Silver In Spanish America

Introduction The discovery of silver in the Spanish America changed the regional parts of the country. There were two main areas of silver mining that were explored in the sixteenth century.1 The regions included the northern and western parts of Mexico City; Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and the Potosi. Potosi was commonly referred to as the mountain of silver.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Silver In Spanish America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It was situated in the Peruvian Andes. Zacatecas was predominantly an arid land with infertile soil and poor rain distribution. It drew a great deal of attention from many after the discovery of silver. There was a problem of labor shortage as the demand increased due to the high numbers of industries and mining companies. As the main administrators of the region, the Spanish crown was ready to receive tax from the locals. The cash collected was used to fund the Spanish ec onomy and also guard the vast empires all over the world in terms of military funding. The crown claimed all the land rights in the region, but as a way of attracting labor and investment from private individuals, it embarked on a state-directed means, and to some extent, private initiatives to lure a strong labor force and more investment. Capital was a necessity in funding all the mining activities and future explorations.2 Major Arguments- Silver in Spanish America Indians and Mestizo laborers were lured into the ridges from Mexico. They were offered relatively high wages and attractive incentives such as rewarding loyal workers in terms of promotion, medical cover, and being given time off to spend with their respective families. This ensured a large pool of workforce and improved the mining processes. African slaves also formed part of workforce in the region. And in this effect, the Trans Atlantic slave trade increased. This promoted the rise in the number of deaths as the sla ves brought with them new diseases. The slaves were also overworked to death. Influx of people into this region brought a lot of challenges in terms of population increase and insecurity issues. The large population required a lot of food to remain healthy. A settlement scheme was required to cater for the rising population in the area.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the New Spain, silver workers constructed a kind of aristocratic labor force with relatively greater privileges and freedom as compared to the Indians who were held in Encomianda. Accidents were also common in the mining sites. Therefore, the area was so dangerous; lives were lost.3 â€Å"Hispanization† also spread swiftly across the country and mostly among the Indians, Mezistos and the African workers in Zacatecas compared to anywhere else in New Spain. Therefore, Spanish workforce ensured the required jobs wer e done. The collective force created increased efficiency of the work and greatly improved the output. Common language meant an ease of communication. Directions and orders were clearly understood. It also became easy to solve disputes as both sides clearly expressed their feelings in a common language. The rising of industries in the region was also significant.4 This helped to cater for the vast population’s needs of food and clothing. Therefore, textile industries mushroomed as well as food industries. This also involved the artisan work and craftwork. The diverse employment opportunities helped improve the living standards of the people in the region as they got regular income from the activities they engaged in. Trade also became another important event that resulted from the silver discovery. There was a need to have middlemen and suppliers of various goods. A great deal of consideration was given to the high number of deaths that were recorded due to new diseases that were introduced by the incoming population of foreigners from Europe. Europeans came to trade silver while some came with the intention of exploring the lands and the silver mines. This implied that they stayed there for long. Exploration took a lot of time and so interaction with the locals was inevitable. There also emerged a great interest in education as people developed an interest for record keeping.5 European traders and explorers also introduced some analytical techniques such as observing, analyzing, arranging and recording of issues. These were quickly adopted by the locals who saw the need to keep records of their activities and possessions. There also changed perception about wealth. Land was no longer the basis of determining a person’s wealth as other valuable things emerged such as precious metals like silver.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Silver In Spanish America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Lea rn More Bibliography Bauer, Wise. The story of the world: history for the classical child. Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003. Marichal, Carlos. Bankruptcy of Empire: Mexican Silver and the Wars between Spain, Britain, and France, 1760-1810. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Stein, Stanley. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000. Footnotes 1 Wise Bauer. The story of the world: history for the classical child (Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003), 34. 2 Stanley Stein. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe ( Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000), 45. 3 Stanley Stein. Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000), 56. 4  Carlos Marichal. Bankruptcy of Empire: Mexican Silver and the Wars between Spain, Britain, and France, 1760-1810 (New York: Cambridge Uni versity Press, 2007), 98.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 5 Wise Bauer. The story of the world: history for the classical child (Charles City, VA: Peace Hill Press, 2003), 34. This essay on Silver In Spanish America was written and submitted by user Brody L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The eNotes Blog Stay Woke 8 Award-Winning Books About Race, Feminism, andImmigration

Stay Woke 8 Award-Winning Books About Race, Feminism, andImmigration Read more books by diverse authors was a friends New Years resolution which, in my humblest opinion, is an important evolution from the common and, dare I say, vanilla Read more! resolution. While challenging because of  the low levels of publishing industry representation, reading diverse  books is a rewarding and crucial task in confronting your perspectives, privileges, and preconceptions. It helps us  not only practice empathy but also  intersectional empathy- a multi-dimensional way for us to hear, understand, and feel the varied experiences of other humans to the best of our ability. Complex topics like race, gender, immigration, class, and income inequality are at our socio-political forefront (now, seemingly more than ever). Poetry, essays, and fiction on these themes, penned by those with unique perspectives and experiences, are a crucial tool to listen to underrepresented voices. At , weve been working to highlight some of these important authors and texts with the intent to bring our readers more eye-opening, enriching literary experiences. Weve listed eight of our new, thematic favorites here and welcome your beloved recommendations in the comments below. 1. Between the World and Me Central Themes: Race and Racism â€Å"It is not necessary that you believe that the officer who choked Eric Garner set out that day to destroy a body. All you need to understand is that the officer carries with him the power of the American state and the weight of an American legacy, and they necessitate that of the bodies destroyed every year, some wild and disproportionate number of them will be black.† Between the World and Me  is a book-length letter by Ta-Nehisi Coates, written the year Tamir Rice and Eric Garner were killed and the year the world learned that Michael Browns killers would go free. Its written to Coatess fifteen-year-old son Samori to explain to him what it means to be a black man in America. Race and the black body are some of the central themes in  Between the World and Me- historically explaining how black bodies have been brutally used and imprisoned by their oppressors. Coates has learned how to bear this weighty burden, a burden shared by all African Americans, and he hopes to teach Samori to do the same. The American Dream, fatherhood, and death are other prevalent themes. 2. Bad Feminist Central Theme: Feminism â€Å"I embrace the label of bad feminist because I am human. I am messy. I’m not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I’m right. I am just trying- trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.† Roxane Gay writes about race, gender, sex, politics, and popular culture in this collection of thirty-seven essays.  Bad Feminists prevailing theme is, of course, feminism: a complicated word, Gay acknowledges, loaded with social misconceptions. To Gay, feminism is simply the belief that women should be treated as equals instead of second-class citizens (radical, I know). In her opinion, a bad feminist is someone who doesnt always fit the traditional, and often misguided, mold of a feminist- she likes the color pink and rap music. As an African American, Gay is an important intersectional voice contributing to the conversation on what it means to be a feminist, even if the core concept is a simple one. 3. Homegoing Central Themes: Race and Racism, Slavery â€Å"We believe the one who has power. He is the one who gets to write the story. So when you study history you must ask yourself, Whose story am I missing? Whose voice was suppressed so that this voice could come forth? Once you have figured that out, you must find that story too. From there you get a clearer, yet still imperfect, picture.† Homegoing  by Yaa Gyasi is a novel about two half-sisters who never meet, Effia and Esi, with radically different lives. Effia married a slave trader, and Esi was sold into slavery (by Effias husband).  The novel is broken into two parts, seven chapters each, with alternating chapters between Effias and Esis descendants. As is evident, race, racism, and slavery are central themes of the novel. Family is another important theme  as its essentially the story of two families with very different histories. Effias and Esis different family lines came to ultimately represent two different African experiences of being sold into slavery and being spared from it. 4. The Refugees Central Theme: Immigration He repeated his story so often even she allowed herself to believe it, until the afternoon of the seventh day, when they saw, in the distance, the rocky landing strip of a foreign coast. Nesting upon it were the huts of a fashing village, seemingly composed of twigs and grass, brooded over by a fringe of mangroves. At the sight of land, she had thrown herself into the professors arms, knocking his glasses askew, and sobbed openly for the first time in front of her startled children. The Refugees is a collection of eight short stories by Viet Thanh Nguyen, a professor from Vietnam- his debut novel, The Sympathizer,  was a  recipient of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The characters in The Refugees  are Vietnamese immigrants and their children, many whom fled Vietnam after the communist regime came into power. The central theme is, of course, immigration.  While the journies of the characters arent always safe, easy, or even attainable, its a complex but critical process to escape the communist regime in Vietnam. That said, communism is another theme of these short stories, as well as death and economic status- two haunting and fate-determining issues hanging over the various characters narratives. 5. We Should All Be Feminists Central Theme: Feminism â€Å"My own definition is a feminist is a man or a woman who says, yes, there’s a problem with gender as it is today and we must fix it, we must do better. All of us, women and men, must do better.† Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies We Should All Be Feminists was adapted from her wildly popular TEDx Talk. According to Adichie, being a feminist means understanding and acknowledging the foundational fact that sexism exists. She draws upon her early experiences growing up in Nigeria and, from there, her anecdotal experience and insight on feminism, economic power, and gender roles.  We Should All Be Feminists  is more-than-worth the read (and the watch!). 6. Americanah Central Themes: Race and Racism, Americanization â€Å"If you dont understand, ask questions. If youre uncomfortable about asking questions, say you are uncomfortable about asking questions and then ask anyway. Its easy to tell when a question is coming from a good place. Then listen some more. Sometimes people just want to feel heard. Heres to possibilities of friendship and connection and understanding.† Another work by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,  Americanah  is novel about a young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, who lives in Princeton, New Jersey, and decides to move back to Nigeria- shortly after going through a romantic break-up.  Ifemelu reconnects with her first love, Obinze, whom she first met and fell in love with immediately while in Nigeria. Though the prevailing themes are race, racism, and Americanization (Ifemelu manages a blog where she explores the issues of being a non-American black woman in America), the novel is also a powerful story about immigration and, ultimately, love. 7. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness Central Themes: Race and Racism, Mass Incarceration In every state across our nation, African Americans- particularly in the poorest neighborhoods- are subjected to tactics and practices that would result in public outrage and scandal if committed in middle-class white neighborhoods. Michelle Alexander, civil rights lawyer and Ohio State associate professor of law, argues that Jim Crow never died, but that it simply took a new form in the shape of mass incarceration. Loaded with historical and current facts  and court cases,   The New Jim Crow underlines how  convicts have effectively become slaves- stripped of their freedom, voting rights, and access to government programs. Loaded with historical backdrop, statistics, and recent court cases, this book effectively shows how the War on Drugs, mass incarceration, and Supreme Court rulings justifying racial profiling have contributed to systematic racism and oppression. 8. milk and honey Central Themes: Gender, Abuse, Sex and Love my father shoves the word hush between [my mothers] lips and tells her to never speak with her mouth full this is how the women in my family learned to live with their mouths closed Rupi Kaurs inaugural book,  milk and honey,  is a best-selling collection of poetry, primarily written from the point of view of a woman whos experienced sexual and emotional abuse from men. Its broken into four parts that form a loose narrative arc: The Hurting, The Loving, The Breaking, The Healing. Kaur is an immigrant from India (currently based in Canada) who was unable to speak English with the other children at school. Her feminist poetry is primarily about abuse (and overcoming it, the healing), sex, and love- which she identifies as not necessarily always going hand in hand.

Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology

Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology Dont Be Vexed by Vexillology By Maeve Maddox There is historical proof that Jeanne dArc had three ensigns Two were for military use: her Battle Standard, which was large in size and her Pennon which was small. The third was a religious banner made for the priests and men of the army to assemble around for morning and evening prayers. This excerpt contains four synonyms for flag: ensign, standard, pennon, and banner. English has many others. In modern usage, an ensign is a countrys official national symbol, used to identify ships, airplanes, and official installations like military camps and embassies. This is the flag flown on patriotic occasions. A pennon was a small flag, attached to a knights lance for identification. It was long, like a streamer, and usually triangular or swallow-tailed. A standard was larger and was fixed to a pole that could be stuck in the ground. The word banner is often used for its emotional connotations, as in the U.S. national anthem: O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave. In US usage, the flag is called an ensign when it is displayed on a vessel, the colors when carried by someone on foot, and a standard when displayed on a car or an aircraft, and by the cavalry. Websters thesaurus gives the following flag synonyms, most of them not much used: banderole, banner, bannerol, burgee, color, ensign, gonfalon, gonfanon, jack, oriflamme, pendant, pennant, pennon, standard, streamer A jack is the identifying flag flown on a ship. The Union Jack is the familiar British flag. When flown on land, it is properly called simply the Union. (See Wikipedia article for a differing view on the use of Union Flag. The U.S. naval jack is the canton (the blue part with the stars) of the national ensign. NOTE: The Union Jack began as the canton of a larger flag. A burgee is a triangular pennant flown by members of yacht clubs. You can see a picture of one in the Wikipedia article on maritime flags. The word oriflamme is familiar to readers of medieval history and romance. It was the sacred banner of the French kings, first mentioned in 1124. In England, people turn out for the trooping of the colour, a patriotic parade held in June to celebrate the Queens birthday. U.S. military personnel on active service salute the colors twice a day: in the morning as the ensign is raised, and at sunset when it is lowered. In his unpleasant poem, Ethiopia Saluting the Colors, Walt Whitman uses a word not in Websters list, guidon, to refer to the cavalry flags carried by Shermans soldiers on their march to the sea. The study of flags is called vexillology. The word comes from vexillum, Latin for flag. You can find all sorts of fascinating vexillological information on the Flags of the World site. For rules and regulations surrounding the U.S. flag, and some interesting violations thereof, visit the Betsy Ross flag site. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:15 Terms for Those Who Tell the FutureLatin Plural Endings20 Tips to Improve your Writing Productivity

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China Term Paper

Case Study Analysis Google Inc. in China - Term Paper Example Compliance to Chinese law conflicts the process of conducting a successful business model for companies such as Google. When attempting to circumvent various govern-ment-sanctioned filters, consumer freedoms are at risk from authorities charged with Web surveillance. Concurrently, defying sanctions that are not aligned or considered appropriate for Western nations such as the United States can lead to significant business disruption if (or when) the government demands complete deconstruction of Internet services such as Google. Thus, personally speaking, the regulatory environment in China creates a conflict of interest within the business model as it pertains to providing excellence in service and maintaining a filtered Web presence that does not sustain revenue growth or even brand reputation. B. State what you are bracketing:5 Â ¶ Personal values associated with a firm belief in the democratic process and consumer independence must be removed to avoid bias when analyzing the case study. The socialist doctrine that has replaced long-standing communist values would, according to various theories, be associated with promoting liberties for consumers and giving them more ownership over business and personal lifestyle. An enduring and genuine distaste for oppressive regimes must be bracketed to avoid incorporation of personal values associated with analysis of the case study. II. The Situation6: A. List the facts7 relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ Deciding whether to defy regulatory authorities to provide a richer and more liberal Internet experience is conflicted by the high volume of policing officials dispersed throughout China. The sophistication of Chinese filtering poses many risks to a business model that is designed to extend breadth of knowledge to consumers, having built this capacity in a free nation where such issues are not a business risk. From human capital to technologies, non-compliance to regulatory demands is going to be noticed by gov ernment regulatory forces and, thus, businesses providing Internet content cannot avoid these filtering obligations if the business is to remain sustainable in a foreign nation. B. List the facts that comprise the historical context relevant to the issue(s) identified: Â ¶ The physical structure of the Internet in China that was developed since allowing Internet services in 1999 provides ample opportunities for enforcement of laws associated with content sanctions. Furthermore, recruitment of private citizens in the enforcement and reporting processes seriously conflict attempting to avoid establishing government-mandated controls and filtrations and expanded the reach of enforcement against these laws. The totalitarian regime in China is long-standing, developed under previous communist-oriented government frameworks. The Chinese government also was not forthcoming in establishing clear and concise frameworks to define compliance to Internet censoring. Lack of clear language made the process of complying with laws, while also attempting to improve profitability in China, created a need for innovation at Google to satisfy

DISCUSSION AND REPLY TO A DISCUSSION( 4th year Nursing course) Essay - 1

DISCUSSION AND REPLY TO A DISCUSSION( 4th year Nursing course) - Essay Example The article also attempts to determine the extent to which formal FPDR policies exist in hospitals, and the level of awareness among the nurses there. Thus, the article has a great utility to the practicing nurses as it explicates salient issues about the practice of FPDR identified by nurses who responded to the qualitative portion of the survey. The conclusions of the study have great implications for the practice of nurses who experience family presence during resuscitation. "The practice of FPDR impacts both family members and members of the resuscitation team. Nurses weigh these impacts when considering whether or not to bring family members to the bedside." (McClement, Fallis, and Pereira, 2009). According to the findings of the study, the majority of critical care nurses support FPDR which suggests that the formal policies in hospitals to facilitate this process. Therefore, the article provides illumining insights into the nurse's perspective in regards to the presence of fami ly members during resuscitation and it also deals with benefits and risks of FPDR for family members and health care professionals.

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay Example for Free

Economic Issues Simulation Paper Essay The Financing of Health Care Economic Issues Simulation Paper Health care system has evolved tremendously in the last few years, with many changes with the health care laws including but not limited to Universal Health Care, many individuals have choices when it comes to their coverage. According to healthcare. gov, in January of 2015, an employer with 50 or more full time employees will have to make an Employer Shared Responsibility Payment if a full time employee gets a lower health coverage premium cost if insurance is purchase in a marketplace. However, employers are not subject to this law if the numbers of employees are lesser than 50 but are still expected to offer coverage for their employees. (healthcare. gov) Employers must make sure that when choosing coverage for their employees, these should be within their needs; within health care requirements as well as inexpensive keeping in mind that lower cost may not necessarily mean better. With many varieties in health care plans such as Preferred Provider (PPO), Point of Service (POS), and Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO); the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is the most preferred and utilized group health insurance plan. As a HMO representative of Castor Insurance, health care coverage will be built, including the potential utilization of the services by different enrollees. Castor Collins Health Plan Castro Collins Health Plan is a regional HMO that was founded in 1999. As a HMO, they provide health care services as well as health insurance to individuals in its statewide network of physicians and hospitals utilizing a capitation model to compensate their network of providers. Currently, there are 100,000 enrollees and these numbers are increasing. The responsibility of a Vice President in Strategy and Financial Planning is to interact with new clients and formulating health plans that will suit their needs. With the help of colleagues such as the Chief Financial Officer Helen Fouerman, the Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Wikes, and the Executive Vice President of Planning and Development, Adam Hunter, a plan will be put together that will include pricing and setting insurance premiums. In January of 2006, Castro Collins was approached and met with two groups of people for health insurance coverage. These groups are Constructit and E-editors, neither of them have group employer’s insurance. Constructit have 1000 people and they are willing to pay a maximum of $4000 per person as an annual premium, meanwhile E-editors will pay a maximum annual premium of $4500 per person with 1,600 people. Castor Collins offers three types of health plans: Castor Standard, Castor Enhanced, and the customized plan called Castor Enhanced Minor. The standard plan does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, the enhanced plan, however, cover pre-existing medical conditions and offers more services. Castor Enhanced Minor is a customized plan that is almost equivalent to Castor Enhanced with somewhat lesser services that requires high utilization. Demographics  and Health Care Risk Factors There are 550 men and 450 women employees in Constructit with ages 26 to 45 and 60 percent from this age group ranging from 26 to 42 are married. This means, spouses and children need to be considered in getting health plan. Also, great physical activities are involve within thirty- two percent of the people at Constructit, while 25 percent of the people has moderate physical activity. The remainder which is 43 percent of the people involves activities that are sedentary. There are no major health risks out of the thirty-eight percent an equivalent of 170 men and 210 women in the workforce. Injuries, respiratory system diseases, digestive disorders, migraine and allergic conditions are the major causes of absenteeism in Constructit. Obesity related diseases such as hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are moderately high for this workforce that consists of 36 percent of men and 43 percent of women. In E-editors, there are 750 men and 840 women with ages 35 to 54 and most of them are married. For the past ten years, ninety-five percent in the workforce have largely been sedentary; their job involves sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time. Only five percent are required moderate activity. Stress related injury (SRI) and problems with vision were acquired by at least 95 people who had this job for a while. There are no major medical health risks for the 170 men and 182 women (22%) from this group. Respiratory disorder is the 26 percent of the group problem because they are heavy smokers. There are 720 people who are obese in this group because of the heavy sedentary lifestyles, eating habits, and lack of exercise. This also means that there are increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases. Plan Analysis Based on the plans, I would recommend Castor Standard to Constructit and not to provide insurance to E-editors. Since Castor Standard does not cover pre-existing conditions, the risks of providing this plan are low. The premium that Constructit will be responsible annually is $3,428, with Castor Collins Health Plan earning $3. 43 million. Given the health profile and the expected utilization of services for E-editors, I think that not providing insurance is the right decision. There is a high risk of insuring this group and whatever Castor Collins earns from this group are inadequate to cover those risks. The goal is to maximize earnings. If E-editors are willing to pay a different premium they will be considered by providing an appropriate plan that minimized risks and increased earnings. Risk-averse consumers buy health insurance to avoid losing income or wealth when they are unwell. In other words, consumers pay insurance premium to transfer their risks of medical expenses to the insurance company. The premium that Castor Collins receives is a source of revenue. It is compensation for bearing risk and for bearing expenses such as payment to health care providers. If Castor Collins know that a particular group of enrollees is more susceptible to a particular disorder, its risk for providing coverage for that disorder is higher. However, if, as in the case of Constructit and E-editors, a group of individuals is not willing to pay a higher premium to cover greater risks, Castor Collins may not be able to provide coverage for greater risks. Therefore, while selecting a plan and the services to provide under that plan, Castor Collins has to weigh various considerations – the premiums that enrollees are willing to pay, the risks of providing a particular plan or service, the expected utilization and hence, the costs, of providing various  services in the plan, and the premium Castor Collins needs to charge to maintain profitability.

Essay --

Kassidy Hause CWL 320-06, Fall 2013 Dr. Talar Chahinian Final Paper 12-10-13 Ways of Dying, Violence, Fantasy & Comedy Zakes Mda was born in 1948 in Herschel, South Africa and is known for being a novelist, poet, activist, playwright and cultural theorist. Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda is a novel from western form. Literature that was written by Black South African writers between the 1948 and 1994 really captures the oppression and tragic violence that characterized the lives of Blacks under the apartheid. The apartheid or â€Å"apartness† as some Afrikaans call it, describes a system of laws and policies of complete and total racial segregation in South Africa that began in 1948 when the national party came to power. The apartheid did not end until 1994 when Nelson Mandela was elected president in the first democratic elections. The horrific deaths that are portrayed throughout Zake Mda’s novel Ways of Dying, were all true ways of dying that Zakes Mda, saw himself, read about in the newspaper or read when he was doing research. The very true deaths that he portrays in the novel really p aint a picture of the structural and political violence that was going on in South Africa during the apartheid. This violence and oppression really creates a tragic background for the novel however, Zakes Mda challenges the norm of violence and finds a way to portray it as something somewhat idiotic, which in turn makes Ways of Dying quite comical. He also combines fantasy and magic to the novel, which emulates all the spectacular and wonderful parts of South African beliefs and traditions. Zakes unique way of combining the depiction of how ridiculous it is that death has become so normalized in South Africa and magic and fantasy makes Ways of Dying an ... ... Magic and fantasy is also a central theme for this book because magic gives a sense of hope and belief in people and a strength that people never knew they had. The biggest example is the garden, a magic garden of beauty that still stands among all the horrible things that Toloki and Noria are living in. The garden gives them hope that magic and beauty still exist in the world. In this part of the novel the readers are laughing and smiling because they feel hope and happiness and sense of magic that they are going to get through their issues and be okay. Ways of Dying is a spectacular novel by Zakes Mda, written during the apartheid era, which was a horrific time for South Africans who were abused and murdered by their corrupt government. Zakes Mda was able to provide a sense of history, comedy and hope all into one novel and that any reader would enjoy to read.