Study On Curriculum Project-Probability

My involvement in this subject comes from slightly uncultivated beginnings, as my friends were really good in card games and reasonably adept at chancing ( merely amongst friends of class, and purely no money changed handsaˆÂ ¦ ) . They were ever able to quite rapidly measure whether their opportunities of winning was appropriately big or non, and I ever used to inquire how they make these determinations. I learnt more about chance in the school than college, therefore enabling myself to larn more theoretically, but did n't larn to use in existent life. As Maier suggests that, persons fail to use school learned processs because they are non encouraged to associate school experiences to life outside school. â€Å" School kids recognise that school mathematics is non a portion of the universe outside school, the universe most of import to most people † . By larning Probability it helps pupil to do sense of the existent universe in state of affairss affecting hazard, opportu nity and uncertainness, therefore it is one of my preferable subject to research and Teach. In today ‘s universe it is non difficult to believe that life around us is surrounded by games of opportunity and one have to be educated to foretell the opportunity of winning and possibility of assorted results. â€Å" Learning approximately mathematical construct precedes the ability to use these constructs † . Peoples who lack an accurate sense of chance are easy drawn in by false claims and pseudosciences are vulnerable to acquire rich-quick strategy. Peoples expose themselves to dangers of taking hazard at some point of their life, but they need to be able to gauge the chance of success in order to measure whether the hazard is reasonable. Therefore apprehension of Probability theory enables us to believe about these determinations and besides assist us to take control of them. The national lottery is a perfect illustration of usage of chance for gauging their success and leting people to believe that they would win one twenty-four hours. In professional life, more people use statistics and chance than any other subdivision of mathematics. Insurance company and Banks ( impart money ) have concern program that is wholly based on their apprehension of statistical chances, measuring that their hazard degree is really low.â€Å" Probability is outlook founded upon partial cognition. A perfect familiarity with all the fortunes impacting the happening of an event would alter outlook into certainty, and leave neither room nor demand for a theory of chances. †Today in this multi cultural society, subject such as chance need to be approached and addressed with attention and consideration as these subjects have links to many ethical and philosophical issues. Gambling as an facet of subject itself is still forbidden for much people. In add-on to this treatment of chance as a opportunity of results comes straight in to struggles with most faiths and doctrines, which lecture to determinism and destiny. Therefore there is still a considerable argume nt as to whether chance should be taught and hence the ways in which it is taught has to be discussed sanely. Finally, the farther motive for learning chance In this consumer-lead society, is of import to develop people who are cognizant of the factors environing decision-making and will non be excessively easy swayed by efforts to carry them to portion with their hard-earned money. The construct of an informed consumer is important to the instruction of chance as we can assist model people who will non be taken advantage of excessively easy. One position of chance is that it addresses â€Å" ratings of state of affairss which are built-in in the topic ‘s head † ( Borovcnik et al, 1991 ) and this has clear intensions for all of us in our mundane lives.â€Å" The kernel of chance prevarications in measurement and covering with uncertainness. An apprehension of this cardinal point can merely come about by ab initio being involved in doing opinions, whilst at the same clip paying attending to the beginnings of uncertainness in determination devising. †( Peter Gates, 1989 ) Consequently, in fixing to learn chance, I had to research ways of speaking about uncertainness. Normally statements affecting uncertainness are based on past experience and, as such, can frequently be subjective. These words and phrases may be called the linguistic communication forms of uncertainness or so chance. In learning chance to this category I hoped to set a clear accent on practical numeracy which I feel is peculiarly of import for their advancement in life. I would besides wish to stress the connexions between subdivisions of mathematics within the National Curriculum. As chance has strong links exist with AT2 Number, a class could help the pupils ‘ apprehension of fractions, decimals and topographic point value. Understanding and utilizing relationships between Numberss and developing methods of calculation could besides be enhanced by techniques developed for the computation of chances. Turning back to the thought of how these thoughts should be taught, there is a considerable sum of experiment and probe included in the texts, and this is ever followed up with theoretical work of a similar nature. This brings me back to Crawford ‘s paper on a peculiar strategy of work where he highlights the debatable facet of experiments ; they cause exhilaration. As he puts it ;â€Å" There was a great trade of activity and evident enjoyment but small grounds of idea aˆÂ ¦ † .An Probe of the Law of Thought Probability is outlook founded upon partial cognition. A perfect familiarity with all the fortunes impacting the happening of an event would alter outlook into certainty, and leave neither room nor demand for a theory of chances. So, we need lessons which encourage engagement and thought without directing students into a probability-fuelled craze. I feel that the Key Maths books make a pretty just pang at this, and from my observation they work good when non the exclusive resource. Due to the nature of the subject, a balance needs to be struck between theory and pattern, and this can be achieved in portion through treatment and analysis of games. Games are frequently used because, as noted in the NCETM ;â€Å" Psychologically and socially, games are easy separated from real-life activity, so they provide a impersonal, nonthreatening context in which equity can be examined † .Again I should advert the fact that we must see the issue of equal chances with respects to games. Different civilizations have produced different games, and the usage of a game unknown to some students in a category can be both debatable and honoring. If cognition of a game is assumed, students unfamiliar with it will experience a nomic. Conversely, an unfamiliar game, if right explained and modelled, can open up new countries of cultural involvement for students. Clearly, consciousness of the issues within a category and school are important here, and it is with merely such affairs in head that Shan & A ; Bailey ( 1991 ) have devised chance activities which straight address cultural and cultural issues to guarantee there is no over-emphasis on Western point of views. To further develop my capable cognition in Probability, I have chosen to carry on the course of study undertaking with twelvemonth 9 ; in-between ability group ( put 5 ) pupils. The Key Stage 3 SATs consequence showed that all of these pupils were able to accomplish Level 5 with the exclusion of few who achieved a Level 4. This twelvemonth 9 category had four 50 proceedingss continuance mathematics lessons per hebdomad, and I had duty for two of these lessons. Initially I was patronised working with this category because, this set was more ambitious in both behavior and acquisition. Most of the students from this category would be taking their GCSE -Foundation Level. The School ‘s records indicated that 62.2 % of the campaigners who took GCSE achieved A* to C classs. The math Teacher Mr X was caput of math and his lesson is ever functional and good controlled, and I was certain that I will non have the same regard from the students. Before Christmas interrupt my learning experience with this category was centred chiefly on issues of subject. Most of the students larning were often disrupted by inappropriate schoolroom behavior and absenteeism. They were besides really hard to promote and actuate. Positive methods of subject, detainment and usage of the School ‘s behavior policy and referral system bit by bit improved my relationship with the category and besides made them to understand that I would ever maintain up to my word. This success strengthened my finding to better the acquisition environment and present a sense of mathematical accomplishment within this category. The Government, through the National Curriculum, has expressed their belief that chance is of great importance within the topic of mathematics. Understanding and utilizing chance appears in Key Stage 2 and characteristics strongly thenceforth. Most of the School offer statistics at GCSE degree and this tendency reflects the importance of statistics to modern consumers in a society where the ability to do determinations, interpret informations and communicate information is critical. I planned to include this model within my learning methodological analysis with careful planning. I intended to sharpen my accomplishments peculiarly in relation to puting prep, taging and work with single students error and misconception. As Boaler high spots â€Å" advanced ways instructors engage their pupils in acquisition and travel math from a ‘drill and kill ‘ experience to one where pupils become mathematicians, non merely rote memorisers â€Å" Therefore in add-on to this model, I intended to learn the usage of experimental activities with chance in lessons ; Bright and Hoeffner, 1993 provinces â€Å" Solutions to chance jobs frequently seen counter intuitive even for instructors † . I, hence, saw experimental activities playing an of import function in associating the theoretical and empirical attacks to chance.Each of the students in my category had been issued with both a New National Framework Text Book and prep Book. I intended to utilize them as resources supplementing them with worksheets and other instruction resources drawn from cyberspace.

Five literary elements in Barbara Kimenye’s “The Winner” Essay

Barbara Kimenye’s â€Å"The Winner,† is an excellent example of a short story that does not necessarily use all five of the literary elements to their fullest potential, but still creates a sense of organic unity. In this analysis, the elements are organized in the order of theme, plot, characterization, setting, and then structure. Each element will be described and then â€Å"The Winner† and the events in it will be related to the elements. The purpose of the theme of a story is to provide insight to the reader about the author’s point-of-view on the topic they chose to write about. Theme can be communicated in two ways, both of which Ms. Kimenye utilized. One is to reveal the theme directly through a statement that a character makes, and the other is to allow the reader to interpret the theme based on the actions and reactions of the characters. She relates money and happiness throughout the story to convey her theme. Her use of description through the characters stressed her point very clearly. She used the right symbols, such as people, in the proper way to help the reader understand the purpose and meaning of the symbol. Overall, the way she incorporated the theme into the story could be considered to range from good to excellent. The plot of a story should have an element of suspense and irony in it to make the reader want to continue reading. It should also include at least one major complication, that is, the protagonist or another character is blocked from doing what they want to do. While all of this is going on, the order or events and relationship between events still has to make sense to the reader. There was a great deal of irony presented in the end of the story when Pius ended up changing his opinion of Cousin Sarah and marrying her, which the reader didn’t expect. Barbara Kimenye also kept the events in the story organized by some form and made it very simple for the reader to understand what was going on. While she fulfilled most of the characteristics of a good plot, one seemed to be lacking. There could have been more tension between characters present in the story. Ms. Kimenye made wonderful use of the element characterization. In short stories, not much depth is required as to the character’s personalities. It is only required that any reader be able to connect with one character.  However, in this story, one seemed to know Pius’ personality and by the end, could almost predict what his reactions would be to events. The setting in this story was somewhat described literally, but most good authors try to make a touch on figurative settings also. The setting is the conditions prior to the story, and should be described in clarity and detail. In this selection, one had a general idea of Pius’ surroundings, but no information presented was ever extremely detailed so that the reader could make a distinct picture in their head. Finally, the structure of a short story should always be fictional and written in prose. It should also contain no more than one plot and should be based on the plot rather than the characters. Short stories do not usually use all five literary elements clearly and with a great depth, although they are still present in some form. Ms. Kimenye chose a structure to write in at the beginning of the story and, for the most part, she stuck to all of the guidelines with it, although some things she did in the story may have been pushing it a little bit. In general, Barbara Kimenye used the five elements together in a way that most readers can understand and interpret to mean many things. The story could have been written better, but the author placed the elements together in a way that worked, regardless of whether or not she used them all to their full potential.

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Appeal letter - Essay Example atments (December 2007, October 2008) iontotherapy 2008) inhalations (2008) antibiotic treatments ( November 2006, April 2007, October 2007, December 2007, February 2008, October 2008, April 2009, May 2009) and iontotherapy with 2 % calcium chloride and vaccine (2009) with situations when the first antibiotic series evidently failed to eliminate the problem and my ailment continued and resultantly had to visit one after another of the specialists. During this time I was repeatedly infected by bacteria: beta-h(a)emolytic streptococcus c, examinations carried out in 2007, 2008 and 2009, and thus had to take prescribed antibiotics (evidence provided). Throughout the period I had to travel back and forth between a number of physicians and health advisors which considerably drained my energies embalming which was vitally important to succeed in the program. For instance when I was first taken ill on __________ I had to go visit. Then again from there I had to go to _(name of doc)________ in _(location)_ As instances of the negative effect this had on my studies I consider courses, where part of the assessment was a group presentation, poster presentation or group reports and where I faced difficulties to attend group meetings and group work. Because of recurrence of infections I could afford less flexibility which in turn affected the aggregative performance of the group. I would thus argue that my performance was constrained by an unfortunately recurrent state of ill-health which prevented me from realizing my potential. I am convinced that if I did not have to go through the harrowing experience of continuously trying my level best all the while recognizing that my performance was being rendered sub-optimal by factors entirely beyond my control, I would have secured better grades. I do believe this strongly since I know how committed I have been to putting in the most sincere efforts which are reflected strongly in the following grades that I acquired in spite of

Social network marketing Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social network marketing - Literature review Example Thus, in this customer-oriented financial system, companies are trying to discover additional money-making methods to promote their business services and products-line, access existing clients, and make new users/clients across the business boundaries (Phillips et al., 2010). In addition, social networking websites facilitate users to communicate with people who exchange or distribute similar ideas or information. Although these websites were originally produced to assist social associations, dealers are recognizing the prospect of these sites to offer the mechanisms to encourage valuable services and products of business. In this scenario, a very popular social networking website in the U.S. is Facebook, which comprises more than 500 million worldwide users. Additionally, the social networking websites similar to Facebook, Flickr and MySpace have turned into a well-liked method to distribute and publicize web based material. Their huge fame has directed to viral marketing methodolog ies that try to offer useful content, services, effective products and thoughts through these social networking websites.

Arctic Plankton Bloom Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arctic Plankton Bloom - Assignment Example When a scientist says that productivity is a rate, he/she means that it is the rate at which organic matter is produced (National Geographic, n.d.). More clearly, in a scientific perspective, biological productivity is the annual rate of biomass production expressed in tons per hectare per year. Before discussing the factors that influence productivity in various ocean environments like the surf zone, mid-ocean and the deep abyss, it is important to understand the fact that oceans account for only one-third of Earth’s productivity although they cover roughly two-third of the Earth’s surface area. In oceans, coastal regions are characterized with the greatest net primary production. Thorne-Miller (1999) states that diversity of species in surf zone is low but the species that remain in this ocean environment is unusually productive, making the surf zone one of the most productive marine habitats. Wave action is a major factor that influences productivity in the surf zone indirectly. It supplies â€Å"nutrients and suspended food particles to plants and animals attached to the rock† (p. 68). In addition, the wave action keeps seaweeds wet in times of low tide, leading to a favorable photosynthesis rate during the period of greatest light intensity. Thorne -Miller also says that seaweeds and invertebrates living in the surf zone have the capability to adapt to the challenging physical conditions there (p.68). In the words of Foulger (2011), the major factors that determine productivity in mid-oceans include the local plate boundary configuration, temperature, and source composition such as volatiles. Productivity is notably improved by enhanced source fertility. A high fertile source will be characterized with a lower solidus, and this in turn would yield a higher level melting at a given temperature resulting in the thickening of the oceanic crust (p.87). Tyler (2003)

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 13

Report - Essay Example Outlets vary in size and complexity with some providing hot meals while others only provide cold provisions. An atmosphere conducive to purchasing is required, allowing time to browse and a quick checkout service. A full range of appropriate foodstuffs needs to be available to cater for all tastes and cultural requirements. There are usually peaks and troughs in customers, with most requiring service at lunchtimes and morning/afternoon breaks. At these times, there needs to be a smooth service for customers allowing fast purchase of the desired items without having to queue for extended periods. There are many ways to show a service and its supporting elements. This report uses the service blueprint (Shostak, 1984). Although the service appears simple, there are several things going on at once, which are more easily seen in a service blueprint. The following blueprint is based on the distinctions described by Bitner et al (2008). This part of customer service operations falls within the tangibles area of the dimensions of service quality and both the physical evidence and backstage activities of the service blueprint. For Sodexo, it includes the layout of the outlet, the placement of things like the drinks machines, chillers and cold cabinets, and the overall look of the outlet. Customers expect a food outlet to be clean and comply with relevant health and safety legislation to ensure that they do not suffer from such things as food poisoning (Tester et al, 2010). In addition, any food spills should be cleaned up immediately to ensure no-one slips over. General hygiene is also a tangible aspect of service quality, even though it is not a physical item. The Sodexo staff do try to keep the catering area clean, but there are occasions when food spills are not cleared up as quickly as they could be, and this could affect consumer confidence when purchasing items for consumption. The delay in cleaning up spillage can be caused by too few staff being

Macro & Micro Economics Of PRC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro & Micro Economics Of PRC - Essay Example PRC is consciously making effort to lower its inflation rate and/or manage inflation expectations by raising bank reserve ratio of deposits through a directive from PRC’s Central Bank. This brings as to the first question as to how will this affect the balance sheets of both the banks and the PRC’s Central Bank. As regard to the banks, their assets, particular deposits will decrease and the same amount will increase the reserve in the "Liabilities" portion in their Balance Sheet.   Expectedly, the assets of the Central Bank either in receivables or deposits will increase as well as their reserves. Normally, banks hold two bank reserves, one is used for cashing checks or satisfying client's withdrawals while the other is called "legal reserves" or sometimes called â€Å"federal reserves† or central bank reserves. This is the specific reserves that the PRC’s Central Bank wanted to be raised by the banks, and for this year alone, the reserve requirement rat io (RRR) has been raised for the 5th time to a record high of 21 percent according to Xinhua.  Ã‚   PRC’s Central Bank recent move which is a â€Å"contractionary monetary policy† according to Li-Gang Liu, could help manage excessive liquidity in the market but the economic growth of PRC will slow down, however steady during the next two years. Asian Development Bank said in its 2011 Asian Development Outlook that â€Å"there is very little risk of hard landing because growth momentum remains robust for the medium term†.†. As compared to last year the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth will slow to 9.3% in 2011, a dip from 10.3% annual growth in 2010 (Global Times), mainly due to stubborn inflation this year. One determinant factor of inflation is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as the CPI rise so is the inflation. Consumer consumption is one of the major components in arriving at the total GDP, the others are government expenditures, gross investment a nd the net of exports versus imports. Consumer consumption may not be a factor at this time because wages will not outpace production. Government expenditures were already programmed to pay maturing foreign loans, hence will be constant, while investment will decrease minimally due to the expected increase in interest rates. The one that will affect most in computing the GDP is the net difference between exports and imports. As I analyze it, imports will continue to outpace exports due primarily to higher demands for fuel consumption, which are outsourced externally. The World Bank said "strong domestic demand and relative price changes have reduced the importance of external trade for China" (Reuters.com) There might be an oversupply of products which will considerably affect prices and therefore have an effect on equilibrium. As regards the aggregate expenses, again this will tend to below as the net effect of imports versus exports is high. PRC’s Central Bank raising of RRR will certainly have an effect on the money multiplier since it will

Attitudes towards homosexuality in the long 19th century Essay

Attitudes towards homosexuality in the long 19th century - Essay Example However, one thing that is evident is the fact that modern attitudes towards homosexuality have been a centre stage for battles between religious and legal concepts. Before the eighteenth century, Christianity was seen to be reluctant in dealing with issues of homosexuality. However, incidences of hostility towards homosexuality began to be experienced in many parts of the world. Later, the underpinnings of homosexuality involved incorporation of legal sanctions and religious teachings. The main issue is would seem was the subscription to social norms and homosexuality seen as defiant behaviour which the society feared. According to Clinard and Frank (2011, pp11), norms make crucial contributions to the process of maintaining order. During this time, it is reported that most of the American colonies began to enact severe penalties for sexual crimes. By the end of the 19th century, there emerged competition between law and religion against psychiatry and medicine over sexuality and sp ecifically homosexuality. In this regard, the concept of homosexuality undertook a different turn from being viewed as a sin to being viewed as a crime. This drastic change of the discourse about homosexuality was viewed as progressive since some considerations such as a sick person who committed sexual crime was less blameful than a healthy person. Rationale for advocacy of homosexuality Although medicine and psychiatry insisted on treating homosexuality as pathology, Sigmund Freud, on his basic theory of human sexuality viewed that all human beings were innately bisexual. His argument was that human beings become heterosexual or homosexual in the course of interacting with other people. However, Freud posited that homosexuality should be viewed as a kind of pathology. In fact, in his famous letter to an American mother, he argued that, although homosexuality is no advantage, it should not amount to something to be ashamed of. This, according to Freud was because homosexuality is n ot a vice, does not degrade, and cannot be classified as an illness. With such deliberations, it is apparent that many people viewed sexuality differently. Nevertheless, the articulation of sexuality under the perspective of medicine and psychiatry was based on the idea that persons with homosexuality had pathology concerns that needed to be addressed. With numerous studies conducted on persons with these problems, psychiatrists believed that there was a need to comprehensively come up with a mechanism through which the society could appreciate that these people have a psychological problem that need to be addressed. Many authors such as Clinard and Frank (2011) pointed out that in another dimension they believed that treating persons with sexuality problems like criminals without subjecting them to psychological treatment would increase the problem by creating additional psychological complications. Some of the raised concerns included statistics of persons convicted of committing sexual related crimes, and who later died or developed some mental disorders while still in prison or after being released from prison. Homosexuality has had a long history. The 18th century can be seen as a significant turning point of homosexuality and gay rights. Probably for the first time in the history of man, homosexuality received critical look in a number of ways. Professionals’

Surface Chemistry Essay Example for Free

Surface Chemistry Essay It is the phenomenon in which a substance is uniformly distributed all over the surface. Difference between adsorption and absorption: Absorption (i) It is the phenomenon in which a substance is uniformly distributed throughout the bulk of the solid. (ii) It is a bulk phenomenon. (iii) The concentration is uniform throughout the bulk of solid. Adsorption (i) The accumulation of molecular species at the surface rather than in the bulk of a solid or liquid is termed as adsorption. (ii) It is a surface phenomenon. (iii) The concentration of adsorbate increases only at the surface of the adsorbent. 7. 8. Sorption: When adsorption and absorption take place simultaneously, it is called sorption. Enthalpy or heat of adsorption: Adsorption generally occurs with release in energy, i. e. , it is exothermic in nature. The enthalpy change for the adsorption of one mole of an adsorbate on the surface of adsorbent is called enthalpy or heat of adsorption. 9. Types of adsorption: Get the Power of Visual Impact on your side Log on to www. topperlearning. com 2 a. Physical adsorption or physisorption: If the adsorbate is held on a surface of adsorbent by weak van der Waals’ forces, the adsorption is called physical adsorption or physisorption. . Chemical adsorption or chemisorption: If the forces holding the adsorbate are as strong as in chemical bonds, the adsorption process is known as chemical adsorption of chemisorption. It is highly specific (ii) It is irreversible (iii) The amount of gas adsorbed is not related to critical temperature of the gas. Physical adsorption (Physisorption) (i) It is non-specific (ii) It is reversible (iii) The amount of gas depends upon nature of gas, i. e. easily liquefiable gases like NH3, CO2, gas adsorbed to greater extent than H2 and He. Higher the critical temperature of gas, more will be the extent of adsorption. (iv) The extent of adsorption increases with increase in surface area, e. g. porous and finely divided metals are good adsorbents. (v) There are weak van der Waals’ forces of attraction between adsorbate and adsorbent. (vi) It has low enthalpy of adsorption (20 – 40 kJ mol-1) (vii) Low temperature is favourable. (viii) No appreciable activation energy is needed. (ix) It forms multimolecular layers. 11. (iv) It also increases with increase in surface area. v) There is strong force of attraction similar to chemical bond. (vi) It has enthalpy hea t of adsorption. High temperature is favourable. (viii) High activation energy is sometimes needed. (ix) It forms unimolecuar layers. Factors affecting adsorption of gases on solids: a. Nature of adsorbate: Physical adsorption is non-specific in nature and therefore every gas gets adsorbed on the surface of any solid to a lesser or greater extent. However, easily liquefiable gases like NH3. HCl, CO2, etc. which have higher critical temperatures are absorbed to greater extent whereas H 2, O2, N2 etc. re adsorbed to lesser extent. The chemical adsorption being highly specific, therefore, a gas gets adsorbed Get the Power of Visual Impact on your side Log on to www. topperlearning. com 3 on specific solid only if it enters into chemical combination with it. b. Nature of adsorbent: Activated carbon, metal oxides like aluminum oxide, silica gel and clay are commonly used adsorbents. They have their specific adsorption properties depending upon pores. c. Specific area of the adsorbent: The greater the spec ific area, more will be the extent of adsorption. That is why porous or finely divided forms of adsorbents adsorb larger quantities of adsorbate. The pores should be large enough to allow the gas molecules to enter. d. Pressure of the gas: Physical adsorption increases with increase in pressure. 12. Adsorption isotherm: The variation in the amount of gas adsorbed by the adsorbent with pressure at constant temperature can be expressed by means of a curve is termed as adsorption isotherm. 13. Freundlich Adsorption isotherm: The relationship between x and m pressure of the gas at constant temperature is called adsorption isotherm and is given by ? k P 1 /n (n ? 1) m Where x- mass of the gas adsorbed on mass m of the adsorbent and the gas at a particular temperature k and n depends upon the nature of gas and the solid x first increases with increase in pressure at low pressure but becomes m independent of pressure at high pressure. Get the Power of Visual Impact on your side Log on to www. topperlearning.

The Male Dominant Image Essay Example for Free

The Male Dominant Image Essay In his play The Lion and the Jewel, Soyinka expresses his opinions about society through his characters, as many authors do in their writing. One of the characters, Baroka, frequently seeks to take more wives despite his age and subjects his current wives to humiliating tasks such as plucking his armpit hairs and tickling his feet as a way of showing his power over them. Through the characterization of Baroka and the attitudes of other characters in the play, Soyinka explores the idea that a man needs to show dominance over women to be considered a man by society. Despite his age and already having a larger number of wives, Baroka is still seeking to take another wife, specifically a young one. This is most likely because he wants to exert the image that he is still desirable and his sexual ability has not been diminished with age. It is very important for Baroka to maintain this image, and this is why he is still persistent to take Sidi as a wife, even after she clearly refuses several times. Image is very important to Baroka, and his existing image had been tainted by the photograph of him by a latrine. Sidi, however, is young and has the image of the most beautiful woman in the village due to the pictures of her in the magazine. Bakora believes that making the most beautiful woman in the village his wife is the perfect way to elevate his image. While he is seducing her, he tells her â€Å"the truth of this, old wine thrives best in a new bottle.† (p. 1185) The old wine is a metaphor for himself and the new bottle is Sidi. He seeks the new bottle to enhance himself. He will not stand to be seen as less than a woman, to have his position as a man and a leader diminished. This is why in the end, he resorts to physical force to get Sidi to marry him when all else fails. By tradition, she is bound to marry the man she loses her virginity to, and Baroka exploits this. The fact that Baroka ultimately used tradition to exploit her also implies that much of the twisted notion that a man must exercise dominance over a woman to be powerful stems from tradition. Baroka also asserts his power by taking advantage of his wives and forcing  them to do humiliating tasks for his pleasure. While the things he makes them do are not brutal or violent, it asserts the fact that they are below him and he holds the power in the relationship. They must pluck his armpit hairs and tickle his feet, although he never does something for their pleasure in return. In regards to them performing these tasks, he uses such statements as â€Å"†¦thou Sadiku, thy plainly unadorned hands encase a sweet sensuality which age will not destroy. Beyond a doubt Sadiku, thou art the queen of them all.†(p. 1172) This statement, while in his mind possibly meant to praise, is actually quite demeaning. These statements reduce his wives simply to objects of pleasure for him. This shows how by making a woman his wife, Baroka ultimately restricts the balance of power in the relationship, with himself permanently at the top, and his wives permanently at the bottom. They are not his partners in equal, nor do they assist him in making important decisions. They are simply there to pleasure him and maintain his status. Women are self-enhancing tools for Baroka, merely useful accessories. This is no different from wearing expensive rings to show off and raise one’s status. It is not only Baroka’s thoughts and actions that assert the idea that a man needs to show dominance over women to be considered a man by society, but also those of other people in the play. When Sidi learns from Sadiku that Baroka is supposedly no longer fertile, they both view it as him having lost his power. This is demonstrated by a line Sadiku aims at Lakunle when he witnesses them celebrating Baroka’s supposed downfall. â€Å"You a man? Is Baroka no more a man than you? And if he is no longer a man, than what are you?† (p 1170) This shows how the idea that a man needs to show dominance to have power is ingrained in the people of the village, just as gender roles and are ingrained in our society today. The fact that women react exactly in this way to a man’s loss of virility in The Lion and the Jewel shows that Baroka’s fears that he will lose the respect of the village if he does not constantly verify himself are justified. He is getting older and less attractive, so he feels the need to constantly prove his power. In conclusion, Baroka’s character represents a man who is trying to verify his power and maintain his image with age in the way his society deems  appropriate. Gender roles are present in all societies, and although they vary somewhat from one society to another, it is never a good thing to have cookie cutter expectations that all men or all women are expected to fit into. It is extremely harmful psychologically for people to always measure themselves to a standard of an ideal, when in reality few can be a perfect example. This also brings up the question, why are gender roles present in the first place? Why is there a set way a man should act or a woman should act? I believe that these standards originate from tradition. Polygamy is the tradition of the Yoruban people in The Lion and the Jewel, so naturally one may be inclined to use the number of wives a man has as a way to measure him. Likewise, in Christianity, gender roles stem from the story of Adam and Eve in the Bible. Soyinka’s The Lion and The Jewel portrays a character who commits many misdoings, but in the end he is simply trying to fit with his society and tradition.