Body Modifications in the Modern Western Society Essay

Body Modifications in the Modern Western Society - Essay Example It is imperative that considerations with regards to the ideals and beliefs be taken in order to understand as to why not just primitive cultures but modern society in general fully accepts body piercing and modification as a part of the norm. Body piercings and modifications are components of a long history of cultures that are usually rooted in shamanic and other healing practices (Favazza 2). In the past, and even in the present, blood has been a symbol of life, and thus most cultures would be putting emphasis on the importance of life and living by holding sacrifices, blood-letting, scarifications and tattoos to tribal members, whether it is part of a rite of passage or as prayer for healing, among others. The transformation of the body can be also seen as a part of a tribe’s culture, of either as a status symbol or as the ideal picture of being presentable (â€Å"Cultural Customs†). The price of attaining beauty with regards to the perspectives of some particular t ribes is by altering the normal appearance of the body into what is considered beautiful. As compared to the modern societies today, this is not something new, since there are many people who also modify their bodies by adding piercings, tattoos, even scars to promote their own identities. However, it is not a cultural thing, but a matter of choice, as is also other modifications such as body implants, body building, and other dietary alterations (Featherstone 1). Body modification is defined as practices that aim to change the natural appearance of the body in any form or means (Featherstone 1). Among such practices would be tattooing of skin, body piercings, the addition of implants in the body as well as the other dietary and exercise regimen such as fasting and body-building. In some primitive cultures, altering the body to some extent is regarded as either a rite of passage or as a beautification ritual. The addition of tattoos and other forms of scarification gives the younger boys their passport to adulthood. In a tribe in Papua New Guinea, the cutting of skin and making it seem like a crocodile’s is not just for beautification, but as a part of the transformation of boys into adults, and by entering such a ritual is their recognition of being mature in the eyes of the whole village (â€Å"Cultural Customs†). The Suri tribe in Africa cut their lips and insert a clay pot in it, and according to their customs, the larger th e plate, the more one woman is desirable to other men, and she might even get a lot of cattle as dowry for marriage (â€Å"Cultural Customs†). In Indonesia, chiseling the teeth into fine points is considered to be another form of adornment, and women who get their teeth chiseled are seen as having a higher status than those who don normal-looking teeth (â€Å"Cultural Customs†). In a westerner’s perspective this seems to be cruel, it must also be remembered that modifications of the body such as breast implants and rhinoplasty are also done my many women in order to become much more attractive to males. Also, for some people the addition of implants is a way of hastening the process of evolution. Performance artists such as Orlan and Stelarc modify their bodies through implants such as horns, and by altering their bodies they convey the message of critiquing the notion and concept of beauty (Featherstone 9). For most

Why Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone is banned Essay

Why Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone is banned - Essay Example The novel was first released in 1997 but was later surrounded by a lot of controversies and criticism which later led to its abolition. Any literature art is written to portray a given theme that the audience and readers can relate to. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the major themes are witchcraft, death, corruption and prejudice, power, friendship, and rebellion. A few of the themes in this novel may have bad impacts on the lives of children who are the target audience as expressed by various critics. However, most of the themes featured in the novel are important in the education of children which makes the book worthy of positive consideration. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone brings out the self sacrifice as an important virtue. The author portrays death not as something to be afraid of in life but rather as something forms part of a natural cycle that must just be embraced by people. This is the reason Lily Potter offered to sacrifice her own life in order to save Harry. This is also revealed in the events that saw Harry’s determination to stop evil Voldemort from harming innocent people without cause. After Voldemort’s attempt to kill Harry aborts, he continues to live as â€Å"shadow and vapor†. The theme of death as presented in the book is positively used since it shows that it is important to offer to save other people’s lives without fear - just like Harry did to save people from being killed by Voldemort (Strimel 35-52). Harry’s act of self sacrifice is seen when he offers his pasty although he â€Å"had never had anything to share before or, indeed, anyone to share it with† Rowling 171. The novel is educative since it shows the importance of love in at school and in the society at large. Harry’s appreciation of love is seen in the following event: â€Å"It was a nice feeling, sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties, cakes, and candies (the sa ndwiches lay forgotten)† (Rowling 171). Love is portrayed as a virtue in the novel The Author reveals the theme by explaining that Harry probably survived death when he was to be killed by Voldemort because of the love from his mother, Lily (Mitchell 82). Lily showed the love for his son Harry by offering her life instead of that of his son Harry. Harry is also seen as a character who is loving and this makes him make every attempt to defeat Voldemort. Voldemort, however, does not understand the importance of love in the society and only wants to kill others as he believes that he is immortal. This is because where love exists, peace will always reign. The book also shows that that where hostility and enmity reign supreme, the result may be death and destruction, as opposed to peace and prosperity. Friendship is another virtue portrayed in the novel which makes the book worth being considered as good literature for children. Albus Dumbledore notes that â€Å"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends"  (Rowling 221). Throughout the novel, the author brings out the importance of friendship in confronting challenges and difficult tasks. At the onset of the novel, Harry is described as an orphan who is accustomed to loneliness and isolation until he joins school. Despite Harry not being in a position to have the love and friendship from family members, he is able to make friends at Hogwarts School with his fellow students like Hermione and Ron. This friendship is manifested strongly as his two friends try and make effort to assist him overcome challenges at school. This is seen during Professor Snape’