recognises himself – â€Å"I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. † Clearly then, John Proctor is absolutely the central character of ‘The Crucible’. He is purposely detached from Salem society and moulded into the key to a play with a deeper underlying meaning. In many ways he represents Miller himself, and shares a viewpoint with the modern audience, providing a window into a very different world. In order to do this it is vital that the audience sympathises entirely with his plight. His respectable and likeable character draws the audience to him, before Miller pits both him and us against the misguided witch-hunters – Miller’s own House Un-American Activities Committee. We side and sympathise with Proctor, just as Miller requires us to side and sympathise with him, before a greater evil. 6 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section. Download this essay Print Save Not the one?