A Literary Analysis of Still Alice Essay

Still Alice (Genova, 2009) is a captivating debut novel about a 50-year-old woman’s sudden decline into early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The book is written by first time author Lisa Genova, who holds a PH.D in neuroscience from Harvard University. She’s also an online columnist for the national Alzheimer’s association. Her other books include Left Neglected and Love Anthony. She lives with her husband and two children in Cape Cod. The theme of the book is related to the early onset Alzheimer’s disease and how the main character, Alice Howland’s quality of life or in other words her lifestyle is affected due to the disease she is diagnosed with (Genova, 2009). The novel sheds light on the lives of those struggling with this horrendous disease of the mind and how their lives and people in them are affected and disturbed because of it. The life and daily activities of an early on-set Alzheimer’s disease patient worsens with time, if prop er counseling sessions and treatment are not conducted; their situation will get worse and result in severe damage to their mental health. As the story begins, everyday quarrels reside in the Howland household. From their youngest daughter Lydia’s ongoing dispute about her future, to Alice and John’s own relationship, all while their busy lives ensue. Why couldn’t Lydia be like the rest of her family? Her brother Tom and sister Anna followed in their parent’s footsteps. Going to college and having successful careers was their way of life. John is a biologist and Alice a professor of linguistics, both of them work at Harvard University. Lydia is the outcast of the family. She travels the world, is worry free, and aspires to be an actress. The hectic lives of both Alice and John weigh on their relationship. Tension increases with the story as Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. The coping skills of Alice and her family with her diagnosis set the tone for the story. Alice’s internal conflict consumes her, although she tries to never let Alzheimer’s disease define her. She is upset with herself for forgetting things, yet trie s to come up with reasons as to why she is forgetting. Her father takes the brunt of all Alice’s anger. Her hatred for him grows. Why did he have to take the lives of her mother and sister? Is it his fault Alice has Alzheimer’s? Alice continues with a strong desire to contribute to society. The once estranged relationship between Alice and her daughter Lydia gradually improves, and a  daughter finds solace in a mother she never knew. A husband, who at one time stood by his wife through everything, surprises his family and leaves his ailing wife behind for a new job opportunity. Still Alice is told in the third person point of view with limited omniscience. The narrator is Alice Howland, the main character of the story. Through the book we are able to read the way Alice is feeling, looking through her eyes as the story unfolds. However, in the final chapter of this novel the point of view changes to her husband, John Howland. Readers are able to look on as John lives his life away from Alice in New York. The primary settin g for still Alice (Genova, 2009) is in Cambridge Massachusetts were the main character Dr. Alice Howland lives with her husband, John Howland, and teaches cognitive psychology at Harvard University. Other settings include their home in Chatham Massachusetts where Alice and John go to vacation. The main character is Dr. Alice Howland a modern middle aged professional woman. She’s a brilliant professor experiencing mental glitches like forgetting a word while giving a lecture, misplacing keys, etc. Alice thinks this is due to impending menopause, middle age or possibly stress. But she hasn’t gone through menopause and she’s not feeling stressed. The defining moment is when Alice forgets her way home while jogging in Harvard square (p. 21). Suspecting that something is wrong and without telling her husband, Alice chooses to see Dr. Davis a neurologist who diagnoses her with early onset Alzheimer’s disease (p. 70). The diagnosis hits Alice and her family like a death sentence. Alice realizes that she doesn’t have enough time left and decides that it should be spent with her family. Her two older children Anna and Tom decide to undergo genetic testing for the Alzheimer’s gene. Her oldest daughter Anna tests positive for the gene (p. 108). Alice becomes completely reliant on her blackberry to get through her day and becomes a great list maker though she can’t always make sense of her lists. As the disease progresses Alice resigns her teaching position at Harvard University and gives up jogging because she has lost her sense of depth perception. Although the disease robs Alice of her memories, she retains her sense of humor e.g. when she tries to wear her underwear as a sports bra, â€Å"she laughs at her own absurd madness† (P. 199). Alice’s character is very compelling, engaging, and holds your attention throughout the book. John Howland is Alice’s husband; he is a professor of biochemistry at Harvard University.  When John finds out about Alice’s diagnosis, he thinks that she has been misdiagnosed. He insists on genetic testing, which would show that Alice has the Alzheimer’s gene. John struggles to deal with Alice’s diagnosis. He becomes her primary caretaker, but refuses to look at Alice when she takes out her pill box. He manages to continue working by leaving Alice large reminder notes on the refrigerator not to go running alone (p. 196). John is obviously grieving the loss of his wife but is unable to express his emotions in a positive way. A breakthrough finally happens when John is able to comfort his wife when she experiences an incontinence episode (p. 150). Anna is Alice’s oldest daughter; she’s a successful lawyer and is married to Charles, also a lawyer. Anna is strong and fiercely independent just like her mother. Anna deals with her mother’s disease by suggesting that if her mom â€Å"thinks for a second† then maybe she’ll be able to remember things (p. 173). Anna, however still makes time to care for her mom when her dad is away. Alice’s only son Tom is a minor character in the book. He is present during family gatherings and important moments e.g. when Alice discloses that she has Alzheimer’s disease (p. 103). He deals with his mom‘s diagnosis by being distant. The main antagonist in the book is Alice’s youngest daughter Lydia Howland. She defies the family’s educational tradition and chooses to take acting classes in Los Angeles in hopes of becoming an actor. Lydia’s decision causes a lot of conflict between her parents. She’s the only one that refuses to participate in the Alzheimer’s genetic testing. However, as Alice’s condition deteriorates, Lydia becomes the most valuable player of the family; she becomes Alice’s number one advocate. She doesn’t try to â€Å"test† Alice’s memory but is there for her when she needs her (p. 162). The relationship between Alice and Lydia improves. Lydia eventually listens to her mother’s advice and enrolls at Brandies University to study theater (p. 258). The imagery in Still Alice is captivating. It keeps the reader on their toes, wondering what will happen next in the story. The story is so moving that the reader can essentially picture the characters and endure their experiences through all five senses. One model of imagery that is intriguing is when Alice is a guest speaker at Stanford. Her confidence and love for her career is enticing. She had talked about the particular subject numerous times and every time she had done this, she felt respected. Alice had always talked without reading her  notes with ease. Well into her discussion she suddenly becomes puzzled. â€Å"The data reveal that irregular verbs require access to the mental†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 10). The word was lost even though she understood fully what she had intended to say. As the scene is described, the reader can get a sense of panic that Alice is experiencing (pp. 8-11). An unforgettable illustration of imagery is when Alice goes for a run through Harvard Square, blocks from her home and cannot remember her way back. The description of her surroundings is etched in the reader’s mind. â€Å"Steady stream of joggers, dogs and their owners, walkers, rollerbladers, cyclists, and women pushing babies in jogger strollers, like an experienced driver on a regularly traveled stretch of road† (pp. 20-21). â€Å"The sounds of her Nikes hitting t he pavement in syncopated rhythm with the pace of her breath† (p. 20). â€Å"She knew she was in Harvard Square, but she didn’t know which way was home† (p.21). â€Å"People, cars, buses, and all kinds of unbearable noise rushed and wove past her† (p. 22). The reader can sense Alice’s state of fright during this scene. A memorable instance of imagery is when Alice visits her primary care physician. At one point and time Dr. Moyer’s office held no negative links for Alice. â€Å"I don’t think your memory problems are due to menopause† (p.41). â€Å"She fought the impulses growing louder inside her, begging her to either lie down or get the hell out of that examining room immediately.† The reader can perceive the state of anxiety Alice is in (p.41). Other doctor visits were just as interesting. â€Å"Alzheimer’s disease†¦.The words knocked the wind out of her†¦The sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin† (pp. 70-71). The visit to Mount Auburn Manor Nursing Center was striking. â€Å"Walkers crowded the spaces between the tables†¦There was no socializing, no conversation†¦The only sounds other than eating came from a woman who sang while she ate† (p. 113). The reader gets the impression that Alice feels she doesn’t belong there. Another prominent illustration of imagery is when Alice gets lost in her own home. â€Å"She hastened back down the hall and opened the door to the bathroom†¦Only, to her utter disbelief it wasn’t the bathroom† (p. 149). The reader understands that Alice’s disease is progressing, especially when she doesn’t recognize her own daughter or her own family. â€Å"Leave me alone! Get out of my house! I hate you! I don’t want you here† (p. 211). Alice couldn’t understand that it was her family having a dispute about her, nor did she understand why. â€Å"She  wasn’t sad or angry or defeated or scared†¦she was hungry† (p. 264). The most remarkable moment in the novel that captures the audience is when Carole returns Alice to her home after their walk. As Carole and Anna converse about Alice, Alice smiles and nods her head as to concur, not knowing that they are speaking of her. Shortly after, Lydia and Anna converse about their father coming to visit. â€Å"Is Dad coming this weekend? asked the act ress† (p. 291) The reader comprehends that John has decided to take the new job offer, instead of fulfilling Alice’s wish for them to stay together. There are many symbols within the story of Alice Howland: objects, actions, or characters that hint a meaning beyond themselves. Clocks play a role throughout the entire book. For Alice clocks are guidelines to what she should be doing at each moment of the day. In the start of her story, the clocks are more of a reference, but as her disease progresses they are much more than that. Alice becomes dependent on the clocks to tell her the things she is supposed to do according to time. Alice’s Blackberry device is probably one of the most significant symbols in Still Alice. The Blackberry becomes a part of her as Alzheimer’s takes over; Alice refers to her Blackberry for everything. To Alice, if something was not recorded in her device, it never existed. Within the Blackberry, she had an alert asking her five questions every day. These five questions became a reflection of her cognitive level, testing herself to see if her disease has progressed. The questions she quizzes herself include a P.S. â€Å"if you have trouble answering any of these, go to the file named â€Å"Butterfly† on your computer and follow the instructions there immediately† (p.119). The file named â€Å"Butterfly† signifies dignity to Alice; the file instructs her to commit suicide when she can no longer remember her family. This would have become the last thing she could do for herself. Alice also has a butterfly necklace that had been passed down from her mother. This butterfly necklace seems to calm Alice and to give her hope, clarity, and strength. Genova’s use of figures of speech brings the reader into the world of a person with Alzheimer’s disease. When Alice first suspects that there is something wrong with her, she is referred to a specialist for testing. Having completed various tests, Alice begins to feel overwhelmed, comparing her thoughts to a roller coaster that she was riding with her eyes shut, unable to know when the next turn would be (p.40). Later, in the same doctor’s office, Alice learns of her official  diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and is stunned. With the use of language, Alice and the r eader are brought back to the harsh reality of losing herself. â€Å"The sound of her name penetrated her every cell and seemed to scatter her molecules beyond the boundaries of her own skin (p.71). Genova relates Alzheimer’s disease to a beast that is unable to be slayed, giving the reader the knowledge that this disease cannot be beat. In reference to the medications Alice is taking to try to prevent the further decline in her mental state she compares them to aiming squirt guns at a blazing fire (p. 117). Throughout the book, Alice feels embarrassed and like a burden to those around her. The use of personification of her disease tells the reader exactly how embarrassed she is â€Å"there it was, her Alzheimer’s, stripped and naked under the fluorescent lighting† (p.129). It is further conveyed to the reader when Alice thinks her husband looks at her the same way he looks at his labs rats (p. 135). In a later scene when Alice refuses to go to dinner with friends the use of simile brings the disease to colorful life in Alice’s world. â€Å"I’m a cotton candy pink elephant in the room. I make everyone uncomfortable. I turn dinner into a crazy circus act, everyone juggling their nervous pity and forced smiles with their cocktail glasses, forks, and knives† (p.218). To keep the book from not being completely negative, there is humor to Alice’s Alzheimer’s symptoms. When she was unable to recall which door in her house lead to the bathroom, Genova’s use of humor is exactly what the reader needs to get through the scenes. â€Å"She swung the door open like an illusionist revealing her most mystifying trick, but the bathroom didn’t magically appear† (p.150). Nearing the end of the novel, Genova leaves the reader with one last insight into Alice’s cognitive decline. In a moment of clarity Alice reads the cover of the book she wrote with her husband â€Å"The words she read seemed to push past the choking weeds and sludge in her mind to a place that was pristine and still intact, hanging on† (p. 284). The story of Sti ll Alice is based on an ironic situation. Dr. Alice Howland is a psychology professor at Harvard University and an expert in linguistics (the study of language and its structure). She finds herself at a crossroads when she is diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease at the age of fifty. Dr. Howland also keeps remarkable care of her well-being by eating healthy, running Harvard square each day, keeping her mind active between teaching classes, and attending  conferences. While talking over her new diagnosis Alice comes to realize she may have misjudged her father, assuming he was a belligerent alcoholic, in reality she realizes he was likely suffering from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s disease (p.76). To top off the ironic chain of events Alice receives her diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimer’s on January 19 (p. 67) which happens to be the date of her mother and sister’s deaths. Towards the end of Alice Howland’s story, her disease process has taken its toll on Alice’s mind and she c an no longer care for herself independently. Dr. Howland becomes dependent on her daughters and son, whom she can no longer identify as such, for her care while her husband choses to take a job in New York (p.286-292). In conclusion, Still Alice is the story of a happily married professor with three grown children at the peak of her career who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. As the story unravels, Alice struggles to maintain her lifestyle, independence, and to live in the moment. The book not only brings to light the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease on its victims, but also on the lives of their friends, families, and relationships. Tension increases within the story from the time Alice is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease until her husband leaves. It was heartbreaking that Alice’s husband chose to abandon his beloved wife for a new job opportunity in another city. He failed to stay by her side as this disease robbed her of herself. Still Alice is a strong and engaging fiction work which brings truth to the average reader about the onset and the impact of Alzheimer’s. However, it fails to address those families who are not as equipped as the Howland’s to care for their loved ones at home, and are forced to institutionalize them. As Alice’s condition deteriorates, her children begin to worry about their futures, fight amongst themselves, and ultimately change their lives as a result of their mother’s disease. This story teaches the valuable lesson that no matter how strong relationship or family ties are, the failing health of a love one could have a devastating impact on everyone.

Living In An Apartment Essay

Finding a place to live, which is suitable for one’s family, is one concern of most families. The increase in population as well as the increase in land value and building costs, has resulted in the construction of many apartments especially in urban areas. There are some similarities as well as differences when we consider living in an apartment and in a house. In order to make an informed choice for one’s family, it is important to examine both the similarities as well as the differences of both options. Some of the similarities would be that it is possible to find a house or even an apartment of the size that you require, since there are houses as well as apartments of varying sizes. Furthermore, the fittings and the comforts that one could have in a house, can also be found in an apartment. Also just as one may have maintenance expenses for the upkeep of one’s house, one would also have such expenses, when living in an apartment. An apartment can be considered to be a complete housing unit, just as an individual complete house. When we consider the differences between the two options, we have to recognize the fact that in the case of the house, there is ownership of the land, whereas in the case of the apartment, the ownership is not of the land which is shared among the many, but instead the ownership is only of the apartment. In the case of apartments there are certain areas that are shared among the inhabitants, such as car parks, staircases, lifts and sometimes balconies and rooftop gardens. Whereas in the case of the individual house, these facilities are not shared by other neighbours. As such, there is greater privacy, in the case of the individual house. When it comes to enjoying good music or parties with friends, the greater privacy that is afforded to those living in their individual houses, allows them greater freedom to make their own decisions on these matters. Those living in apartments on the other hand, do need to be cautious as to how their decitions on these matters will affect their neighbouring occupants. If it disturbs them, they could complain to the management of the apartment, which can result in some sort of penalty.

Enterprise Integration - Infrastructure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enterprise Integration - Infrastructure - Essay Example For effective integration, it is pivotal that all these information systems are linked together through a reliable technology. So much so that the enterprise as a whole works as a single platform, all the information systems connected and related in a productive manner, providing the processed information as and when needed, or even before hand. This leads to optimized business operations at reduced costs, alignment with the customer and enhanced business agility, streamlined internal business operations, individual roles and growth opportunities. This calls for some strategic decisions about the kinds of technology that a company should use to link its various information systems. The technologies can then be made to work together in a coherent infrastructure to support the work of the organization. Regardless of the technology used, applications and data must communicate, and that communication is growing to include a wide variety of technologies, such as SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), JMS (Java Message Service), FTP and custom APIs. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is by far the most initial tool to serve the purpose of enterprise integration. ERP systems do not define what integration is and how it is to be developed, but they incur a techno-logic that conditions how control can be performed through financial and non-financial representations because they distinguish between an accounting mode and a logistics mode. The concept behind Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is that applications should expose their functionality as services in a way that can be accessed by any authorized external system. SOA isn't a point product or even a suite of products-it requires multiple components comprising multiple products up and down the infrastructure stack and includes messaging (ESB) technology, application servers (ESP), management (SOA Management and Registries) products, development tools and more. Conventional integration technologies are evolving and are quickly being replaced with ESB (Enterprise Service Bus) software. ESBs provide integration plus the capabilities of legacy EAI (Enterprise Application Integration) products, and features and functions that integrate both legacy and contemporary services, such as Web services. Enterprise and infrastructure management system (EIMS) technology offers network managers benefits such as unprecedented control, protection, security and integration with other systems. EIMS bridges network management software and physical layer management. It can self-discover the physical topology of data centers, communication rooms and wiring closets, while, at the same time, manage and troubleshoot network connectivity through integration with third-party logical layer applications. Infrastructure Model It is better to apply SOA concepts incrementally to existing information technology (IT) systems to exploit short-term business benefits. SOA facilitates aligning existing IT infrastructure and systems to achieve end-to-end enterprise connectivity by removing redundancies, generating unified collaboration tools, and streamlining IT processes. The Human Service Bus (HSB) is an optimized organizational

How Verizon Wireless Manages ethical employee behavior and creates an Research Paper

How Verizon Wireless Manages ethical employee behavior and creates an organizational culture - Research Paper Example A closer look into the code of conduct practiced by the organization, would tell us more about standards adopted by the organization in the employee behavioral aspect and its management. Verizon has set standards for the employees, which are a reflection of the core values adopted by the company like Integrity, Respect, Performance excellence and Accountability. The organization requires the employees to use their sense of judgment and be accountable for their actions. By this the employees develop a sense of responsibility and are always driven by a motivation that they are a part of this family and every decision they take would have an impact on the business. â€Å"Ethical behavior does not simply happen; it is the product of clear and direct Communication of behavioral expectations modeled from the top and demonstrated by example† (â€Å"Your code of, † 2010). Verizon provides a healthy work environment with fair and unbiased outlook. Verizon requires its employees to treat their fellow employees with ethical behavior that necessarily includes respect, dignity, integrity, fairness and honesty. Verizon’s compliance with policies such as Equal Opportunity commitment and diversity entails the organization to provide equal opportunities to all the employees irrespective of their age, sex, religion, nationality, color and other protected categories.

Journal for American History Seminar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journal for American History Seminar - Essay Example Mary chestnut’s â€Å"civil war† gives a profoundly annotated picture at the political and social atmosphere in South Carolina from 1861-1866. One of the most interesting bits about this book is brought by the personal commentary of Mary Chestnut and her observations on what was being said on the Medias on daily basis. The many nuggets of observations make this book interesting and worth reading. Mary Chestnut was a prominent politician’s wife and she had communication and contact with numerous renowned politicians during those times. In addition, Mr. Woodward’s wide-ranging annotations assist the contemporary day scholar to seize literary allusions and disparities in language made by Mary Chestnut. This also aids in the determination of all personalities she engrosses in her observations. As one reads through this book, he or she can observe how Mrs. Chestnut puts efforts to be more purposeful than prejudiced and takes her narratives as a possible signifi cant aspect of history in the future. This gives the reader an immense sense of an authentic person; a person who depicts hopes one day and despairs the next day. Marry Chestnut, as depicted in her book â€Å"Mary Chestnut’s Civil War†, may be regarded as a pseudo, and it is only through her opinions, news, gossip and personal tasks that she came up with the wide-ranging everyday account of life in the confederation that is used by the contemporary readers. Reading through this manuscript is similar to going back to history and having an everyday coffee and gossip session with the author. Though the book is presented more as a diary and a later overhaul of earlier narratives, Chestnut makes everything look like a first-hand dialogue. The book reveals that she loved tittle-tattle and flourished on consideration, where she had a seat in the front at all functions during this period. For instance, Chester notes â€Å"Robert E. Lee is regarded as a traitor by numerous ind ividuals after his military defeats†1. On Gen. Joe Johnston, Chestnut asserts â€Å"Being such a good hater, it is a pity he had not elected to hate somebody else than the president of our country†2. As a distinct and an interesting feature, Chestnut makes what happened in the past appear instant. Chestnut’s accounts on the preliminary jubilation of southern sovereignty and then the realism of adversity are poignant, even to anyone who would not empathize with her ideals. Mary Chestnut interestingly brings out the point of death in the society. During periods of war, it is anticipated that the people to die most are the soldiers, the men in the society, and children and women. In this book, shows that it is not only men who die at war but women and children who are subjected to adverse living conditions. Such endurances brought death upon the women and children, leaving everyone susceptible to death. In addition, this period was characterized by tribulations whic h would keep anyone off writing. It is interesting how, amid the troubles that she and her husband went through, she could still write. During this war, everything was crashing down around her and her husband, deaths around them, food scarcity, loss of lifestyle and culture, money shortages and lack of decent clothes to wear. She shows their tribulation when she indicates â€Å"the weight that hangs upon our eyelids is of lead†

Roles that political parties and interest groups play in mobilizing Essay

Roles that political parties and interest groups play in mobilizing electoral participation in contemporary U.S. society - Essay Example There are other minor parties within the system such as the Libertarian Party and the Reform Party. For the past century, political parties have played an important role in resolving political conflicts in the US. Political parties play an important role to a democratic society such as the US. It is clear that legislative politics may not be steady without political parties. Therefore, if legislators wish to achieve something and those that want to push their policies can do so using a political party (Ginsberg et. al 69). Consequently, it can be stated that political parties facilitate efficiency within democratic organizations. It can be stated that political parties mobilize voters that have similar interests towards voting in a particular way. Political parties perform a couple of important functions. They pool together the demands and interests of the voters and channel them to the appropriate authorities. It is important to note that political parties approximate the citizens to the government. Political figures are elected into power through parties and therefore take advantage of the party label for reasons of strategic voting as well as information economization (Ginsberg et. al 123). The party candidates belongs to enables voters to make more informed decisions on how their leaders are likely to behave while elected in power. Since national parties are viewed as vehicles of political competition, a limited market is left for the candidates. It has become clear that voters make their decisions based on political parties instead of candidates as they are afraid of wasting their votes. This is what has been taking place in the US since the start of the democratic political system. Voters have never considerably changed their decisions with regards to the choice of parties. They have repetitively adhered to the two party system (de facto). Even if there have been some attempts to integrate other parties into the political system, most of them have

The role of the rule of law in the criminal justice process in UK Essay

The role of the rule of law in the criminal justice process in UK - Essay Example In the British Criminal Justice System, divisions like the Crown Prosecution Sector, the police, the law courts and the prisons operate together to bring about criminal justice. In general, the three departments are mutually responsible for the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and its subdivisions. These three consist of (i) The Ministry of Justice, which is concerned with the magistrates' law courts, the Appeals Courts, the Crown Court, the National Offender Management Service, and the Legal Services Commission (ii) The Home Office under whose jurisdiction are the police (iii) The Attorney General's Office which is in charge of the Serious Fraud Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Customs and Revenue Prosecutions Division In ordinary circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice to oversee the entire justice procedure (Roberson, Wallace and Stuckey, 2009). It is responsible for justice being meted out from the time when a suspect is apprehended, to t he time they are charged with a crime and incarcerated (if this is the result) (Schmalleger, 2009). The Ministry of Justice also plays a role in a felon’s probation process. The ministry is also expected to provide legal aid, and seek to decrease the chances of re-offending. The Home Office, on the other hand, is responsible for safeguarding the public from instances of crime, terror and other anti-social behaviours. The home office ensures people’s safety in order to facilitate investment and peaceful coexistence. It also promotes the acceptable level of tolerance that allows people to live with others from different backgrounds without there being unnecessary problems that come about through misunderstandings. This division is responsible for counter terrorism initiatives, safe policing and overall crime reduction strategies.  The Attorney General, who is usually assisted in handling these responsibilities by the Solicitor General, is the key legal counsel to the B ritish Government (McLeod, 2010). Both the Solicitor General and the Attorney General are responsible for making sure that all citizens uphold the rule of law.   The Attorney General also has additional public interest responsibilities such as committing to objecting to extremely lenient sentences that are given to serious criminals, as well as initiating proceedings in courts concerning the Contempt of Court Act (Zander, 2007). The function of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) is to bring all to justice by convicting and imprisoning the felons while defending the public. It is also in charge of investigating crimes and making sure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes (Packer, 1968). The CJS also carries out other functions such as executing court orders, collecting fines and overseeing custodial as well as community punishment.   The main objectives for the CJS are:   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To enhance their efficiency in bringing crimes and their p erpetrators to justice.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To boost public confidence in the way the CJS conducts its operations   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To make crime victims feel that their grievances have been satisfactorily addressed by the Police unit as well as the CJS.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To constantly gather, evaluate, and make use of statistics concerning different ethnicities so as to identify irregularities in the distribution of responsibilities in the CJS.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To increase the finding of criminal factors so that the public is made aware that criminals will not go unpunished (Sanders and Young, 2000). While not all the members of society are predisposed to crime, such a step will help in discouraging potential criminals. The Basic Concept Underlying the Rule of Law In the 19th and 18th British society, many individuals who belonged to the upper classes were not treated in the same way as the rest of the British citizens. If they committed any crimes, they had special government laws that would be used to judge their cases