Alexander Hamilton vs Aaron Burr Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alexander Hamilton vs Aaron Burr - Essay Example This dual occurred on July 11, 1804. Both Hamilton and Burr served as officers in the revolutionary war and then later tuned to politics. Hamilton became the secretary of American treasury during the George Washington administration and Burr became the New York senator and the vice president of America in the Thomas Jefferson administration. Even though the conflicts between them started as early as in the 1790’s, it attained fearful proportions in the early part of the 19 th century. (McNamara) Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr fought for the ticket of Democratic-republican alliance for the President election in 1800. Both of them got 73 electoral votes each and the fight ended in a tie. Hamilton used this occasion very well and wrote letters and used all his influence with the Federalists to thwart Burr. The voting went on for several days, and after 36 ballots the tie was finally broken. Thomas Jefferson became the President of United States and Aaron Burr was declared as the vice president. It is believed that Alexander Hamilton played a major role in defeating Aaron Burr (Election of 1800 Was Significant and  Controversial) In 1804, even though Aaron Burr ran for governor of New York State, he lost the election, due to vicious attacks levelled against him by Hamilton The conflict between these two prominent figures continued at the beginning of the 19 th century also and finally Burr issued a challenge. Both of them agreed to finish their conflict in a dual fight. They agreed to assemble at a duelling ground on the heights in Weehawken, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, on the morning of July 11, 1804 with their supporters (McNamara). Burr arrived first at the sight as agreed between them and Hamilton arrived after the Burr and his supporters took positions. Both the parties exchanged salutations before the beginning of the fight. They positioned at a distance of ten full paces. They then proceeded to load the pistols in each

E-commerce. Social Networking Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

E-commerce. Social Networking Sites - Essay Example Facebook’s most important method of earning revenue is through advertising. A major chunk of its revenue is generated by the self-serve advertisement system which allows companies to decide who they want to market to, based on various preferences such as age, gender, marital status and the likes (Guardian 2009). The same report talks about Facebook selling virtual advertising estate on their websites to anyone who can dole out the cash, directing them to pages or profiles as they see fit. Finally, Facebook’s base of 3rd party apps has been the basis for many credit-card based transactions (in games for example) of which Facebook receives a certain percentage. All of these methods have helped Facebook’s revenue rise enough to be able to breakeven with its day to day costs which is a major breakthrough for any social networking site (Guardian 2009). MySpace The leading social networking site before Facebook was established, MySpace had made its name in the field for being a site that was preferred by upcoming musicians for its ability to allow easy sharing of music. It was considered the youth’s most preferred network, since it was the first site that allowed them to ‘relate to brands and bands’ (Web Strategist 2008). ... MySpace The leading social networking site before Facebook was established, MySpace had made its name in the field for being a site that was preferred by upcoming musicians for its ability to allow easy sharing of music. It was considered the youth’s most preferred network, since it was the first site that allowed them to ‘relate to brands and bands’ (Web Strategist 2008). However, the site currently owned by Specific Media, failed to innovate and lost a lot of its market share after the advent of Facebook, and has a current active user-base of 110 million users (The Next Web 2010). MySpace’s revenue model also revolves mostly around advertising. The site uses the basic two types of advertisements that are used by a lot of popular websites, namely pay-per-view and pay-per-click. In the former, the marketer pays a certain amount of money to have his Advertisement Banner up on MySpace’s pages while in the latter; he pays a certain amount (usually a few pennies) for every click that his advertisement gets. Although that may not sound like much, but with MySpace’s users still numbering in the million, the numbers certainly add up with the company making more than $550 million in revenue in 2007. However, since MySpace has fallen behind its major competitors, it needs to attract more users and perhaps find a more effective way of earning revenue than just relying on their current method, which seems ‘archaic’ in comparison with Facebook. Twitter Launched in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Twitter revolutionized the concept of communicating through social network sites. Instead of relying on photos or music, the heart of Twitter

Difference Between Operating Systems And Application Software

Difference Between Operating Systems And Application Software What is application software? A  program  or group of programs designed for  end users. Application  software can be divided into two general classes:  systems software  and  applications software. Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the  computer  at a very basic level. This includes  operating systems compilers , and  utilities  for managing computer  resources. In contrast, applications software (also called  end-user  programs) includes database  programs,  word processors, and  spreadsheets. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to  run  without the operating system and  system  utilities. There are a lot of terms can be found over the internet related to computer. All type of computer have processor, Memory, keyboard, mouse and screen to display output. But their is a significant difference how people or organizations use computes for their usage. We can divide all type of computers to 6 categories. Personal Computer ,Server Computer, Mainframe Computer , Super Computer, Embedded Computer, Mobile Computer. Operating  Systems Software  designed  to  handle  basic  elements  of  computer  operation,such  as  sending  instructions  to  hardware  devices  like  disk  drives and  computer  screens,  and  allocating  system  resources  such  as memory  to  different  software  applications  being  run.  Given uniformly  designed  operating  systems  that  run  on  many  different computers,  developers  of  software  do  not  need  to  concern themselves  with  these  problems,  and  are  provided  with  a  standard platform  for  new  programs. Application software  is a subclass of  computer software  that employs the capabilities of a computer directly to a task that the user wishes to perform. This should be contrasted with  system software  which is involved in integrating a computers various capabilities, but does not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user. Custom Applications The software is tailor-made software.  The software developed to meet all the requirements specified by the user. General Applications This type of software developers to carry out specific tasks in mind the overall requirements.  Many users can use it, because it meets the general requirements. Application software is computer software, which uses a computer the ability to direct and complete the task, users want to run sub-classes. This should be contrasted with system software, the software is the integration of various functions in the computer, but usually not directly applicable to the task, a user-friendly performance. In an application suite usually have a separate application user interface with some common makes it easier for users to learn and use each application. Often they may have some capacity, with people in ways that favor the user. For example, a spreadsheet might be able to document in a word processor, even if it has been in the embedded application to create a separate spreadsheet.  User-written software tailors systems to meet users specific needs. User-written software include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics and animation scripts. Users create this software themselves how important it is often overlooked.  In some types of embedded systems, application software and operating system software may be unable to distinguish between users, such as software used to control the VCR, DVD player or microwave oven case. Operating system The use of low-level computer software called the operating system (O / S), to help people build and run their own programs.  Operating system software runs not only in notebook computers, but also mobile phones, network routers and other so-called embedded devices. The type of operating system Operating system is a set of procedures, control application software, the user runs the hardware provided between the collection and the current software running on the computer link.  The operating system is also responsible for the management and control of all resources (memory, hard drives, monitors, etc.) between them may be running different applications at the same time share the work. The most famous of the operating system used on personal computers: -Microsoft Windows -Mac OS X, -Linux, Some operating systems are designed for certain types of equipment, such as Google Android (Linux, a variant), and Symbian the mobile phone The Solaris and HP UX, and dangerous goods UX and other Unix variants for server computers December VM (Virtual Memory System) used to host computer Other operating systems to enjoy the notoriety of the period, but now only historical interest are: Novells Netware is the personal computer 90 in the 20th century, the popular O / S IBMs OS / 2 was an early PC-O / Ss competition with Microsoft Windows for a time, but limited success Multics is a particularly innovative in the mainframe operating system created in the 60s of last century, which affected the future of Unix development. Different between Operating System and Application Software The Operating System is the System Software that makes the Computer work. We can say that an Operating System (OS) is Software that acts as an interface between you and the hardware. It not only contains drivers used to speak the hardwares language, but also offers you a very specific graphical user interface (GUI) to control the computer. An OS can also act as an interface (from the hardware) to the other software. A complex OS like Windows or Linux or Mac OS offers the services of an OS, but also has applications built in. Solitaire, Paint, Messenger, etc. are all applications. Application software is the software that you install onto your Operating System. It consists of the programs that actually let you do things with your computer. These Applications are written to run under the various Operating Systems. These include things like your word processing programs, spread sheets, email clients, web browser, games, etc. Many programs, such as most of the Microsoft Office suite of programs, are written in both Mac and Windows versions, but you still have to have the right version for your OS. So, the operating system of a computer is the software that allows the computer work. It provides the framework under which the applications run. The Operating system of a Computer is the Software that allows the Computer work. It provides the framework under which the Applications run. An operating system is the type of Computer system you have such as Window XP or Window 95, 98, Mac, etc. The applications are the software that actually allows the user to do something with the computer. Without the applications, all you can do is change settings and navigate among the folders.The Applications are the Software that actually allows the user to do something with the Computer. Without the applications, all you can do is change settings and navigate among the folders. You can purchase its CD from a software company or download from a software companys web site. Types of Computer Systems Different  types of computer  systems are nowadays available for different purposes according the user needs.When youll have to  order  yours or even to build it, you should  first  define the  expected use of your computer.This step will help you to  describe  the basic capabilities and know the costs of your system. Example : Personal Computer ,Server Computer, Mainframe Computer , Super Computer, Embeded Computer, Mobile Computer. Supercomputers Supercomputers are the most fastest, and expensive modern computer systems. They are mostly used for intense processing and forecasting such as forecasting the weather, or super high resolution graphics such as ray traced images. Government processes such as immigration clearances, and all other high level functionalities are handled by a supercomputer. Supercomputers are also extensively used in the military to manage and calculate or even analyze full range of information from coordinates to traffic control and even launching systems. Today, the worlds fastest supercomputer was developed by IBM the IBM Roadrunner which runs on 1.026 1.105 Pflops or petaflops and is placed in the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico USA taking up a space of 6000 square feet. Mainframe computers Mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as insurance companies and banks, where many people frequently need to use the same data. In a traditional mainframe environment, each user accesses the mainframes resources through a terminal (network terminal). There are two kinds of terminal, one is a dumb terminal which does not process or store data, just basic I/O input output and the intelligent terminal which can perform processing operations but these terminals normally do not have any storage. Mainframes are large and powerful systems to handle the processing of thousands of users at any one time. Most large organizations implement mainframes due to their flexibilities in which department computers can be allocated a certain functionality that is related to the department in response to all programs. For instance, an airline company which wishes to sell tickets online through the internet will require to connect their current website interface to a mainframe system. You as the user would then connect to the website or the mainframe system to key in your ticket purchase. Personal computers Microcomputer  designed for use by one person at a time. A typical PC assemblage comprises a  CPU; internal  memory  consisting of  RAM  and  ROM; data storage devices (including a  hard disc, a  floppy disc, or  CD-ROM); and input/output devices (including a display screen, keyboard,  mouse, and  printer). The PC industry began in 1977 when Apple Computer, Inc. (now  Apple Inc.), introduced the Apple II. Radio Shack and Commodore Business Machines also introduced PCs that year.  IBM  entered the PC market in 1981. The IBM PC, with increased memory capacity and backed by IBMs large sales organization, quickly became the industry standard. Apples Macintosh (1984) was particularly useful for  desktop publishing.  Microsoft Corp. introduced MS  Windows(1985), a  graphical user interface  that gave PCs many of the capabilities of the Macintosh, initially as an overlay of  MS-DOS. Windows went on to replace MS-DOS as the dominant  operating syst em  for personal computers. Uses of PCs multiplied as the machines became more powerful and application  software  proliferated. Today, PCs are used for  word processing,  Internet  access, and many other daily tasks. Computer servers Computer servers are among the most important infrastructure in any organization. The basic answer to the question what is a computer server, lies in the name of the term. It is a computer that serves all the computers or terminals, that are connected to it. Applications are stored in this computer and the other computer terminals connected to it, can access it. Although  computer  servers used to only be a part of enterprise networks, servers have now become a part of smaller, home or office networks. Servers can be used for several functions, such as supporting files, backups, security or gaming. For enterprise applications, servers are usually high-powered machines that can handle many requests from clients. Home or small-office servers can be another desktop that is used for file sharing and printing. Embedded Computer An  embedded system  is a special-purpose  computer  system, which is completely encapsulated by the device it controls. An embedded system has specific requirements and performs pre-defined tasks, unlike a general-purpose  personal computer. Programs on an embedded system often must run with  real-time  constraints with limited  hardware  resources: often there is no disk drive, operating system, keyboard or screen. A  flash drive  may replace rotating media, and a small keypad and  LCD  screen may be used instead of a PCs keyboard and screen. Firmware  is the name for  software  that is embedded in hardware devices, e.g. in one or more  ROM/Flash  memory  IC  chips. Embedded systems are routinely expected to maintain 100% reliability while running continuously for long periods of time, sometimes measured in years.  Firmware  is usually developed and tested to much stricter requirements than is general purpose  software  (which can usually be easily restarted if a problem occurs). In addition, because the embedded system may be outside the reach of humans (down an  oil well  borehole, launched into  outer space, etc.), embedded firmware must usually be able to self-restart even if some sort of catastrophic  data corruption  has taken place. This last feature often requires external hardware assistance such as a  watchdog timer  that can automatically restart the system in the event of a software failure. Mobile Computer Mobile computers are computing devices small enough to fit in your hand. A popular type of handheld computer is the personal digital assistant (PDA). A PDA is no larger than a small appointment book and is normally used for special applications such as taking notes, displaying telephone numbers and addresses and keeping track of dates or agendas. Many PDAs can be connected to computers to exchange data. Most PDAs come with a pen (stylus) that allows for handwriting recognition and some even have tiny built-in keyboards or microphones for voice input. A wireless connection (Wi-Fi) can be used to access the internet with a PDA. PDAs in the later part of this century were converted into phones, cameras, music players and GPS. The demands for PDA phones have been in the increase and of late have been mostly replaced by smart-phones that are equipped with much functionality similar to a computer. Conclusion Computers have become very important nowadays because they are accurate, fast and can accomplish many tasks easily. Otherwise to complete those tasks manually much more time is required. It can do very big calculations in just a fraction of a second. Moreover it can store huge amount of data in it. We also get information on different aspects using internet on our computer. O S and A S These provisions are applicable for both software applications and operating systems.   They address program features that must be contained in software for the product to meet the standards.   Because there are many programming languages from which a software producer may select, it is impossible to give specific coding techniques.   In some cases it is possible that a particular programming language may not possess the features necessary to fulfil these requirements.   In those instances, another language for creating the program would most likely have to be considered for the product to meet the standards. Since the invention of computers from first generation and fourth generation computers, they have been classified according to their types and how they operate that is input, process and output information. Below you will get a brief discussion on various types of Computers we have

Mr Dolphus Raymond tells Scout, Your pa’s not a run of the mill man. :: Free Essay Writer

Mr Dolphus Raymond tells Scout, Your pa’s not a run of the mill man. How far do you agree with this description of Atticus Finch? The novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee is set during the 1930s in the Deep South of America, during a time when there was a large racial segregation. The book is about Tom Robinson, a black man accused of the rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson’s lawyer is Atticus Finch. Atticus is a white, single father of two children, Scout and Jem. The family live in the town of Maycomb County, Alabama. It is a very close knit community and Atticus is family, friends or a neighbour to nearly all the people of Maycomb. He is frowned upon by nearly all the white citizens of Maycomb because he is defending a black man. Atticus believes Tom Robinson is innocent and so defends him, with or without the support of Maycomb’s citizens. Atticus Finch is ‘Maycomb County born and bred’ and is ‘related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in Maycomb’. Atticus has lived in Maycomb all his life and at the start of the book, before the trial, is highly regarded as a good citizen of Maycomb. Atticus is a fair and honest man. Atticus is one of the only men in Maycomb who does not share the prejudices of the other citizens. He is also very well educated unlike many others in the town, whether this is due to lack of money or simply the fact people cannot be bothered to go to school, like the Ewell family. On Scout’s first day of school we find out that every member of the Ewell family ‘come first day every year and then leave’. He treats black and white people the same and he gains a lot of respect from the black community of Maycomb. A few of the white citizens of Maycomb support Atticus during the trial but Mrs. Dubose is not one of them. Mrs. Dubose tells the children ‘Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!’ I feel that Mrs. Dubose deep down likes Atticus but she has been brought up in a world or racism and prejudice and more than likely was taught not to like black people. One person who supports Atticus throughout the book is Miss Maudie. Miss Maudie is a neighbour of the Finch family. Miss Maudie is the only person who never loses faith in Atticus. During a conversation with Scout she tells her ‘there are some men in this world that are

A Materialistic Society Essay

A happy life is more important than anything someone can buy in a store. It’s not a physical thing nor is it materialistic. Society has come to orbit around the quality of things they can buy to impress the neighbors and to show off how much money they have invested. They want the shinier, the bigger house, and the greener lawn. It doesn’t matter how expensive your car is or how big of a house you have. Material possessions are great for only so long, but nothing lasts forever. Society shouldn’t be focusing so much on materialistic things that can always be replaced, when memories are out there to be made. Today, life is being lived too fast. No one slows down to enjoy their life. We should all get off the train once in a while and experience things at our own pace. In today’s society, life is about how successful a person can be, how much money they can earn, and how much nice stuff they have. Society’s prime focus is mainly about materialism instead of the more important things in life such as family. According to New York Times there are statistics stating that â€Å"materialism is bad for you† In Lexington Massachusetts, a psychologist and couples therapist named Aline Zoldbrod says† A husband and wife no longer connect, they are so exhausted from the pursuit of nicer things ( a big house, private school for the kids, fancy cars) that they are time starved and depleted. Life is luxurious yet unsatisfying and simply no fun†. Now, children are starting school around three and four years old. People are even staying in school longer. Now instead of going to get a job, when a student graduates high school, they immediately go to college. After college, they go to work. At this job they will have a 401K and a pension plan. They will work at this job for over twenty years. During these twenty years, they will raise a family and put them through school. The cycle has begun again for another generation. While working this job, people in society are expected to support their family financially. Parents are too busy working to notice their child’s life is passing them by. It is understandable after all, with the cost of living increasing, parents have to work more hours to make ends meet. Everything a family is doing in today’s society is either to save money or to earn more money. For example, every store has some kind of sale going on at any given time to try and get more business so they can make more money. When did society start worrying more about their financial situation rather than the quality of their life? A person can have all the money in the world but that doesn’t mean they lead a happy and fulfilled life. Life shouldn’t be about having the best things possible, but rather having the best times possible. Life has become too rigid and too structured that no one even has time to sit back and relax. It’s important to make time for yourself and for your family because you can’t take back time you can only pass it. Everyone is constantly running and looking for ways to make their life easier and ways to make things faster so they can fit more things into their schedules. A persons life is so busy because of the almighty quest for more money. A happy life is more important than anything someone can buy in a store or online. Its not a physical thing nor is it materialistic. Its life and you only live once so you need to make the best of it, and enjoy the little things. If you just make a little less room for the materialistic things that can be easily replaced, and a little more room for memories that are out there to be made.

Gender and Power in the Handmaids Tale Essay

Topic Question: What understandings of the issue of gender and power are gained from characterization of men and women constructed in the text studied?The notion of power is a fundamental building block of any ancient, modern or futuristic society. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is an example of the distribution of power across a futuristic society, specifically a patriarchal dystopia. The power which women hold in this society is minimal compared to that held by men, but this is not an unquestionable reality. The issue of gender and power and highly subjective by nature and throughout this novel this fact is emphasized and the topics interrelated. Women demonstrate this power with their possession and use of language, sexuality, choice and even the exertion of their own autonomy. Men within this society also experience repression and disempowerment. Their struggle is centered on the absence of emotional needs, along with sexual tensions being relieved for pleasure rat her than reproduction. Atwood creates these power struggles through the characterization of both men and women within the text. In terms of female characterization, Offred is an elementary character. Being a first person narrator, she offers incredible insight into the world which Atwood has created and her reactions to it, and thus her own means of power. The way in which language is used shapes this insight incredibly and demonstrates how she can gain control. The Republic of Gilead imposes strict censorship on language, ranging from forbidding all women except Aunts to read. â€Å"†¦ decided that even the names of shops were too much temptation for us. Now places are known by their signs alone.† [p35] to intertwining biblical rhetoric into everyday language. â€Å"†¦a whirlwind; better than the Chariot, much better than the chunky, practical Behemoth†. Gilead even removes the Handmaids names, in this society the are know as Of[Male name here] in reference to the Commander in which they are placed with. Throughout the novel, Offred resists these rules. She creates her own vision of the world through the use of English. Poetic devices are utilized and repeated; from the use of a simile in her description of a young guardian â€Å"His skin is pale and looks unwholesomely tender, like the skin under a scab.† [p31] to the use of repetition to emphasize points. â€Å"I am, I am. I am, still.† [p 293] â€Å"Her fault, her fault, her fault† [p82]. As Angela  Carter, an English novelist once said â€Å"Language is power† and in this respect, Offred has great power in a patriarchal society. The power of language is not all that Offred posses. The characterization of her relations with males in the novel is also important to the notions of power and gender. Similarly to language, sexuality is heavily controlled and repressed in Gilead, especially that of females. The Handmaids (Of which Offred is) don in skirts that are â€Å"ankle-length, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breasts†[p18] with â€Å"sleeves that are full† [p18]. Her nightgown is also â€Å"long-sleeved even in summer† [p201]. It is accepted that those within this community will not have sex before marriage nor express themselves through the form of masturbation â€Å"They have no outlets now except themselves, and that’s a sacrilege† [p32] or pornographic mediums. â€Å"There are no more magazines, no more films, no more substitutes.† [p32] Offred exerts power in these repressed circumstances by going against the convention of Gilead and embracing her feminine features. She takes an active role in resisting this subjugation by tempting the young Guardians. â€Å"I move my hips a little, feeling the full red skirt sway around me.† [p32] The kiss she engages in during a secret game of scrabble with the Commander is also a reflection on the power of her sexuality and choice. The Commander, a high level male wants Offred to kiss him. â€Å"I want you to kiss me† [p149]. She is given the power in this situation, as she has the power to refuse. The power which Offred, as a woman, has in this oppressed society due to her sexuality is an important issue. The notion of choice, specifically extrinsic choice is demonstrated with the Commanders want for a kiss is also apparent in other parts of the text. Choice is power and she always has some choice. The idea of existentialism is valid here – she always has self determination, even if under duress. If she does not wish to stay a Handmaid she could depart for the colonies and become an Unwoman, â€Å"†¦shipped of to the Colonies with the Unwomen.† where she would have the power of autonomy. The Mayday resistance is also a choice made by Offred. She is asked by Ofglen to search the Commanders room, to give information to the resistance, but she chooses not to. â€Å"You could go into his room at night, she says.† [p282] Opting to stay as she is, content  with her relationship with Nick, she exerts power to say no. Jezebels is also another option, when visiting there with the Commander he offers for her to stay there â€Å"You might even prefer it yourself, to what you’ve got.† [p250] She is aware of the decisions which she can make in these situations, â€Å"There wasn’t a lot of choice, but there was some and this is what I chose.† [p105] It is through this characterization which her power lies. In addition to these choices Offred along with other females have intrinsic choices and power, being a female with ‘viable ovaries’ they have the ability to reproduce. In Gileadean society this gives them a huge power advantage due to declining birth rates and increased infertility, sterility and genetically mutated babies. â€Å"†¦a graph, showing the birth rate per thousand, for years and years: a slippery slope, down past the zero line of replacement.† [p123] Ironically, it is due to this power advantage that they are suppressed. Suicide is also another intrinsic power which all characters in this novel possess, although, its characterization in the Handmaids is the most prominent. The concept that suicide is an ultimate bid for freedom and exertion of power is an understood perception of characters within The Handmaid’s Tale. The removal of all objects which could be used to hurt oneself from the Handmaid’s rooms portrays this. â€Å"I know why there is no glass, in front of the water-coloured picture of blue irises, and why the window only opens partly and why the glass is shatterproof. It isn’t running away they’re afraid of.† [p17] as well as Offred’s musings when she believes she will be captured. The notion of suicide becomes very real to her as a means of escape and power. â€Å"I could noose the bed sheet round my neck, hook myself up in the closet and throw my weight forward,† [p304] These intrinsic powers exist within the characters of The Handmaid’s Tale, the help form the society of Gilead and show the possible choices which can be made by its citizens. Moira is an embodiment of the power which females hold in Gilead. She epitomizes those who fought back and were not completely obliterated. She lives on the outskirts of Gilead and rejects its values whilst still existing as an institutionalized portion of the society. â€Å"[in relation to her clothing] Government issue.† [p254] She chooses the alternative path to  Offred. Moira fled the red center, succeeding on her second try. â€Å"Moira has escaped† [p140] â€Å"Moira didn’t reappear.† [p143] â€Å"So here I am. They even give you face cream.† [p261] She exists in an outreach of the government, under the power of the patriarchy, and yet doesn’t suppress herself to the point which other females within The Handmaid’s Tale do. She still engages in homosexual acts, â€Å"†¦it’s not so bad, there’s lots of women around. Butch paradise, you might call it.† [p261] cigarettes, and implied drinking and drugs. . â€Å"†¦and there’s drink and drugs, if you want it.† [p261] â€Å"You want a cig?† [p255] Moira’s characterization holds power in this society, particularly over herself and her wants and needs. The control of wants and needs is a way in which this society functions. It is a patriarchy which suppresses all women and most men, though men have inherently more rights. This is exemplified through the character of Nick. The characterization of him is paradoxical by nature. In hierarchal terms, Nick has little power. He is a low level guardian without even an Econowife. â€Å"He lives here, in the household, over the garage. Low stats: he hasn’t been issued a woman, not one.† [p27] He is perceived by those in power to have little of it. â€Å"He doesn’t rate.† [p27] In reality, he has power. â€Å"He has chasms of intangible power. He has knowledge of Mayday either due to his involvement in it or the eyes â€Å"It’s all right. It’s Mayday. Go with them† [p305] â€Å"Nick, the private Eye.† [p305] and has access to the black market. â€Å"He has a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, which shows that he too has something he can trade on the black market.† [p27] He manages to engage in a physical and emotional relationship with Offred whilst still maintaining the guise of faithful Gileadean citizen though even then, the only reason he able to start this relationship was due to the Commander’s Wife ordering him to bed with Offred. â€Å"‘I was thinking of Nick’, she says and her voice is almost soft.† [p216] The idea the he influenced this engagement is always a possibility however, as he has initiated contact with her prior to that. â€Å"Then he winks.† [p28] The power which Nick holds in this novel is that of intangibility. His power is never outright stated, but the implications of it are visible. This is a stark contrast to the tangible power displayed in Commander Fred.  The characterization conveyed through him shows he is a strong public figure and may have even orchestrated the creation of Gilead. â€Å"We’ve given them more than we’ve taken away.† [p231] Which, in a way makes him the creator of his own demise as he too is suppressed by the patriarchy; he is not having his emotional needs met, and thus has to search elsewhere. In doing this he gives power to someone else in order to fulfill these needs, this apparent when he asks Offred to his study at night to play scrabble. â€Å"I’d like you to play a game of scrabble with me† [p148] Despite this, he remains locked in traditional beliefs about gender â€Å"all we’ve done is return to Nature’s norm.† [p232] and his power is a result of his male gender. Gender and power are integral parts of the society portrayed in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, as with any society. Understandings surrounding these issues are found within this novel. The characters within Gilead deal with the different forms of power which they encounter, including that of language, sex, choice, intrinsic and extrinsic notions and the effect of a dystopic patriarchal society has on its citizens. These forms of power are explored through the characterization of both male and female characters. Overall, The Handmaid’s Tale intertwines the issues of gender and power expertly and her constructed characters carry for the notions of power contained within the text with ease. Bibliography The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood