Brave New World Analysis on Characters Free Essays

Brave New World Analysis on Characters â€Å"The world’s stable now. People are happy; they get what they want, and they never want what they can’t get†¦ they are so conditioned that they practically can’t help behaving as they ought to behave† (Huxley 198). Many people speak and dream about a perfect world, for the problems which we face in the present world to simply just go away. We will write a custom essay sample on Brave New World Analysis on Characters or any similar topic only for you Order Now Brave New World is a novel which shows an example of what life would be like in a utopian society. Read also Analysis of Characters in Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"The Life You Save May Be Your Own† It shows the differences that civilization has against the savage world, which is how we live in present day. The characters in Brave New World all experience the controversy between nature vs nurture ultimately leading to their unhappiness. An individual can be given everything they need but yet still live unhappy. This especially can be seen with one of the main characters in Brave New World, Bernard. He was an Alpha Plus, the highest class in civilization, but unfortunately didn’t look like most Alphas (69). Despite his class, he was an outcast and spent most of his time alone. The narrator in the novel explains, â€Å"The mockery made him feel an outsider; and feeling an outsider he behaved like one, which increased the prejudice against him and aroused hostility about his physical defects†¦ which increased the sense of being alien and alone† (68). Although he had a high title it didn’t make him feel happy. He felt like there was more to life than a set routine they were all given in civilization. Bernard felt himself different; he wanted to feel emotions and not just live day by day on fake happiness. Bernard expresses his frustration to be feel different when he states, â€Å" But wouldn’t you like to be free to be happy in some other way, Lenina? In your own way, for example, not in everybody else’s way† (90). Bernard was tired of being enslaved by his conditioning. The people of the New World were all taught to think, act, and see things a certain way. No individuality. Living in a controlled world doesn’t cause happiness, it just numbs people of actual feelings. Lenina is a â€Å"pneumatic girl†, very popular, and has spent a night with almost all of the men in civilization. Pleasure was key in the controlled world. She found herself wanted by men, and like most women enjoyed having sex with men. When Lenina began talking to Bernard, she didn’t agree with him on wanting more to life. She’d rather be on soma, a drug that would numb them from any true emotions, whenever she felt a little uneasy, just like everyone else. Lenina’s unhappiness comes when Bernard takes her into the Savage world and she sees how John and Linda and everyone else is living. Her immediate reaction was to find some soma. She couldn’t believe how people grew old, suffered, and had to deal with everyday problems. Lenina began falling for John and quickly realized that she wanted something specifically with him that most men couldn’t satisfy. Lenina states to her friend Fanny, â€Å"And what about a man– one man. Hes the one i want†¦ and in intervals I still like him. I shall always like him† (171). Lenina had never felt like this before, therefore she didn’t know how to handle it. The only thing she knew of about men was to have sex with them. When John rejected sleeping with her, she was completely taken by surprise. The narrator explains, â€Å" Drying her eyes†¦ she pulled out her soma bottle†¦ hers had been more than a one-gramme affliction† (157). Never being in the position, she immediately turned to soma to help her cope with what she was feeling. She has been living numb to emotion and for the first time she was forced to feel unwanted and ached for an escape. Linda was a Delta in a civilized world who went on a trip with the Director to the Savage world. Unfortunately for her she had fell and bumped her head, causing her to get lost and be taken in by Native Americans (112). The Director searched for her but was never able to find her. To her dismay she was pregnant and had a baby named John. Linda only knew how to act like a civilized person. She was very promiscuous and like the controlled world, began to sleep around with different men. This was strange to the Savage World and they then began to call her names and make her an outcast. Linda stated, â€Å"I was so ashamed. Just to think of it; me a Beta– having a baby† (114). Having John was very difficult for her. Linda had no idea how to be a mother, how to nurture, or even how to be a good role model for the child. Linda thought of how perfect her life would be if she were to return to the civilized world, returning to soma. She was willing to do whatever just to be back in the New World, â€Å"†¦ here was her appearance†¦ so the best people were quite determined not to see Linda. And Linda, had no desire to see them. The return to civilization was for her the return to soma† (142). Linda thought all her problems would be solved by going back to the controlled world, but in fact they made her even more depressed and unwanted. She had nob ody except for John and she would rather be numb and not feel anything than deal with civilization. Where would she find true happiness if in the Savage World she is discriminated for her ways, and in civilization she no longer fits in. Living in the Savage world, one can only imagine how perfect the civilized world could be. Unfortunately, having came from the savage world John had something to compare the controlled world to. Being the son to a women in the civilized world, he had heard nothing but wonders about it. On the other hand, having been raised in the Savage World allowed John to learn morals and want to find a purpose in life. When John reached the civilized world he was completely disappointed on how fake everything and everyone was. â€Å" How much I love you, Lenina†¦ or always†¦ to make a promise to live together for always† (174). John had seen his mother sleep with so many men and get teased by it that he did not want to just sleep with the women he liked. He wanted to marry and be with just that one. For Lenina this was just nonsense, and that just made John not want anything to do with her. He wanted to feel a special connection with Lenina that she had never had before. By the e nd John decides to be isolated because he would rather deal with his emotions than live in a â€Å"perfect† world numb and unhappy. Ultimately, the utopian society didn’t mean solving all problems and people forever living happy. If a civilization is all an individual knows, how is it that they still manage to be unhappy? There is no happiness when people are living numb from what is really going on. When it comes to the topic of a utopian society vs the kind of society in which we currently live in, I think there is really no solution. We are human and as much as they can try to condition human beings, there is still going to be some kind of downfall. How to cite Brave New World Analysis on Characters, Papers

Information System free essay sample

Information Systems for the Banking amp; Financial Sector: Audit is one of the major controls for monitoring management activities in the banks and financial institutions. In a computerized environment, IS audit is a very effective and necessary activity. Usually the IT implementation in the banking and financial organizations is done by adopting a mix of different methodologies – internal development and deployment and third party product development and deployment. In case of internally developed and deployed IT systems, IS audit will require to be done by a team of specially trained internal or external auditors. However, it is preferable to have the IS audit conducted with the help of suitable external agencies with the required skills and expertise to ensure independent nature of audit. In case of development and deployment of the IT systems by third parties, the IS audit requires to be conducted by trusted auditor/s with skills and expertise, required for the purpose. 3. 2. Computer information system(s) (CIS) Computer information system is a field studying computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their software and hardware designs, their applications, and their impact on society while IS emphasizes functionality over design. Any specific information system (IS) aims to support operations, management and decision making. In a broad sense, the term is used to refer not only to the information and communication technology (ICT) that an organization uses, but also to the way in which people interact with this technology in support of business processes. Some authors make a clear distinction between information systems, computer systems, and business processes. Information systems typically include an ICT component but are not purely concerned with ICT, focusing instead on the end use of information technology. Information systems are also different from business processes. Information systems help to control the performance of business processes. Alter argues for advantages of viewing an information system as a special type of work system. A work system is a system in which humans and/or machines perform work (processes and activities) using resources to produce specific products and/or services for customers. An information system is a work system whose activities are devoted to processing (capturing, transmitting, storing, retrieving, manipulating and displaying) information. As such, information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems on the other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-formal language which supports human decision making and action. Information systems are the primary focus of study for organizational informatics 4. Types of information systems Figure : Types of Information Systems. A four level pyramid model of different types of Information Systems based on the different levels of hierarchy in an organization The classic view of Information systems found in the textbooks in the 1980s was of a pyramid of systems that reflected the hierarchy of the organization, usually transaction processing systems at the bottom of the pyramid, followed by management information systems, decision support systems, and ending with executive information systems at the top. Although the pyramid model remains useful, since it was first formulated a number of new technologies have been developed and new categories of information systems have emerged, some of which no longer fit easily into the original pyramid model. Some examples of such systems are: Data warehouses Enterprise resource planning Enterprise systems Expert systems Search engines Geographic information system Global information system Office automation. 4. 1. Computer (-Based) Information System A Computer (-Based) Information System is essentially an IS using computer technology to carry out some or all of its planned tasks. The basic components of computer based information system are: Hardware- these are the devices like the monitor, processor, printer and keyboard, all of which work together to accept, process, show data and information. Software- are the programs that allow the hardware to process the data. Databases- are the gathering of associated files or tables containing related data. Networks- are a connecting system that allows diverse computers to distribute resources. Procedures- are the commands for combining the components above to process information and produce the preferred output. The first four components (hardware, software, database and network) make up what is known as the information technology platform. Information technology workers could then use these components to create information systems that watch over safety measures, risk and the management of data. These actions are known as information technology services. Certain information systems support parts of organizations, others support entire organizations, and still others, support groups of organizations. Recall that each department or functional area within an organization has its own collection of application programs, or information systems. These functional area information systems (FAIS) are supporting pillars for more general IS namely, business intelligence systems and dashboards. As the names suggest, each FAIS support a particular function are within the organization, e. g. : accounting IS, finance IS, production/operation management (POM) IS, marketing IS, and human resources IS. In finance and accounting, managers use IT systems to forecast revenues and business activity, to determine the best sources and uses of funds, and to perform audits to ensure that the organization is fundamentally sound and that all financial reports and documents are accurate. Other types of organizational information systems are FAIS, Transaction processing systems, enterprise resource planning, office automation system, management information system, decision support system, expert system, executive dashboard, supply chain management system, and electronic commerce system. Dashboards are a special form of IS that support all managers of the organization. They provide rapid access to timely information and direct access to structured information in the form of reports. Expert systems attempt to duplicate the work of human experts by applying reasoning capabilities, knowledge, and expertise within a specific domain. 5. How they assist in business planning? 5. 1. Information Storage and Analysis At the date of publication, many companies no longer manage their data and information manually with registers and hard-copy formats. Through the adoption of information systems, companies can make use of sophisticated and comprehensive databases that can contain all imaginable pieces of data about the company. Information systems store, update and even analyze the information, which the company can then use to pinpoint solutions to current or future problems. Furthermore, these systems can integrate data from various sources, inside and outside the company, keeping the company up to date with internal performance and external opportunities and threats. 5. 2. Assist With Making Decisions The long-term success of a company depends upon the adequacy of its strategic plans. An organization’s management team uses information systems to formulate strategic plans and make decisions for the organizations longevity and prosperity. The business uses information systems to evaluate information from all sources, including information from external references such as Reuters or Bloomberg, which provide information on the general economy. This analysis of and comparison to market trends helps organizations analyze the adequacy and quality of their strategic decisions. 5. 3. Assist With Business Processes Information systems aid businesses in developing a larger number of value added-systems in the company. For example, a company can integrate information systems with the manufacturing cycle to ensure that the output it produces complies with the requirements of the various quality management standards. Adoption of information systems simplifies business processes and removes unnecessary activities. Information systems add controls to employee processes, ensuring that only users with the applicable rights can perform certain tasks. Further, information systems eliminate repetitive tasks and increase accuracy, allowing employees to concentrate on more high-level functions. Information systems can also lead to better project planning and implementation through effective monitoring and comparison against established criteria. 5. 4. Considerations Implementing information systems within an organization can prove to be costly. Implementation costs include not only installation of the systems but also employee training sessions. In addition, employees may see the adoption of information systems as an unwarranted change and, thus, may resist this change. Resistance to change can hinder business operations and can cause employee turnover. Companies should have leadership in place to assess the adequacy of the decision to have an information system and to guide the company through the transition phase and weigh information systems cost against the potential benefits. 6. Examples of IS that are useful for communication 6. 1. Information and communications technology (ICT) It is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. The phrase ICT had been used by academic researchers since the 1980s, but it became popular after it was used in a report to the UK government by Dennis Stevenson in 1997 and in the revised National Curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2000. As of September 2013, the term ICT in the UK National Curriculum has been replaced by the broader term computing. The term ICT is now also used to refer to the convergence of audio-visual and telephone networks with computer networks through a single cabling or link system. There are large economic incentives (huge cost savings due to elimination of the telephone network) to merge the audio-visual, building management and telephone network with the computer network system using a single unified system of cabling, signal distribution and management. The term Infocommunications is sometimes used interchangeably with ICT. In fact Infocommunications is the expansion of telecommunications with information processing and content handling functions on a common digital technology base. 7. CONCLUSION The IS technology is need for every business. It’s cheaper and efficient way in communication to maintain data to execute reports to find out where are we now in business?

Essay Examples on Brave New World Essay Example

Essay Examples on Brave New World Paper 1st Essay Sample on Brave New World The Brave New World speaks of a world where material comfort and physical pleasure are the only concerns, where humans are not born but created and conditioned according a strict caste system developed by society. Imagine a culture where the concept of family is non-existent and the idea of aging, giving natural births and dying are their worse horror. How unrealistic one might think, yet so relevant to todays notion of utopia. Who wouldnt like to live in such a world, where happiness and comfort is only a pill away? While the concept may sound appealing, a world with no past is like having a world with no meaning. In the Brave New World history, religion and science are all regulated and banned. Why? Because they stir up emotions, emotions ultimately lead to unhappiness, and unhappiness leads to instability. And in this book stability is the foundation by which these people exist. Social control is also a huge factor in this book. Humans are created into a social class. In other words they know before they are born their role in society, or they are taught through training. Pavolian conditioning is evident in this book; Pavlovs research concluded that animals can be taught an action through negative and positive reinforcement. The same idea is depicted in the book with humans. The Deltas, for example, are taught to avoid books and roses through negative reinforcement, each time they approached either item they were shocked. Thus in this book the world controllers shaped humans the way they saw fit, the way they believed would maintain social stability. An interesting factor about the story is the time frame that it took place, A.F. We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Brave New World specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Brave New World specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay Examples on Brave New World specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer 632. A.F. meaning After Ford, named after Henry Ford who in his time revolutionized the way cars were built with his industrial machine, the Model-T. 2nd Essay Sample on Brave New World Brave new world is an awesome book that talks about the perfect world or I should say they believe is perfect, which everyone imagine to live in, has no pain, no love, no family, no sickness, no argument, and nothing can make people feel or think. They use sleep teaching to give people morals, everyday they follow the patterns of controllers gave, make sure nobody will walk the right path and do what they have been told. All the citizens were born in the test tub and be collected bodies after they are dead, so no materials are wasted. Brave new world is not a dystopian, but no more than a man made prison. The perfect world in the book is only perfect in physical. Everybody is happy because they are told to be and they have never experienced the process of unhappy, whenever whatever happened to them there is always soma in the pocket. You can watch movies with actual feelings, have sex with who ever you want medicines can make people always age young. It is always physical, but what about mental you will ask they give it all up for community, identity, and stability. Their minds have never been educated because arts had been eliminated, books were been thrown away, love had been forgotten, and every thing and every thing can make the brains work are not exist anymore. Because the controllers want the people to work by using hands but not minds, everyone is like a piece of meat, the controllers decided when to eat it and how to cook it. That is what a body without his own will and his own soul like, just a piece of meat.The government and controllers play too much of a role. In order to maintain order in Brave New World, the Resident Controller must have complete authority over more than just the present; he must also have influence over the past. In order to be able to achieve this, he must be able to rewrite history. This gives rise to the famous quotation from Brave New World, â€Å"All history is bunk.

Religion Essays - Jerusalem District, Jerusalem Governorate

Religion Essays - Jerusalem District, Jerusalem Governorate Religion People may have different views about a belief or religion, but often both sides see a place of importance to them in the same way. Jerusalem has a religious importance for three religions. For Christians, the city is the site of many of the events in the life of Jesus Christ. For Jews, Jerusalem is the focus of their religious longing, the site of their ancient Temple, and their historical capital. For Muslims the city is their third holiest as the site from which Muhammad is said to have risen to heaven, and the site of important mosques. As a pilgrimage for three world religions Jerusalem is considered to be the holy city. The importance of Jerusalem to Jews stretches back about five thousand years. About 2500 B.C.E., the Canaanites inhabited the city, later Jerusalem became a Jebusite citadel. When David captured the city in 1000 B.C.E., the Jebusites were absorbed into the Jewish people. David made Jerusalem the capital of his kingdom, and Solomon built the first Temple to house the Ark of the Covenant. ( Elon, 1989, p.89) Because of David making Jerusalem the capital of their kingdom and Solomon building the first Temple located in Jerusalem, which is important to Jews because it housed the Ark of the Covenant which Jews see as important to them because it is a symbol of their freedom from slavery and the Covenant God made with Moses, and allowed Jews to establish their promised land. Jerusalem is considered by Jews as their holiest city. In 586 B.C.E., the Babylonian, Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and exiled the Jews to Babylonia. Fifty years later in 537 B.C.E! ., Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylonia and permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. ( Safdie, 1990, p.107) Jerusalem is the holiest city for Jews because their Temple, their place of worship was placed here until it was destroyed. Again when they were allowed to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem they obviously had a religious attachment to this city and that is why today it remains a holy pilgrimage for Jews. Persia held Jerusalem until 333 B.C.E., when Alexander the Great added Palestine to his empire. About 198 B.C.E, king Antiochus III conquered Judea of which Jerusalem was a part, making it a tributary to Syria. The Jews later revolted under the leadership of Maccabees and defeated the Syrians. The Temple was reconverted in 165 B.C.E., and the Maccabean dynasty ruled until Rome took the city in 63 B.C.E. The Romans set up a local dynasty, the house of Herod, to rule most of Palestine. Herod the Great rebuilt much of Jerusalem, including the Temple. While suppressing a major Jewish revolt, the Romans destroyed the second Temple in 70 C.E. In 135 C.E., after the failure of! the Bar Kochba revolt, Jews were banished from Jerusalem. ( Thubron, 1987, p.45) Bar Kochba, also known as Simeon ben Koseva was the leader of the Jewish rebellion against Rome to regain their holy city, Jerusalem. After a lengthy and heroic defence, the rebellion failed, fifty fortresses and a thousand villages were destroyed. The Jews fought hard to get back control of this city which must be of great importance to them or they would not put up such a fight. It was during the period of David?s kingship that the city of Jerusalem became the centre of Israelite government and religion. Until David?s reign, Jerusalem was held by the Jebusites, a people from Canaan. Over time, especially as the monarchy declined, Jerusalem became the symbol of God?s promise to Israel and the centre for Israel?s hope for the future. ( Peters, 1987, p. 135) This shows how important the city of Jerusalem is to the Jewish religion and to their existence. The importance of Jerusalem to the religion of Judaism is quite evident, in addition to Judaism! , Christianity also sees Jerusalem as a holy pilgrimage for their religion. Jerusalem for Christians is the site of many of the events in the life of Jesus Christ, who is the Messiah for the Christian religion. From the early fourth century, when Christianity became legal in the Roman empire, Jerusalem developed as a centre of Christian

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

International Business - Essay Example 264). The barriers to international investment and trade have decreased, and there exists enormous markets for goods and services. Companies from different nations are investing into many countries at an unprecedented scale, and the competition is increasing and becoming intense. The mangers now need to understand the competition from an international perspective, and consider how globalization is affecting their companies’ abilities to compete with other companies, and the strategies they need to adopt so as to exploit the unfolding opportunities and deal with any competitive barrier (Hill & Jones 2007, p. 264). Historical background to globalization of production and markets The past half of the 20th century has resulted into dramatic lowering of barriers to international investment and trade. For example, the average tariff rate on goods manufactured and traded between advanced nations continues to decrease from 40% to 4 %. Similarly, governments have removed regulations th at prohibit foreign companies from entering into domestic markets or establishing production facilities or acquiring domestic companies. The two developments have resulted into an increase in the volume of the foreign direct investment and international trade. The volume of the world goods continues to grow faster than the world economy since 1950. From the year 1970-2005, the volume of world merchandise traded throughout the world continues to surpass the expansion of world production. Additionally, between the year 1992- 2005, the world trade value increased by 140%, the world output by 40% and the total flow of foreign direct investment globally increased by over 500%. These trends have resulted into the globalization of production and the globalization of markets (Hill & Jones 2007, p. 265). Globalization of Production Globalization of production is the tendency by many companies to source goods and services from different countries around the world so as to benefit from the exi sting differences in the quality and the cost of factors of production such as energy, land, capital and labor. Through globalization of markets, companies reduce risks and cost and compete effectively with other companies (Weng Feng Xiang 2009, p. 9). Companies establish globally organized production system so as to integrate production activities across many countries. Globally organized production also refers to global commodity chains and is of two types: Produce driven chain and Buyer driven chain. The Producer-driven chain is responsible for coordination of production networks across countries as in the production of computers. Buyer driven chains comprise of large footwear and clothing manufacturers and large retailers. Companies establish the chains in low wage economies to produce low-cost goods that have brands to represent the manufacture or retailer. A good example of a buyer driven chain in the world is the Nike Company (Needle 2010, p.19). The globalization of producti on increases as companies take advantage of decreasing barriers to international investment and trade to disperse crucial aspects of their production process throughout the world. For example, foreign companies built 30% of the Boeing Company commercial jet aircrafts (777). The Boeing Company is pushing the outsourcing of its jet airliner 777 model further to foreign companies (65%), 35% to three Japanese companies and 20% to Singapore, Italy and the United Kingdom. The reason behind outsourcing by

Characteristcs of Small Businesses Visa-a-Vis Well Resourcesd Large Essay

Characteristcs of Small Businesses Visa-a-Vis Well Resourcesd Large Companies - Essay Example Small businesses lack well documented business plans, vision and mission statements which hinders the strategic planning process. Small businesses do not understand the unique needs of the customers hence offer standardized products and services to the target market. Small businesses can achieve sustained growth through merging with other businesses which is critical in resource sharing. Small businesses should implement internet technologies in order to overcome their location barrier as well as increase their turnover. The small businesses should also maintain financial statements which are critical in accessing debt financing. Characteristics of small businesses visa-a-vis well resourced large companies Introduction The definition of small business has been controversial if not difficult. Some definitions which have been advanced consider the profitability of the business, the value of assets, the annual turnover, the number of employees and the branch network (Pride, Hughes & Kap oor 2010, pp. 24). Small businesses can be analyzed from their distinctive managerial, marketing, organizational and developmental characteristics. Small businesses have certain characteristics which distinguish them from well resourced large businesses. Numerous scholars have used different methods in determining the size of the business. However, most small businesses have less than ten employees and are either family business. Unlike well resourced large businesses, the small businesses have limited options in raising expansion capital since they are sole-proprietorships, partnerships or limited liability companies (Storey, 2002, pp. 6). Small businesses are managed by the owners unlike well resourced large businesses which are capable of employing professional and expert employees and managers. Unlike the well resourced large firms whose shares are able to be traded in the stock markets, the small businesses are closely held hence lack of inference in the management of the busin ess (Little, 2005, pp. 42). Small businesses lack professional board of directors hence most of the strategic decisions regarding the objectives and goals of the business are taken by the owners who are still the managers of the business. Small businesses do not enjoy expansive branch network and distribution channels hence most of them have limited chances of market share growth. Well resourced large firms are able to enter in to strategic partnerships and alliances with other firms hence they can easily penetrate in to new markets unlike the small businesses (Little 2005) Distinctive managerial characteristics Small businesses management is different from the management of well resourced large businesses. Most of the small businesses are family businesses which are managed by the owners. Small businesses may not have enough funds to employ qualified management hence the owners of the businesses make all the strategic objective decisions regarding the source of funds and the expans ion programs (Little 2005). Well resourced large businesses are able to list in the stock exchange markets and secure financing by offering shares to the public unlike the small businesses. Well resourced large businesses can afford to hire expert management hence can compete effectively in the business environment. Small businesses employ few employees who may not be qualified in the services which they offer to the business (Lavoie, et al.,

Criminal Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Criminal Law - Case Study Example Alan has a paranoid personality and is prone to depression. Betty is Alan's girlfriend. She is having an affair with Clive and does not conceal this fact form Alan who feels demeaned and angry. Betty comes home form the pub one day and announces to Alan that she is going to leave him for Clive. She packs her bags and goes. Not knowing what to do, Alan picks up a hunting rifle and goes in search of Clive. He looks through the pub window and sees both Betty and Clive together. Whilst taking aim at Clive with the rifle, Dennis, an old friend from the pub, staggers over Alan and gives him a hard slap on the back. Alan stumbles whilst pulling the trigger and shoots a paraffin lamp on the bar. It ignites and the pub catches fire. The landlord of the pub, Ed, has piled crates in front of the fire exits so the only escape is through the narrow door. Clive dies in the fire and Betty collapses in an attempted escape. She is taken to the hospital but is diagnosed as being in a 'persistent veget ative state." She receives life support treatment. After one month, however, Doctor Fiona decides that Betty is unlikely to ever again consciousness and so authorizes the termination of life support. Benny dies two weeks after.In order to arrive answer to each of the questions, let us take first an overview on how criminal liability may be incurred in the commission of an offense in the United Kingdom and the available defences he can utilize to lessen or even negate his criminal liability. The Concept of Crime and Criminal Liability In almost all criminal laws, crime is defined as an act or omission in violation of an established law of the place where the crime was committed. Act refers to an overt movement of any part of the body, while omission refers to one's failure to act or to perform a lawful duty which he is obliged to do. In order for an act or omission to be considered as a crime, there must be a law punishing that act or requiring a person to perform such lawful duty. Such laws may be the common law that are utilized in the United Kingdom, or a statute, like the Modern Penal Code, which is passed by the legislature of countries like the United States. Crime is a generic term. It is used interchangeably with the term felony, violation or infraction by the criminal law of other countries. In the United Kingdom, an act or omission punishable by law is called as "offence." The violator may be termed as offender or defendant. A crime may be committed against a person like murder, against a property like theft, and against honor like defamation or intriguing against honor. When a person commits an offence, he is usually subjected to two liabilities. First is the civil liability which is the payment of the damages capable of pecuniary estimation in monetary form; and the second is the criminal liability which will subject the offender to life imprisonment, imprisonment for several years, or even death sentence, if found guilty. This research will only discuss that offences that can be committed against persons in the United Kingdom, the criminal liability the offender may incur, and the available defences he can utilize to lessen or even negate his criminal liability. Actus Reus and Mens Rea Under the English common law, criminal liability could only be incurred if two of its essential elements are present which are the actus reus and the mens rea. These essential requisites of criminal liability were based on the common law jurisdiction of the United Kingdom and are expressed in the Latin principle "actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea," which means "an act does not make a person guilty unless (his) mind is