5 Screenwriting Tips I Learned From Stranger Things

5 Screenwriting Tips I Learned From Stranger Things When the Duffer Brothers released Stranger Things on Netflix, no one could have predicted the massive cult following the show would receive. With the first episode airing July 15, 2016, Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers, Stranger Things mix of 80s nostalgia and horror was nominated for Best Drama for the Critics Choice awards in its first year. Since 2016, the show has been nominated or has won several Screen Actors Guild Awards, and took home 2017s award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.Stranger Things Joyce Byers, Jonathan Byers, and Nancy Wheeler waiting to hear from Will Byers in the upside down.A dynamic mix of 80s classics like Firestarter, The Goonies, E.T., Stand By Me, and A Nightmare on Elm Street (among others), Stranger Things combines humor, horror and childhood in a way that hits home for its audience- especially an audience steeped in 80s pop culture. As one of my favorite examples of how to write an original screenplay, here are five screenwriting tips I learned from Stranger Things.1. Introduce characters through conflictRight at the beginning of the first episode of the series, audiences of Stranger Things meet an ensemble of major characters that are all uniquely important to the story. Were first introduced to the boys who would be the main cast. Will Byers, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, and Mike Wheeler are playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons and there is immediate conflict in the campaign they are playing. This back-and-forth dialogue between the boys sets up their characters perfectly, allowing the audience to immediately determine which character is the comic relief, leader, follower, and pragmatic one.Throughout this first episode, all of the major characters are introduced in this way- through a point of conflict with another major character. These conflict-heavy pairings not only move the plot forward in an interesting way, they allow the audience to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each character through a simple moment of conflict with another (or others). In that way, were given a lot of characterization in a short amount of time, which also helps create immediate empathy for them.Conflict assists in characterization in the opening scenes of Stranger Things2. Dont be afraid of redemptive character arcsNo doubt, Stranger Things starts out with some very fallible, imperfect heroes. Chief Hopper is a great example, as we first see him in the role of a small-town cop who has too many vices, too early in the morning. We get the feeling that hes a wounded man from the first episode, and later find out that he lost a young daughter and is still grieving that loss.His character arc, however, is one of the most redemptive in the series. From these early scenes of Chief Hopper in the fog of depression and addiction to the most recent scenes at the end of season 2, his arc has been one of unlikely hero to decided hero to the Byers family (and Joyce in particular). He t hen redeems himself further by becoming a surrogate father for El (Eleven), who he protects like his own daughter.El is another character with a redemptive character arc, as she is ultimately responsible for the Demogorgons presence in Hawkins, yet saves the town (and Will Byers) from the same monster. In this dual role of cause and savior, Els motivation to save her friends is believable and effective as a turning point in her characters role. She is angry at the people who experimented on her and achieves justice against Hawkins Laboratory by the end in destroying its research and forcing it to shut down at the close of the second season.Then theres Steve, who is almost unlikeable at the beginning of the series but becomes one of the most heroic figures of the plot by the end of season 2. His surrogate parenting of Dustin wins him huge empathy points among fans, not to mention his honest care and concern for Nancy, despite their break-up.Another subtler, yet highly redemptive char acter arc, is that of Will Byers, whose character became much more important in season 2. In season 1, we see him as a scared little boy whose role is mostly offscreen, and a victim of the evils Hawkins National Laboratory was bringing into the area. However, by the end of season 2, he has survived a complete possession encounter with the terrifying new monster, the Mind Flayer, and is the only one who still understands at the end the possibility that the monster is not as far away as it seems. In this sense, his character arc from scared victim to courageous survivor is one of the most redemptive arcs of the series.Will Byers character arc moves from him being a scared victim to a courageous survivor.3. Sometimes less is more with dialogueDuring most scenes involving El, her dialogue is limited at best (sometimes humorously so). However, through great screenwriting and casting, the writers of Stranger Things managed to reveal a lot about her character with very few words used. Her meaningful glances, the powerful image of a nosebleed following her use of telepathic powers, and the way she participates in the narrative without saying much at all bring to mind similar characters, such as E.T. or Charlie (played by a young Drew Barrymore) in Stephen Kings Firestarter.This limited dialogue forces the audience to really focus when a character does speak, and to watch closely the physical responses that character gives. In this sense, the character maintains a sense of mystery and importance, simply by saying as few words as possible.4. Dont forget the power of kids to carry a storyThe movies that Stranger Things draws on are predominantly stories of kids in a world with mostly absent adults. These depictions of childhood friendships appeal to the nostalgic viewers who remember the confusion and harder lessons involved in growing up, particularly when adults were not available or were overworked. It another sense, it reminds viewers of a time much different than th e present, when kids could roam freely on bicycles and enjoy a level of autonomy that modern-day parents find difficult to grant.There is also an increased emotional appeal when a story is narrated through the perspective of children or adolescents. One of the screenwriters first goals is to convince the audience to feel empathy for the characters introduced, particularly the main characters. This goal is easily accomplished when the main characters are children or adolescents. Adults watching the story are automatically empathetic to most child characters out of a sense of protectiveness. Add to that the nostalgia and emotions involved with remembering what it was like to be in that childs place, and a screenwriter invites a powerhouse punch of empathy right from the beginning.Finally, telling a story from a childs point of view helps increase the horror aspect if that is the genre youre aiming for. Seeing a monster as an adult is one thing- seeing it from the point of view of a ch ild puts us right back into that primal state of fear we felt as children facing an uncertain world, and the tension is increased.Stranger Things use of the preteen and adolescent points-of-view add emotional appeal to the story (and increase the horror effect).5. Dont be afraid to mix genresIve written often about Blake Snyders Save The Cat! Series, and Stranger Things is a great example of how a genre-mixing/genre-bending screenplay can work. Anyone who is familiar with Snyders ten story patterns or every story type ever told for film will immediately recognize Stranger Things as falling in the Monster in the House category.According to Snyder, when it comes to story patterns, Monster in the House is one of the oldest†¦.and most primal. He also notes that in order for a film to fall into this category, there should be three components: 1) a monster, 2) a house, and 3) a sin.Stranger Things Demogorgon definitely qualifies as a monster. Much of the characters interaction with t he monster takes place in Joyce Byers house. And finally, there is the awful truth of experiments on children that were taking place in Hawkins National Laboratory, under the guidance of Dr. Martin Brenner (the sin).But wait†¦Stranger Things also has elements of Snyders Buddy Love pattern (between Mike and Eleven), Golden Fleece (in which a team sets out on an adventure and are transformed in the process), and even Whydunit (as Chief Hopper searches for the missing Will Byers and his search takes a dark turn). The Duffer Brothers genre-mixing storytelling approach keeps audiences engaged in Stranger Things for a large part simply because it reminds them of so many other great stories within those genres that are represented.ConclusionUltimately, Stranger Things is a lesson in what can go right in original screenplays when you draw on nostalgia- particularly pop culture references, a soundtrack reminiscent of the technology of the 80s, and references to the childhood of an audie nce that likely still pines for it in many ways. Most importantly, it gives us characters we care about- set in a time we feel a lot of emotion towards. Its this extra appeal of emotion that makes Stranger Things the valuable lesson for screenwriters that it is. So, dont be afraid to make it part of your screenplay.

Picking a PhD Topic 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Picking a PhD Topic 5 Mistakes to Avoid Picking a PhD Topic: 5 Mistakes to Avoid If you’re considering studying a PhD, you probably have a decent sense of what you want to research already. Nevertheless, picking a specific dissertation topic can still be difficult and many budding PhD candidates find it a stressful experience. It doesn’t have to be this way though; if you take your time and seek advice, you’ll soon be ready to set out on your PhD journey. Herein, we do our best to help by identifying a few things to avoid when picking a dissertation topic. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Rushing You might feel a lot of pressure to pick a topic as soon as possible, but it’s important to think these things through. After all, a PhD can take years to complete and may well shape your whole career to come! If you need guidance, try talking to staff members at the grad school you’ll be attending, especially if you have a specific idea of who you’d like to be your PhD advisor. Likewise, chatting with current PhD students is a great way of coming up with ideas. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ignoring Your Passions As mentioned above, your choice of PhD topic can have a big influence on your career. But your PhD topic shouldn’t be picked on the basis of job prospects alone. Rather, you need to pick something which will sustain your interest for at least four years, so make sure to listen to your heart as well as your career advisor! 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not Keeping Up-to-Date Before picking a PhD topic, make sure to read up on the latest research in your field. As well as ensuring you don’t overlook an important new study, this could help you to identify a research gap that your PhD project can fill. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not Being Methodical By this, we literally mean not considering your methodology before picking a PhD topic. You need to have at least a general idea of how you’ll gather and analyze data for your project, as without good data your research will be severely limited. If you have an idea for a dissertation topic that you want to pursue, one of the first things to do is consider the methodologies it will require. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Underestimating the Scope of Your Research At the end of their first year, almost every PhD candidate has a moment where they realize they had significantly underestimated the amount of work needed for their project. This is why most PhD dissertations cover relatively narrow subjects. Considering the scope of your research from the outset is therefore very much advised. Unless you have unlimited time and resources available, of course, in which case you’re welcome to start working on your Ultimate Theory of Everything whenever you like (just don’t expect to get it finished any time soon).

How do you define success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How do you define success - Essay Example The most successful people were clearly those who had all the parties, had attractive boyfriends and girlfriends, and sat at the right lunch tables. Today I look back at this adolescent phase and consider that while my understanding of success was widely shared, I can’t help but feel it was rooted in an illusionary understanding of reality and what is important in life. Today I define success much differently. Rather than viewing success in terms of other people, I understand success as a matter of personal meaning and social contribution. I think that it’s important that human beings live their lives with purpose. Too often people are caught seeking acceptance from others and personal wealth as they believe these things constitute success and personal happiness, when in actuality they are a mirage. True success is living life to one’s full potential in ways that contribute to the world in positive ways. For me, this means seeking out and sharing new and interesting ideas, living with a social conscience, and a sense of morality. I’m not a stoic, and I believe life is full of enjoyment, but if we are to achieve a lasting sense of accomplishment it must come from a personally defined sense of meaning and purpose. This is the true definition of

Corrections Trend Evaluation (Indi) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corrections Trend Evaluation (Indi) - Essay Example A new theory came up, which comprised of humane ways of dealing with law breakers. It was from 1787, that hard labor, total abstinence and solitary confinement started proving to be the most effective means in re- forming law breakers, thus the course of penal history was changed and the platform for operation of institutional and community based corrections systems born (Carlson & Garrett, 1999). However, the concept of solitary confinement in review of correctional practice reveals that the emphasis on the isolation, punishment and segregation of the offender from the community, is being outdated by emerging standards of human civilization. The prevailing innovations in correctional facilities are based on the recognition that they have been effective in the goals of justice and penalty, but failed in performing the function of rehabilitation and offender reform. New models of imprisonment and corrections are being searched for, in order to protect the fundamental principles of jus tice in a democratic society. Provision for genuine implementation of society’s power over the law breakers are also being looked into (Diiulio, 1990). The reasons for this extensive trend reversal are numerous. Philosophically, the return to the simple ways regarding disciplinary action against law breakers is politically attractive, thus gaining rapid recognition. Within and without the criminal justice system, there is a large number of people who prefer the uncomplicated processes of justice. If you look at our institutions and communities from a practical perspective, you will clearly see that the prevailing criminal justice system has yielded very poor results. The rate which prisoners return to institutions due to new convictions is alarmingly high. It is the inability of the prevailing criminal justice system to curb crime and the failure of correctional facilities to correct, that has led to the failure of the corrections. The main inhibitor however is the way in whi ch the criminal justice system has been perceived in its work and mission. The definition of correction in a societal view point does not state nor imply what corrections should try to achieve. Correction institutions have many purposes, rehabilitation being only one. Although if the correctional processes were truly rehabilitative, then it should not be restricted to the convicted individual, but rather be extended to all who need them. Corrections can contribute more than it does to crime reduction, but it is sad to note the fact that in the prevailing era, the pursuit of a single purpose for corrections be it rehabilitation or punishment, is doomed to failure (Harnsberger, 2011). It is natural for human beings to resist coercion. It is evident in our institutions and communities that correctional coercion success rate is basically none existent. We can observe the concept of total system planning, which is a process that comes up with feedback from specific service area after ana lyzing and defining its problems. The total system planning process describes the mode and level of interactions between activities of one system like corrections, and those of others like law enforcement or courts. A change in any single component however small it may be, will ripple through and affect all the other components. When this concept example and consideration is applied to

Teletech Case Essay Example for Free

Teletech Case Essay Background The Teletech Corporation operated in two business segments: Telecommunications Services (TS), and Products and Systems (PS). Though Teletech was a dominant service provider in the area, the company has been experiencing a downtrend of earning growth and stock prices due to keener competition and worse performance in certain segment. Problems statement Teletech has been using economic profit as a measure of value creation at the segment and business-unit level and net present value as a measure of value creation at the project level; and both these values were calculated using the hurdle rate. The main problem faced by Teletech was that the company leaders had to decide what hurdle rate(s) should be used for evaluating performance and budgeting of each segment; and what would be the future of the PS unit, having in mind the accusatory letter of the new 10% stakeholder, Victor Yossarian. By October 2005 only one corporate hurdle rate of 9. 30% was used for performance assessment, and the rate was based on the Teletech’s WACC as a representation of the opportunity cost of money. There was an ongoing debate if one common corporate hurdle rate should continue be used for valuation, or different hurdle rates which take into account the associated with the investments risk should be implemented. There was a doubt that the returns of the PS segment were relatively high because they were compared to the not risk-adjusted corporate hurdle rate, and that in fact the PS segment was reducing the shareholders’ value. Victor Yossarian’s opinion was that Teletech had to get rid of the PS segment as it was not providing adequate return. Hurdle rates recommendation We recommend that Teletech should use two different hurdle rates for both segments. First, using WACC as a corporate hurdle rate is not appropriate since different segments have different investment risks. The Products and Systems segment (with the beta of 1. 36) clearly had higher risk than Telecommunication services (with the beta of 1. 04). Thus, instead of using one hurdle rate calculated based on the corporate beta of 1. 15, using two rates will allow the returns of the segments to be compared to more suitable risk-adjusted rates. See Exhibit 1) Second, our calculation shows that using two hurdle rates would result in higher economic profits of each segment as well as in total (See Exhibit 3). Higher profit would make company more attractive to investors. Third, using different hurdle rates also would help the assessment of capital-investment proposals more accurate. Since different segment has different risk, when evaluating a project, the firm shoul d classify the project into each segment and use an appropriate hurdle rate of the corresponding segment to calculate NPV of the project. That would make the NPV of the project more precise. For example, the Telecommunications services had lower risk, lower beta, thus it had lower cost of capital. So, if everything else equals, the NPV of a project in the TS segment should be higher than that of the PS segment. This should be reflected in a lower hurdle rate for TS and a higher hurdle rate for PS. PS recommendation We recommend forming PS as separate entity (financially) , considering possible unit reorganization or sale. Our reasoning is: †¢ The PS segment does not provide satisfactory return, although it is shown as profitable when compared to the corporate hurdle rate of 9. 30% (or even with a PS segment hurdle rate see detailed calculation in Exhibit 1 and returns-hurdle rates comparison in Exhibit 2), or in terms of Economic profit (see Exhibit 3). However, the reported high returns are mainly because PS is able to receive low-interest debt based on the higher aggregate corporate rating. However, if the PS segment is organized as a separate entity (with assumed BB rating), then it will need at least 86% equity financing to be break even, assuming that PS 11% ROC will remain constant (see Exhibit 4 for the calculation). †¢ The TS segment will be able to provide higher return; because of the expected A rating and the associated lower loan rates and higher leverage. The TS will have a higher price per share, closer to the industry, as a result of the reduced investment risk (surpassing the risk of higher leverage). Assuming that the company activities are transparent, the price per share could go even higher, as there will not be doubt that a profitable segment of the company will cover the unsatisfactory performance of another segment. Other recommendations We recommend that the company should disclose more information. The view that â€Å"All money is green† and investors do not know as much about the firm’s operations as the company, should be rejected. More transparency would narrow the gap between uninformed (or small) and informed (or large) investors, thereby lowering the cost of capital.

Locked Out :: Short Stories Crime Violence Papers

Locked Out Death is a small price to pay for respect--the words spilled from the headphones like crude oil. Erway Dewey listened to the music barely hearing the lyrics. The words were dark and damaging but soothed the roughness of the harsh surroundings. It didn't matter what the words said anyway, Erway thought, it ain't real life. Erway stood in the shadow that the old warehouse doorway cast against the rising sun. He hoped the bus wouldn't take much longer because although the building sheltered him against the wind, it was cold and snowing. Today, like most other school days, he got up early so he could lift weights and play a game of basketball in the gym with his friends. It was quiet on North Avenue this early in the morning. In the afternoons, sometimes it was so loud you could shout and no one would hear. As he waited, Erway tried to remember what he had done when he got up this morning. Only forty-five minutes had passed but it was already a blur. He remembered going to the bathroom, but that was about it. The hunger in his stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten anything since last night. I'll get somethin' when I get to school, Erway thought. A slight alarm swept over Erway's body; he fingered his coat pocket for his bus pass. The smooth plastic calmed him. He had forgotten it the day before and had to walk back home to get it, missing the early bus. A tall shadow appeared from around the corner of the warehouse. It was too dark outside to distinguish faces. Erway's body tensed up as he prepared for a confrontation. Would he be robbed, stabbed, shot, or just beaten? Erway stood still, cocked like a pistol ready to fire; to run or fight. As the man came closer Erway realized it was the same man he'd seen yesterday. It was just some older guy going to work or something who caught the same bus. As he came closer Erway could see he was smoking a cigarette. Cigarette smoke and the smoke from warm breath meeting cold air danced a desperate tango and disappeared in the darkness. "Hey," the man said to Erway, looking past him. "Hey," Erway replied coolly, maintaining his casual slump in the doorway. "First bus come, yet?" "Naw, not yet," Erway exhaled heavily.

The Justice Game – Truth Essay

†¢How does the prosecution and defense each represent the truth? †¢Values and attitudes of the participants? †¢Robertson’s values and representation of the truth? Truth can be represented in differing ways according to the values and attitudes of the persona whose representation of truth is being expressed. Throughout Geoffrey Robertson’s The Justice Game the responder is convinced to accept the composer’s representation of truth through the use of composing techniques such as the short story structure, Robertson’s social status, various language techniques, symbolism and the use of examples and quotations to back up Robertson’s statements. The perspective on truth held by the other participants in each trial is however also included. The term ‘truth’ refers to accurately placing information in accordance with fact or reality. The ‘truth’ in The Justice Game is essentially about revealing to its readers â€Å"What is kept from the public, and what the public wish to be kept from†. Each case was chosen by Robertson to provide different representations of the ‘truth’ based on different values and attitudes. The short story structure allows many themes relevant to society to be coherently included in one text. Through the eyes of Robertson people have the opportunity to see the ‘truth’ in these highly publicised cases from the perspective of a learned and involved man. Robertson is assumed to be a reliable source of truth by the average reader, because he is a celebrated lawyer and has been chosen to represent people as high profiled as the â€Å"Princess of Wales†. The genre and format of the text represent certain qualities to the reader, along with the social status of Robertson which in turn, act to convince them that what is written is true. The Trials of Oz† is a case that took place in 1971 against Richard Neville, Jim Anderson, and Felix Dennis, editors of the infamous underground Oz magazine. The controversy arose from the prosecution’s perspective that the material in the magazine was detrimental and corruptive to society of that time. In particular the comic strip satirizing Rupert the Bear elaborately renamed Rupert the Bare, and a small adverti sement titled Suck. The prosecution represents the truth through a traditional method of attack that shows Leary’s Victorian image. Brian Leary representing the prosecution draws on the jury’s traditional background to make them empathize with his perspective of the truth that the Oz magazine was an indecent article. Leary discredits witnesses with his â€Å"insinuatingly effective† cross- examinations. The defense and Oz magazine were branded as the ‘alternative society’ in order to alienate them in the jury’s mind, and to make the jury feel unwilling to belong to the defence and therefor the ‘alternative society’. The prosecution feels that the ‘alternative society’ has no respect for the accepted values and attitudes of ‘normal society’. The ‘alternative society’ is described to worship sex until it reaches the ultimate stage of â€Å"fucking on the streets†. This is an example of the generalisations made which portray the ‘alternative society’ as unattractive and distasteful to be a part of. The Defence on the other hand, use high profiled witnesses and statistics, such as the pornography survey conducted on married couples, to highlight the harmless nature of the Oz magazine. John Mortimer representing the defence, undermines the seriousness of the trial through his permissive attitude towards life. The defence lightens the atmosphere with comical jokes such as when Leary asked Dixon how old he thought Rupert the Bare was, he replied â€Å"I’m not an expert in determining Bears’ ages†¦ maybe you are more familiar in the field? † This aids in reducing the seriousness of the accusations. He trivialises the magazine by referring to it as a â€Å"schoolboy prank† or â€Å"cheeky criticism†, and thus considerably plays down the charges. The language technique of using humour makes the whole trial appear as a joke. The composer states that â€Å"Perhaps the best thing about Oz is that they just don’t have trials like that anymore. † Robertson’s representation of the truth toward the Oz magazine is that he sees it as cheeky but not harmful. Experts are used as witnesses to portray the defendants as essentially guiltless, and to make the prosecution’s arguments appear groundless, based on confusion tactics and unreality. Robertson constantly undermines and discredits most people who hold power in the establishment. This is represented in his ridicule of Judge Argyle as he points out the mistakes he made when sentencing, and how he portrays judge Argyle as narrow minded and unreasonable. The composer shows himself as an advocate of new society through his belief that the trial is merely a â€Å"collision of cultural incomprehension†, with the older generation symbolised by Judge Argyle, being unable to understand the revolutionary notions held by the younger generation. This is shown by his constant criticism of the judge, whose inability to comprehend contemporary vernacular and general knowledge is stressed repeatedly, effectively conveyed through the misunderstanding of the phrase â€Å"right on† and the sexual act of â€Å"cunnilingus†. Robertson aligns himself with the values of his target audience, the working class and lower middle classes, allowing the reader to identify with him. Consequently the reader is content to allow Robertson to represent their opinions as they are convinced that the authors representation of ‘truth’ is correct, although being subjected to other representations of the ‘truth’ as well. Robertson’s main argument in â€Å"Michael X on Death Row† was that â€Å"the death penalty was, in itself, a cruel and unusual punishment† Robertson’s representation of ‘truth’ in this instance is that prolonged stay on death row amounted to cruelty and was contrary to the Bill of Rights. Robertson, a Civil Libertarian, believes that there is only hope in the courts and not in politics, and that his strong stances on humanity can only be achieved through battling the government to change the law, in court. Robertson states that he is â€Å"passionately in favour of the incorporation into British law, the European Convention on human rights. † This fact and Michael’s ordeal are what brought about the battle to save death row inmates, that Robertson endured for twenty- years. Robertson repeatedly reminds the reader of the longevity of his battle to abolish capital punishment in commonwealth countries, which reflects his slightly egotistical nature but also symbolically reminds the reader of the many years spent by inmates on death row. As a young lawyer when Robertson took up this case, he was highly idealist and his interest in the case was genuine. The prosecution refutes the defences statement that â€Å"prolonged stay on death row is inhumane† arguing that in many cases the reason for long delays before executions are the self- induced delays of last minute desperate appeals on their behalf from their lawyers. The prosecution continues that innocent people were never convicted and â€Å"All murder convictions are approved by the finest judges in the world,† and deserved their sentence. The defence represents the ‘truth’ of capital punishment being â€Å"unbecoming to human dignity. † They evoke emotion and sympathy from the reader and the courts through phrasing death with terms such as â€Å"human sacrifice† and using emotive language. Robertson aids this cause through colourful analogies such as comparing his visit to see Michael X to that of seeing the rarest species of animal at the zoo. The defence believes that although their immediate client Michael X cannot be saved, they are helping countries through the progression of their constitutions. Robertson presents this case in a very biased manor, creating a strong sympathetic feeling in the reader towards the â€Å"solemn, vulnerable member of the living dead† Michael X. Throughout the story Michael X is referred to as simply â€Å"Michael† establishing that the inmate is a changed man. Robertson presents Michael X to be the victim and the state to be the villain, which once again portrays his distain for authority evident in his other stories. A detailed description of the process of execution is given which adds to Robertson’s view that capital punishment goes against the European conventions of humanity. The crime committed by Michael X is only referred to a whole ten pages into the story, after creating a sense of innocence to the character of â€Å"Michael†, and the crime itself is not given any real importance by Robertson. This is a technique used to portray other ‘truths’ as such, whilst convincing the reader to conform to Robertson’s representation of the ‘truth’ and not letting the reader believe the alternate ‘truth’. All the descriptions of death row are negative, prejudiced by Robertson’s opposition to capital punishment. As the subject matter is a serious one dealing with capital punishment, Robertson has chosen the use of an objective and serious tone of voice in contrast to â€Å"The Trials of Oz† which is presented in a more light- hearted tone to emphasise the undermining of the charges. The first person narrative structure allows the ‘truth’ to be told from a different and more reliable source than â€Å"The Trials of Oz† as Robertson is more learned in this case, as he was personally involved. This however, brings about the technique of employing one- sided story telling to build the character of Michael X as a victim of the out dated death row execution system, and emphasises that â€Å"He was a different man; four years on. † Through the technique of careful positioning of facts, Robertson persuades the reader to agree with his representation of the ‘truth’. He appeals to the readers humanity and convinces them to sympathise with Michael X, by showing the inhumanity and immorality of the execution system through illustrations of exaggerated cruelty of the ghoulish rituals performed before and during execution. In Sylvia Plath’s poem The Mirror, the personification of the mirror stands as the objective endorser of truth. The mirror tells the responder that it is â€Å"not cruel, only truthful,† that it has no other purpose but to â€Å"reflect† the physical appearance of the female body, as a lake would do. This is expressed through the metaphorical statement â€Å"Now I am a lake. † Personification allows the â€Å"mirror† to make unbiased and â€Å"exact† observations and through these we come to understand the importance of appearance to the woman. The woman â€Å"searches my (mirror’s) reaches for what she really is†, conveying Plath’s representation of the ‘truth’ that to the woman, her true self is based purely on her external appearance. The â€Å"mirror† describes itself as having no â€Å"preconceptions† allowing it to simply reflect the unbiased reflection of a woman’s physical appearance, unlike candles and the moon, which are said to be â€Å"liars† as they cast mellow lights that can distort the reflection from the truth of daylight. Plath metaphorically likens the mirror to â€Å"The eye of a little god†, emphasising the power that it has over the emotional state of the woman who ironically â€Å"rewards (the mirror) with tears and an agitation of hands† acknowledging the importance of the mirror to her, and its â€Å"faithful† reflecting of her true physical appearance. The poem is a comment on society’s fixation on image. Plath exposes the truth about aging: the resentment and rejection of it, especially through the continuation of the water imagery that the â€Å"mirror† asserts that in it the woman has â€Å"drowned a young girl†, and â€Å"an old woman/ Rises†, to devour the ageing woman â€Å"like a terrible fish. † This simile provides a grotesque image of old age. The use of the mirror in the poem is in fact an extended metaphor with the mirror possessing the power to reflect image. The poem endorses the importance of image that rectifies the truth about oneself as it best sees fit. Unlike â€Å"The Trials of Oz,† The Mirror is not written in a comical and light- hearted tone. It is written in an objective tone of voice as Plath takes on the persona of a mirror to seriously describe its value to the woman. Both texts are however, are relatively unprejudiced in their representations of the ‘truth’. The reflective essay Southpaw by Ken Willis, portrays a representation by a â€Å"side-lined† left- hander that left handed people are discriminated against by contemporary society. The persona sees himself as â€Å"discriminated against† because he is a â€Å"southpaw†. The essay is light- hearted and satirical, but nonetheless the â€Å"left- handers are forced to live in a world designed for right- handers. † A series of humorous anecdotes are included to portray the disadvantages faced by the left- handed â€Å"subordinate group. † The accepted values and attitudes of the right- handed society include the acceptance of the downgrading of the â€Å"subordinate group†, as common phrases used in everyday speech are coined with an underlying prejudice against the left side. Colloquial phrases among Australians such as â€Å"she’ll be right† are used as examples within this reflective essay to support the notion that left- handers are discriminated against by the â€Å"Right handers, as members of the dominant group. † In this phrase however, the literal meaning of the word ‘right’ is to be correct, not the right side as Willis has understood it. This shows that the absolute truth in the Australian phrase has been distorted to reveal Willis’ representation of the ‘truth’. The literal meanings of the word ‘right’ in Latin and French, is however included to reiterate Willis’ perspective that right- handers are able to enjoy the sub- conscious discrimination of left- handers. The word ‘right’ means â€Å"endowed with dexterity† in Latin, and â€Å"adroit and experts in the use of hand and mind† in French. Willis takes his case of accusing society of discriminating against left- handers by bringing in Christian religious connotations. He describes right- handers as â€Å"sit(ting) at the right hand of God† whilst exclaiming that â€Å"those who sit on the left are ‘cursed into the eternal fire. ’† These expressions are once again taken out of the context in which they are used, and are exploited by Willis to aid in his representation of the ‘truth’. The biased qualities seen in this reflective essay is not unlike â€Å"Michael X on Death Row† as both Robertson and Willis attempt to distort the absolute truth into evidence to support their own representations of the ‘truth’. The tone of voice however differs greatly as Southpaw is written in a more comical manor than the serious tone of â€Å"Michael X on Death Row. † Through the study of the above named texts, different representations of the ‘truth’ can be identified with depending on the influence of certain values and attitudes possessed by the participants involved with the text. It is shown that the absolute truth, in terms of information that is accurately placed in accordance with fact or reality, can be manipulated and twisted by the composer in order to portray their representation of the ‘truth’. A certain enlightenment is provided in dealing with prejudiced and biased material, as persuasive techniques employed by the composers are also revealed. As a Civil Libertarian, Robertson passionately believes that the Law can humble the most powerful: governments and wealthy private litigants such as the Princess of Wales. The law permits justice, meaning the side with the best case, to be gained through equal opportunity. Robertson presents his representation of the ‘truth’ about what he elaborately coins â€Å"The Justice Game†.