Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars Essay

Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars - Essay Example Given her diminished state, France's demands in treaties following each of the two world wars in the 20th century is of no surprise. Thus, as this essay will argue, France's demands during World War I and World War II are essentially similar, and based on similar justifications - the fear of a German threat, worsened by the concern that her allies will not come to her aid, and the inevitable need to embark on economic reconstruction after the war - all of which shaped France's stance during post-war negotiations. In January 1919, the victorious powers after World War I, led by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Premier Georges Clemenceau of France, and Britain's Prime Minister Lloyd George began negotiations for what will later be known as the "Treaty of Versailles." The main goal of the treaty is, at the very least, to ensure the stability of the international system after the war (Treaty of Versailles, Article 1). ... Thus, what justifications did France have for such demands First, it is of no surprise that France, after both World War I and World War II will demand guarantees for its security justified by the fear of a possible German attack. In the case of World War I under the Treaty of Versailles, this fear is based on the fact that towards the end of the war, France is in no position to defend itself from an attack, be it Germany or another country because of the massive destruction left by the war rendering France defenceless. As Pitman Potter points out, "in case of a German attack, there can be no doubt of the reality that of the fear of such an attack on the part of the French" (1919: 666). In addition, with regard to the territorial arrangements along the Rhine, France's fear is justified because Rhine is a strategic location for France against a German invasion (Finch 1933: 727). However, what is unique about France's fear of Germany, at least after World War I is based on France's historical experience. As Potter notes, Though the need for French fear of a repeated German attack seem slight from this distance, the state of feeling in France - even in Government circles - is determined more by the facts of 1870-1914 than by the facts of 1918-1919. (Potter 1919: 665) Where during such time, France has experienced, and is still experiencing, a significant decline in its population compared to Germany. According to a census comparing French and German military manpower, the military manpower of the two countries began to display a steadily widening gap after 1870, despite the increasing rate of immigration in France such that by 1911, there existed a 3 million gap between the two countries in favour of France (Population Index 1946: 75).

Gender and Race Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender and Race - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  a queer man is a person who is trying to move beyond traditional notions of human sexuality. In most cases, as the author says, he or she is faced with a serious problem. This problem has to do with traditional notions of sexual identity. It is believed that heterosexual relationships are the norm while homosexuality should be viewed as deviant behavior. This means that homosexuality and homosexual identity are not the norm. However, such a view is contrary to the interests of sexual minorities who are interested in obtaining more rights and opportunities in the field of their sexual identity. Munoz examines the culture that he believes makes every effort to go beyond the traditional notions of identity formation. As an example, he analyses Magda Gomez's performances.  This essay discusses that Munoz uses this excellent opportunity to demonstrate the features of a culture that using different artistic means is trying to break the traditional fram ework in respect of human behavior and identity. On the other hand, Munoz has the opportunity to observe the presence of certain racial and gender stereotypes that continue to exist in the framework of the modern gay culture.  The person goes through a series of stages that ultimately have a decisive importance in the formation of his or her identity. Despite the value of Freud's psychoanalytic theory, it implies uniformity and rigid set of conditions that are necessary for the formation of personality.

Module 7 DQ 1 and 2 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Module 7 DQ 1 and 2 - Article Example The medical staff feels that the technical aspects of EHR and following laws take away from their time treating patients. The HIT manager therefore takes that burden away from them and by doing his or her job; the clinical people can be free to concentrate on their main concern, the patient. Goetz et al (2013) published a survey in The American Journal of Managed Care in which she states under HIT, communication is the main benefit and that the physician’s records are more organized. As business people also, the medical personnel feel that the greatest challenge is the increased cost of the equipment and people required for implementation. The Journal of AHIMA (2013) has published a list of those items absolutely essential for good strategy planning. For one thing, the article states that IT should be involved in all facets of the brainstorming. Another is that the involvement and representation from all levels in the facility (all stakeholders) is likewise necessary for the plans to succeed. In the ongoing controversy between top down and bottom up philosophy in deploying a healthcare IT system, IBM has put together a white paper concerning the advantages and disadvantages of both (2005). Although almost eight years is an eternity in information technology, the points brought out are still very much relevant. The bottom up approach offers more clinical saturation early on. As initial costs are lower, benefits are realized much sooner, material and otherwise. As well, password security is managed better. Yet the main disadvantage is that later changes to the system are not necessarily very easily accomplished. Therefore, it can be said that top down is a mirror image of the bottom up method. Although initial costs are much greater, its main advantage is that the entire facility is not disrupted during the implementation process. Because of the higher costs, it will take a longer period to realize a payback. In addition, custom

Rise of Qin in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Rise of Qin in China - Essay Example When the Zhou (Chou) dynasty was established in about the eleventh century B.C., its feudal system consisted of some 172 states under the nominal central authority of a single king, the Son of Heaven. As time went by, probably due to the unwieldy size of the kingdom and primitive form of communication technology, the various states became increasingly independent of the political center. With the gradual decline of the authority of the king, conflicts erupted among the various states with growing intensity (Davidson 465). Since the eighth century B.C. it became more common for stronger states to conquer and annex smaller and weaker states. Then the political order gradually deteriorated into a condition of "international" anarchy, a war of all states against all states. By the end of the Spring and Autumn period there were only some twenty-two states left. During the subsequent Warring States period, incessant wars and annexations were conducted among the remaining states until the u nification of China under the domination of the sole surviving Qin state in 221 B.C. (Hulsewe and Loewe 34). Before arrival of the Qin, the royal Zhou domain never exceeded a thin strip of land bordering the capital. The domains of the great revonal powers, however, grew steadily at the expense of weaker states. As these regional powers became stronger economically and politically, they spread the ancient culture of the Zhou over an ever wider territory. Modeling their states on the royal Zhou court and their rituals on the royal Zhou rites, they came to dominate much of the North, Northwest, Middle Yangzi, and Lower Yangzi macroregions by the fifth century BCE. This expanded area became the crucible in which a common culture was alloyed. Following Gungwu (1993): 'The common view about imperial China says that there have been dozens of dynasties since the fall of Qin in 206 B.C. Most of them were overthrown by violence, but continuity was greater than change under each new ruling house" (71). Gradually the strong states forged the apparatus that would be necessary for imperial unification under the Qin during the third century BCE. The lords who ruled the territories of eighthcentury BCE China were members of a hereditary aristocracy, the scions of branches of the royal Zhou lineage (Hulsewe and Loewe 31). Their birthright to rule was unchallenged, even if their separate ambitions frequently led to diplomatic and military maneuvers against one another. Serving these lords were highranking ministers (qing and daifu), also hereditary elites. The options evident in rich assemblages of the late Spring and Autumn period were perpetuated during the early Warring States era. As it happens, there is now more evidence for casting in several regions surrounding the central plains, especially the north (states of Yan and Zhongshan), south (Chu and smaller states), and west (Qin), during this period than for the center (Davidson 465). The success of the Qin armies in 221 BCE marks a fundamental turning point in Chinese history. From that date forward China would normally be unified under one central regime. In periods when central rule was weakened, the ideal of a centralized state nonetheless remained potent. Even in periods of actual political

Aims of Academic Study Essay Example for Free

Aims of Academic Study Essay To accomplish it, there are obviously needed excessive practices and comfortable surrounding environments including class-size. This essay will deal with the aims of the academic study and various ways of how to accomplish the aims. Firstly, the aims of the academic study are to help students to discover and form future goals or careers and show the whole view of different kinds of jobs, aims and tasks that suits the desires and determine specific goals for the future. It is a tough fight for people who do not have a clear future goal or career and it also can be a burden in the future by making it hard for them to find a suitable job. Therefore, it is highly important to have higher knowledge and a clear plan, to compete for a chance to obtain a position. Secondly, the aims of the academic study also assist the university and college students. It is highly important for college students to have high academic skills due to its complexity. This will also help them to understand a wide range of academically important subjects and deal with a particular task. University is the greatest challenge place for adults and the most crucial part of all is to pass the tests and to finish the final exam in university. Another advantage is that the aims of academic study also enhance knowledge in critical-thinking, problem-solving and general information. Improving abilities in thinking more deeply and organizing ideas in order to solve things in a higher level requires extra knowledge of general information. This idea means that the academic performer appears to have a stronger sense of solving and thinking in a greater way than normal person does. Additionally, it enriches several kinds of knowledge and self-reflection in real life including social skills. On the other hand, in order to accomplish or reach these aim, pupils should try undertaking excessive researches and focus on the course as much as possible. They also expand their knowledge of general information by reading numerous articles and news. Nonetheless, they require support from their surrounding include parents, peers, teachers and class-sized. Different type’s class sized is also a notice problem for pupils to decide to choose. Finn calculated that â€Å"Students in small classes outperformed their counterparts in normal-sized classes by a fifth of standard deviation† – by Ehrenberg et al. (2001) Does class size matter?. To sum up, academic studies have an important role in the educational societies as its aims help the academic performers in various ways to reach and succeed their future goal.

Dynamic Systems Theory and Psychodynamic World View

Dynamic Systems Theory and Psychodynamic World View Emma Levey Psychodynamic world view The psychodynamic view focuses on underlying subconscious and unconscious processes, as well as the conscious. Emphasis is placed on stage progression, overcoming conflicts, and emotions (Miller, 2011, p. 106/134) with the most famous psychodynamic theory being that of Freud (Miller, 2011, p.110). Four criteria will be outlined and illustrated with Freudian examples, before considering whether an article fits within the world view. The first criterion is that of human nature, of which humans are passive and active. Humans are passive due to the role underlying forces play in driving humans to act and they are active through coping with these forces and attempting to obtain and maintain equilibrium through reducing conflict. The ego is the most active personality structure as it self-organises through regulating stimulation arising from the self and the environment, actively deciding the behaviour to exhibit and continuously processing information (Miller, 2011, p. 134). The second criteria concerns qualitative or quantitative development, with both being used in this world view. Qualitative development is shown through in two ways, with the first being that the world view advocates stage development, for example the stages of sexual drive dominance in Freud’s theory. The second way is through acquisition of defence mechanisms and new structures, such as the superego (Miller, 2011, p. 134). However, quantitative change is also possible, as the strength of defence mechanisms and of the structures (such as the ego), can differ which results in potential for quantitative change (Miller, 2011, p. 134). With regards to nature and nurture, the psychodynamic view takes an interactionist stance. Nature is evident via a focus on biological maturation through changes in hormones and biological, unconscious and powerful drives. These drives motivate (e.g. via the Id, Ego and Superego structures) children’s development and behaviour to achieve drive satisfaction (Miller, 2011, p. 111-112). However, nurture-based influences (e.g. parents) also play a part by affecting expression of these nature-based drives. This interaction of nature-based drives and nurture-based constraints dictates drive expression within the environment, with interaction at a young age setting the pattern for learning and coping in later life (Miller, 2011, p. 120, 134-135). Nurture effects are seen to be more important in the first five years of life than later life as the child is particularly impressionable at this time (Miller, 2011, p. 135). The final criteria is teleology. Development is seen to have an endpoint (Dixon Lerner, 1999), which in Freud’s theory is maturation, and is unidirectional as it progresses towards this endpoint. Regression through stages is possible and often frequent, occurring when anxieties become too difficult to cope with (Dixon Lerner, 1999; Miller, 2011, p. 115). Finally, causality is multidirectional due to the interactional effects of nature and nurture resulting in a causal effect on development. Salvatore, S., Eleonora, L. P., Marco, L. (2013). Trauma and the Father Image: Fantasies and Complexes in the Rorschach Test. The Open Psychology Journal, 6, 1-5 doi: 10.2174/1874350101306010001. In the interpretation of the Rorschach test, the features of the table IV inkblot evoke a dimension of authority, morals and related emotions. Interestingly, the father figure is related to ego development and also guides towards maturity via more evolved emotions such as feelings of shame and guilt. In some cases these feelings are found to be lacking in adults experiencing depression. The aim of this work is to analyze the relationship between the representational world in relation to the father figure and depressive mood disorders. The group of subjects is composed of 25 patients who had a psychiatric diagnosis of Depressive episode. The presence of specific phenomena brings out the complexes, the uneasy and conflictual relationship with the father figure submerged in the unconscious thus emerges. Shock is thereby manifested in relation to the black in which the large, dark, and blurred stimulus is perceived as sinister, threatening and dangerous. The trauma emerges in the result of a relationship with a father who has not allowed the child to manage similarities and differences. From the nature of the answers of the Rorschach protocols, it emerges that the symbolic abilities of subjects are not fully developed or have been attacked by an early trauma. Human nature in this article was both active and passive. Passive nature is shown by the example of the unconscious drives as â€Å"The presence of specific phenomena brings out the complexes, the uneasy and conflictual relationship with the father figure submerged in the unconscious thus emerges† (Salvatore, Eleoniora Marco 2013, p. 1); with the â€Å"specific phenomena† in this case being the inkblot used to elicit an underlying response concerning the father. Human nature is active through participants â€Å"subjectively organizing the content and form of the stimuli presented to him† (2013, p. 1). Active self-organization is shown through dealing with the self (e.g. father anxiety) and the external inkblot stimulus which enables participants too actively â€Å"express his feelings and give shapes and meaning to what he sees† (2013, p. 1). The active environment can be seen in the Rorschach test which â€Å"prompts the translation of things and feelin gs into words† and due to the external father’s negative influences on â€Å"space for the imagination† resulting in the statement that â€Å"symbolic abilities of subjects are not fully developed† (2013, p. 1-2). In this retrospective study, neither qualitative nor quantitative change was considered, so speculation into both should be done. Potential evidence for qualitative change concerns the inkblot used, which requires a developed imagination ability due to its intensity. Thus, use of this inkblot is linked with â€Å"the emergence of a new level of mental functioning† and the acquisition of a new qualitative skill, â€Å"the ability to imagine† (Salvatore et al., 2013, p. 1). Other qualitative change could be the development of a new defence mechanism to aid coping with negative father experience. Quantitative change could concern an increase or decrease in ego strength, as a result of the father being â€Å"related to ego development† (2013, p. 2). Thirdly, Salvatore and colleagues (2013) emphasize nurture through their focus on father influence. The inkblot used evokes â€Å"father figure symbolization† with the father’s importance shown as he becomes â€Å"the receptacle holding the feeling of omnipotence† (Salvatore et al., 2013, p. 1). The importance of early nurture experience is shown as the â€Å"compromised paternal representation, formulated in the inner world at an early age† influences adulthood as it exists timelessly in the â€Å"perpetuated unconscious† (2013, p. 5). Also, participants lacked symbolic ability due to â€Å"an early trauma† emerging as â€Å"the result of a relationship with a father† (2013, p. 1). As nature is not directly considered, one potential way in which its effects could be seen concerns the participants with depression and the fathers relation to ego development via more evolved emotions, which are â€Å"lacking in adults experiencing depre ssion† (2013, p. 2). As depression is a chemical imbalance, this could be seen as a mediation effect of nature (via depression), upon evolved emotions influenced by the father (nurture) resulting in less advanced development due to this interaction. Concerning teleology, it can be implied that maturity is considered to be the developmental endpoint as the father figure and his relationship with the ego â€Å"guides towards maturity† (Salvatore et al., 2013, p. 2). This also implies unidirectional development, as development proceeds towards maturity. In contrast with the criterion, the article advocates unidirectional causality as it focuses on early father impact upon progression towards maturity â€Å"as the father figure (†¦) guides towards maturity via more evolved emotions such as feelings of shame and guilt,† and no mention is made of causality derived from the person (2013, p. 1). This may be due to the retrospective nature of the study as participants are purely reflecting on their relationships with their fathers. Also, no explicit mention of regression is made. In conclusion, the article of Salvatore and colleagues (2013) is psychodynamic due to its acknowledgement of various required criteria, such as human nature. However, for it to completely fit in the world view it also should have considered, multidirectional causality, regression and explicitly considered qualitative and quantitative change within the study. Dynamic Systems Theory Dynamic systems theory (DST) is a holistic view due to behaviour only being understood through considering the multiple and mutual interaction of all system levels in self-organizing systems, with the organism-in-context as the unit of analysis (Miller, 2011, p. 414). Four DST criteria will be presented and an article which fits within DST presented and discussed. In DST, human nature is active and inseparable from the active environment, and thus the person and environment should not be considered separate due to their constant interaction within the developmental system. The active individual is shown through its ability to construct behaviour through experience within a part of the larger system (Miller, 2011, p. 421) and also through self-organisation (change through the organisms own activities) (Thelen Smith, 2006, p. 259 cited in Lerner, Lewin-Bizan Warren, 2011, p. 28). The environment is active through the role of experience and its participation with the organism in mutual interaction. This interaction is important in determining development as the environmental task and the motivations and skills of a person both control and influence the developing factor at a certain time and situation, within the larger system. The second criteria concerns change, which is constant, given and based upon the continuous interaction of the individual and the environment. Change can be on a small or large scale, with smaller scale change having the potential to cause large scale system changes. It is also considered on a moment-to-moment time scale or over a longer period (Miller, 2011, p. 417). Change can be quantitative and qualitative, although qualitative change often results due to an accumulation of underlying quantitative change until a critical threshold is passed, resulting in a novel qualitative skill emerging (Miller, 2011, p. 417, 421). The third criteria concerns the nature nurture distinction, which is redundant due to DST’s interactionist stance (Thelen Smith n.d, cited in Lerner et al., 2011, p. 28; Miller, 2011, p. 418). As such, nature and nurture are equally important in development as change occurs due to the organism-context relation. Developmental diversity is the result of differences in the timing of this interaction (Lerner et al., 2011, p. 29). The final criteria is teleology. Regression is seen as possible because the system can regress to a previous attractor state if required. Multiple possible endpoints exist due to the infinite ways in which system parts can combine and result in developmental paths (Thelen Smith, 1998, 2006 cited in Lerner et al., 2011, p. 30). Both the ability to regress and the concept of multiple end points suggests multidirectional development. Finally, causality is configural as development concerns bidirectional relationships â€Å"within and across fused levels of organisation† which change over time (Lerner et al., 2011, p. 29). Granic, I., O’Hara, A., Pepler, D., Lewis, M. D., (2007). A Dynamic Systems analysis of parent-child changes associated with successful â€Å"real-world† interventions for aggressive children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 845-857. doi:10.1007/s10802-007-9133-4. Studies have shown that improved parenting mediates treatment outcomes for aggressive children, but we lack fine-grained descriptions of how parent–child interactions change with treatment. The current study addresses this gap by applying new dynamic systems methods to study parent–child emotional behavior patterns. These methods tap moment-to-moment changes in interaction processes within and across sessions and quantify previously unmeasured processes of change related to treatment success. Aggressive children and their parents were recruited from combined Parent Management Training and Cognitive-behavioral programs in â€Å"real world† clinical settings. Behavioral outcomes were assessed by reports from parents and clinicians. At pre- and post-treatment, home visits were videotaped while parents and children discussed consecutively: a positive topic, a mutually unresolved problem, and another positive topic. Results showed that significant improvements in chil dren’s externalizing behavior were associated with increases in parent–child emotional flexibility during the problem-solving discussion. Also, dyads who improved still expressed negative emotions, but they acquired the skills to repair conflicts, shifting out of their negative interactions to mutually positive patterns. The article fits in with the criteria of human nature as it constantly considers the parent (environmental influence)-child interactions throughout the study, with â€Å"The parent-child interactions of children who showed clinically significant improvements (IMPs) were compared to those of children who did not improve (NIMPs)† (Granic et al., 2007, p. 847). This therefore shows parent and child to be equally important and inseparable as the analysis focuses on their interaction instead of separate effects. Another example of the environment and the child as inseparable and active is flexibility, â€Å"the ability to shift from one emotional state to another according to contextual demands (2007, p. 846). This shows the active child’s role in shifting emotional states and the environment’s role as a trigger. One way in which the article adheres to DST’s concept of change concerns real-time interactions, which are â€Å"the proximal engines of development† (Granic et al., 2007, p. 846), showing this moment-to-moment change to be important. This is further supported by tmeasurement of â€Å"moment-to-moment changes in interaction processes with and across sessions† (2007, p. 845). Granic and colleagues used multiple time scales by also focusing on a longer twelve week period, showing a focus on continuous change (2007). Both qualitative and quantitative change are evident. Quantitative change can be seen in the measurement of increases or decreases in anti-social behaviour across pre- to post- treatment. Qualitative differences were shown as â€Å"children were classified as â€Å"Improvers† (IMPs) or â€Å"Non-Improvers† (NIMPs) based on a combination of the information† from the two quantitative measures (2007, p. 850). Thus, children’s qu alitative improvement status in anti-social behaviour was determined by quantitative changed in measure scores passing a threshold (e.g. 20 points reduction in one measure) to determine which group they were classified as. The interaction of nature and nurture, required for the third criteria of DST, is also shown in this article, as it focuses upon â€Å"how parent-child interactions change with treatment† (Granic et al., 2007, p. 845) thus showing an integration of child and environment (in the form of the mother and the effect on the treatment). These interactions were the main focus in the study, showing there to be an interaction between nature and nurture in explaining the behaviour targeted in the article (anti-social behaviour) as the researchers applied â€Å"dynamic systems methods to study parent-child emotional behavioural patterns† (2007, p. 845), as â€Å"parent-child interactions were observed and videotaped† (2007, p. 848). The final criteria is teleology. Despite there being no specific reference to multiple end points, it was suggested that of an infinite number of combinations of system parts is possible, as â€Å"the dyad’s trajectory(†¦) is plotted in real time on a grid representing all possible behavioral combinations†, suggesting multiple developmental paths with different endpoints (Granic et al., 2007, p. 850). Regression was considered as whilst IMPs showed increased flexibility from baseline, NIMPs showed a â€Å"decrease in flexibility†(2007, p. 854). Multidirectionality of development is also seen due to the ability to regress and also because state-space grids â€Å"were constructed separately for each dyad†, showing different trajectories (2007, p. 850). Finally, bidirectional, configural causality was shown as behaviour improvements were â€Å"associated with increases in parent-child emotional flexibility† with the consideration that â€Å"recip rocal parent-child warmth and affection may be a cause of improvements in children’s aggressive behaviour† (2007, p. 845/854). This showed parent (environment) and child to exert an interactional causal effect on externalizing behaviour. In conclusion, the above article fits within the DST world view due to its consideration of the environment and a child as a constant interaction, its focus on multiple change time scales, nature-nurture interaction, and its multidirectional view on causality and development. References Dixon, R. A., Lerner, R. M. (1999). A history of systems in developmental psychology. In M.H. Bornstein, M.E. Lamb (Eds.) Developmental Psychology: An advanced textbook. Fourth Edition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Granic, I., O’Hara, A., Pepler, D., Lewis, M. D., (2007). A Dynamic Systems analysis of parent-child changes associated with successful â€Å"real-world† interventions for aggressive children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 845-857. doi:10.1007/s10802-007-9133-4 Lerner, R.M., Lewin-Bizan, S., Warren, A.E.A. (2011). Concepts and theories of human development. In M.H. Bornstein, M.E. Lamb, (Eds.) Developmental Science: An advanced textbook. Sixth Edition. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Miller, P. H. (2011). Theories of Developmental Psychology. New York, NY : Worth. Salvatore, S., Eleonora, L. P., Marco, L. (2013). Trauma and the Father Image: Fantasies and Complexes in the Rorschach Test. The Open Psychology Journal, 6, 1-5 doi:10.2174/1874350101306010001

Complexities of Love Exposed in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club :: Joy Luck Club Essays

The Complexities of Love Exposed in The Joy Luck Club In the novel "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan, the ignorance, the disregard of, and the necessity of love are all reveled as the characters tell their life stories and memories. The characters in the novel take love for granted. By ignoring love, concentrating more on material possessions, and hiding their true identities, the characters don't realize love's importance. One character that takes love for granted is Harold, Lena St. Clair's husband. This occurs when Lena leans over to him in their car and states "I love you." He responds by asking Lena a question about his car, which seems to be more important to him than his relationship with her. Harold does not realize the importance of love. He only thinks about material possessions. Since Harold does not revealing his true nature, he reveals that he has a lack of love for himself as an individual. The love you have for yourself is a necessity in life because it provides self-respect; if one respects oneself, one will respect and love others. The story of Lindo Jong provides insight into the concept of revealing your true nature. To "keep everything inside" as does Lindo Jong, provides for not being able to experience love to its fullest. Lindo Jong hides "under a red marriage scarf" in attempt to shield herself from the outside world. Her "hiding under the scarf" demonstrates that to be able to love, you must be able to first reveal your true nature. Ying-Ying St. Clair stands as an example of the desire to remain hidden as she says, "All these years I kept my true nature hidden, running along like a small shadow so nobody could catch me." The image of the shadow relates directly to the red marriage scarf. They both attempt to provide the concealment of their true natures, because the result of revealing your true self may be that of "pain". The importance of love goes unnoticed as the characters take love for granted and expect it to naturally come to them. The ceasing of taking love for granted does occur later and has its results and consequences. The characters realize that they are taking love for granted when they feel meaningless and uncomfortable, and stop doing so by either ending the relationship or confronting the problem.