The mayor of casterbridge Essay Example

The mayor of casterbridge Paper The Mayor of Casterbridge-Thomas Hardy How The Mayor of Casterbridge reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the period and place in which it is set and during which Hardy lived. The Mayor of Casterbridge was written in the second part of the nineteenth century by the novelist Thomas Hardy. He based it on Dorchester and how he remembered the town from his boyhood days during the 1840s. The story circles around a prosperous businessman, Michael Henchard, his shady past and his prosperous present. It shows the power of the corn trade in the early years and also the impact of a newfound belief in the period- Fate. In this essay I will be analysing the book and its contents to see how it reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the era in which it is set. As a skilled architect, and having a great eye for detail, Hardy included large pieces of narrative about Casterbridge and the key buildings in his novel. His first, general description about the layout of Casterbridge came early on in the book: It was compact as a box of dominoes. It had no suburbs- in the ordinary sense. Country and town met at a mathematical line. From the centre of each side of this tree bound square ran avenues east, west and south into the wide expanse of corn-land and coomb to the distance of a mile or so. As Elizabeth Jane and Susan entered the town, Hardy added a bit of information about the houses on the main street: There were timber houses with overhanging stories, whose small-paned lattices were screened by dimity curtains on a drawing-string, and under whose barge-boards old cobwebs waved in the breeze. There were houses of brick-nogging We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The mayor of casterbridge specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There were slate roofs patched with tiles, and tile roofs patched with slate, with occasionally a roof of thatch. Henchards house is also described, but with surprisingly little detail compared to accounts of other houses. It is described as dull red and grey brick, open front door and a very large garden. This building still exists today, even though it is now Barclays bank and there is no sign of a large garden at the back! Henchards yard is described as, flanked by hay barns with wooden granaries on stone-saddles including, a store house several floors high. Into which, if you looked, you could see, A closely packed throng of bursting wheat packs. In contrast, Lucettas house and its features are described in great detail, from the house itself: It was Palladian, and, like most architecture erected since the Gothic age, was a compilation rather than a design. It was rich but not rich enough. A timely consciousness of the ultimate vanity of human architecture. To the keystone of the door: Originally the mask had exhibited a comic leer, as could still be discerned; but generations of Casterbridge boys had thrown stones at the mask, aiming at the open mouth; and the blows thereon had chopped off the lips and jaws as if they had been eaten away by disease. The three mariners is described as: Built of mellow sandstone, with mullion windows of the same material, markedly out of perpendicular from the settlement of foundations. The bay window projecting into the street, whose interior was so popular among the frequenters of the inn, was closed with shutters. In a time where motorcars were practically non-existent, there were only a few limited and slow ways of getting to a destination. Sometimes they might have been seen on foot, sometimes on farmers wagons and sometimes in carriers vans. This was, of course, referring to Elizabeth Jane and Susans journey to find Henchard. The trip must have been rough, but they could afford no more. For those who were much wealthier however, they could afford to use such things as flys and gigs, which were horse drawn carriages. We see Elizabeth Jane using a fly to transport her belongings to High-Place Hall, something she would not have been able to do if she had not met Henchard; Farfrae had his own gig, which is mentioned several times throughout the novel and finally the carriage that was used on Henchards and Susans wedding day; a brougham. Susan Henchard entered a carriage for the first time in her life when she stepped into the plain brougham which drew up at the door on the wedding day. Because of this lack of transport, even distances that we think of as short, such as 35 miles, must have seemed enormous to the people of those days. Hardy does give us an example of this in The Mayor of Casterbridge; two lovers being split up when the male gets a job in another town. It ends up with the two acknowledging that they will probably never see each other again. Thirty-five mile! she murmured. Ah! tis enough! I shall never see ee again! The Mayor of Casterbridge reflects the customs of the time very accurately. It shows Elizabeth Jane waiting on tables in her hotel to earn the right to stay in one of the rooms with her mother. But we are told that in all but the most isolated tows this custom has almost died out. A curfew was still rung in the in the town, but not for the original reasons. Hardy tells us that now, at eight oclock it is rung for the shop owners to shut up shop and go home. We read that the town pump was a regular meeting place of the townspeople. Their own water sources, be they wells or streams were known to be less pure than the water from the town pump, so many people drank from there. The drinking of ale was a different matter altogether. In those days there was no imported beer, and there was very little selection, if any at all, so it was still the custom to brew ale in the pubs themselves. It was also known that people brewed their own beer at home and a favourite breakfast was freshly brewed ale and pigeon pie! But life in the town was not all drinking ale and going to the pub. Some of the bigger and more important customs of the time are reflected in the novel as well. Candlemass Fair was held on the 14th of February, and it was the main day of hiring of hands for the corn yards. Lady day was the day soon after (6th of April) when the current years contracts expired. If you hadnt managed to get your contract renewed or found a new job, this is the day that you were made officially unemployed. When we read about Henchard in the pub for the first time in 21 years, we see that the local choir and musicians from the church go into the three mariners every Sunday for a half pint of ale. When some one died, in this case, Mrs Henchard, there were a few customs that she wanted to be followed. She asked to be dressed in: My coffin clothes; a piece of flannel- thats to put under me, and the little piece is to put under my head; and my new stockings for my feet And theres four ounce pennies, the heaviest I could find, a-tied up in bits of linen, for weights-two for my right eye and two for my left. Bury the pennies, good souls, and dont ye go spending em, for I shouldnt like that. Finally, one of the customs written about in The Mayor of Casterbridge and which plays the biggest part in the whole story is the skimmity, or skimminton ride. Basically a skimmity ride is to name and shame a couple who had an affair or who were considered to have done something wrong. An effigy of each of the persons was placed onto a back of a horse and was paraded around for all to see. Even though this did happen in the story, in real life things of this sort were becoming less and less common. Of course in Hardys day there was no television, radio or computers and so their idea of entertainment is much different to ours. Even though there are only a few references to entertainment in the novel, it is surprising how much we have changed. Near the start of the story we hear Farfrae singing Its hame, and its hame, hame fain would I be, Oh hame, hame, hame to my ain countree! And it is made clear in the novel that this isnt a one off event. It was quite common to go down to the pub and sing or play music for entertainment; the better the voice the more attention that was paid to you. We also hear about a public hanging in Maumbury rings, an old roman Amphitheatre on the outskirts of Dorchester. Great crowds gathered to watch the spectacle and after the main event, articles of clothing, the rope and even strands of hair were put on sale for souvenirs, and were, by some people, believed to have magical healing powers. Like nowadays, people in the past have always enjoyed a good party with lots of dancing, fun and games, and this is shown by all of the preparations that Henchard made for his festivities; He advertised about the town, in long posters of a pink colour, that games of all sorts would take place here; and set to work a little battalion of men under his own eye. They erected greasy poles for climbing, with smoked hams and local cheese at the top hurdles in rows for jumping across the river they lay a slippery pole, with a live pig tied at the other end, to become the property of the man who could walk over there were also provided wheelbarrows for racing, donkeys for the same, a stage for boxing, wrestling, and drawing blood generally; sacks for jumping in. There are many references to costume in the story. The first is of Henchard as a young man of 21 whose profession and life was on the road, looking for work as a hay trusser: He wore a short jacket of brown corduroy, newer than the remainder of his suit, which was a fustian waistcoat white horn buttons, breeches of the same, tanned leggings a straw hat overlaid with black glazed canvas carried by a looped strap a rush basket, from which protruded at one end the crutch of a hay knife, a wimble for hay bonds, being also visible in the aperture. And as his character progresses through the story, his clothing changes to match his status in society. In the Kings Arms when he is first seen as the prosperous mayor of Casterbridge, his wealth was demonstrated clearly in his attire because He was dressed in an old fashioned evening suit, an expanse of frilled shirt showing, on his broad breast; jewelled studs, and a heavy gold chain. When he went to see Lucetta he dressed up in some of his finest clothes; He wore genteel cloth leggings with white buttons, polished boots with infinite lace holes, light cord breeches under a black velveteen coat and waistcoat; and he had a silver topped switch in his hand. But when he made the fatal mistake of predicting the weather, causing him to loose all of his belongings and money, he had to go from living in one of the biggest and cleanest houses in the town to living with Jopp in a small and less than hygienic cottage. He looked a far different journeyman from the one he had been in his earlier days. Then he had worn clean, suitable clothes, light and cheerful in hue; leggings yellow as marigolds, corduroys immaculate as new flax, and a neckerchief like a flower garden. Now he wore the remains of an old blue cloth suit of hid gentlemanly times, a rusty silk hat, and a once black satin stock, soiled and shabby. When we first see Elizabeth Jane she is dressed in modest clothes, dusty from her long journey to Casterbridge, but after she had met her father, and had the opportunity to see what money can buy, she started dressing in more elaborate clothes. We now see her in a black silk bonnet, velvet mantle or silk spencer, dark dress, and carrying a sunshade. In this latter article she drew the line at fringe, and had it plain edged, with a little ivory ring for keeping it closed. Henchard, instead of being cautious of spoiling Elizabeth Jane, eggs her on; Henchard gave Elizabeth Jane a box of delicately tinted gloves one spring day. She wanted to wear them to show her appreciation of his kindness, but she had not bonnet that would harmonise. As an artistic indulgence she thought she would have such a bonnet. When she had a bonnet that would go with the gloves she had no dress that would go with the bonnet. She had no sunshade to go with the dress.in for a penny in for a pound; she bought the sunshade, and the whole structure was at last complete. On her wedding day, Elizabeth Jane went for simplicity, showing how she had matured and had a chance to develop her style. She was in a dress of white silk or satin, he was not near enough to say which- snowy white, without a tinge of milk or cream. During the story there are few descriptions of the dress of the lower classes, but when the furmity seller was called into court for being drunk and disorderly we get a good account of the clothes worn. Attired in a shawl of that nameless tertiary hue which comes, but cannot be made- a hue neither tawny, russet, hazel, nor ash; a sticky black bonnet that seemed to have been warn in the country of the Psalmist where the clouds drop fatness; and an apron that had been white in times so comparatively recent as still to contrast visibly with the rest of her clothes. In Mixen lane there is also a special dress code of many of the women; (There was a) Frequency of white aprons over dingy gowns among the women around the doorways. A white apron is a suspicious vesture in situations where spotlessness is difficult. Hardys novel gives a good insight into the moral values of the time. Everything from the segregation of the classes to what was right and wrong in the eyes of the people of that time. When Elizabeth Jane and Susan enter the fair at the start of the story Susan makes her way over to talk to the furmity seller to see if she could get any information on the whereabouts of her husband, Mike. As she walks over, Elizabeth Jane tries to stop her saying, Dont speak to her- it isnt respectable! and after Susan returned to her daughter after paying the furmity seller for her refreshments, Elizabeth Jane reminds her mother again; It was hardly respectable for you to buy refreshments there. As they arrive in Casterbridge and look for lodgings, Elizabeth Jane comes across the Three Mariners, and even though it would have been too expensive to stay there if Elizabeth Jane had not been able to get a job, she insisted that she and her mother must stay there as, We must be respectable. As the plot progressed and Henchard met Susan at Maumbury Rings, he tells her that as an important businessman, Mayor and churchwarden, he would face disgrace if Elizabeth Jane found out about his past. Eventually Henchard told Susan that he would Meet you, court you and marry you and Susan agreed saying. I like the idea of repeating our marriage It seems the only right course. It appears that they thought that if they told of their past they would probably be ridiculed and snubbed by others, but they had to go through the whole process of courting again as it was counted as extremely suspicious if a man married, or even invited a woman into his house without going through the proper motions of meeting and courting first. Henchards affair with Lucetta, or Lucette as he knew her in Jersey would have posed certain ruin for him and Lucetta. Affairs in those days were total scandal and if people learnt about them, those involved would face a life of misery, being mocked by those around them. Nowadays a relationship that does not end in marriage is commonplace, but in those days it was very serious. Now you will, I am sure, perceive that the one condition that will make any future happiness possible for me is that the past connection between our lives be kept secret outside this isle. Even something relatively insignificant such as the Mayors daughter dancing with the farm manager (Farfrae) was a little out of the ordinary, it would have turned heads certainly. Peoples philosophies and their beliefs were certainly very different to what they are today. As I have said before, the era that The Mayor of Casterbridge was set in was a time of great change, and this was shown especially in the smaller towns of the country. New machines were introduced to make farming easier; the seed drill; Till then unknown, in its modern shape, in this part of the country, where the venerable seed-lip was still used for sowing. The new technology was for some, baffling; It might have been likened to an upright musical instrument with the front gone. That was how it struck Lucetta. Why, it is a sort of agricultural piano. When Farfrae started working for Henchard, he found in his books a mass of numerical fogs. Before his entry onto Henchards business, Henchard used to reckon his sacks by chalk strokes all in a row like garden-palings, measure his ricks by stretching with his arms, weigh his trusses by a lift, judge his hay by a chaw, and settle the price with a curse. But after Farfrae had spent a little time with Henchards company, he started measuring with weights and measuring rods, and recording all transactions on paper. This reflects what was happening all over the country at this time, farmers were abandoning all of their old ways to catch up with technology and produce better goods. We also see that even though newer technology was being developed, at the point of the visit of the royal personage- Prince Albert- we hear that the steam train had not yet reached Casterbridge, and travel by coach was the only way for the Prince to get to where he was going. Education was starting to affect both those who lived in the town and worked on the farm. Even though they still used sayings such as Im as clammy as a cockle snail. Such words as hag-rid and leery were replaced by indigestion and tired. You can see the impact of education on even the smallest of details in the story. At the start of the tale we read the sign outside of the furmity tent as Good Furmity Sold Hear. But when Susan returns to the fair about 18 years later the sign reads: Good Furmity Sold Here. And a definite improvement in spelling is shown. Peoples philosophies were changing as well. Even though education was beginning to make an impact, people in remote towns and villages still maintained some of their own beliefs and limited views. When Farfrae meets some locals in the bar, they comment on his homeland, Scotland, saying: Land of perpetual snow as we may say, where wolves and wild boars and other dangerous, animalcules be as common as blackbirds hereabout. Church and religion was still a major part of many peoples lives, but many of these people were starting to dabble in other beliefs as well. Henchard was the churchwarden, and he had also been religious enough to take a gospel oath 21 years before to give up alcohol, but when in trouble, he went to the weather prophet to try and sort out his problems. Witchcraft was not acceptable, but this did not deter people from trying to sort out their lives with it. Fate was becoming one of the major extra beliefs at the time. People were beginning to think that not everything was done by Gods will and that there may be some other omnipotent force controlling their lives as well. This force became known as Fate. This belief is reflected in Hardys writing very clearly, and he gives us many examples of Fate in the lives of the main characters. Just a few instances are the sale of rum in the furmity tent when Susan had taken Mike in there to avoid the ale and cider in the other tents; Susan returning to Mike just when he was about to marry Lucetta; Farfrae meeting Lucetta when he had gone to see Elizabeth Jane on Henchards permission; the effigy killing Lucetta when she had everything to live for and saving Henchard when he had nothing to loose; Newson turning up just as Henchard was getting closer to Izzy; finally Elizabeth Jane forgiving her father, but finding him half- an- hour after he had died. The whole plot relies on the belief of Fate. But even though all of these new beliefs were appearing, some of the older superstitions were being lost. New ideas were that nature was in fact, indifferent to man and his actions. To demonstrate this, sometimes Hardy wrote so that nature reflected the main characters feelings. We see this after Henchard has found out that Elizabeth Jane is not his own, and in a foul mood he goes for a walk next to the river. As he contemplates on the direction that his life is taking Hardy describes his surroundings, The whole way along here was sunlesswhite frosts lingered here. He also describes the river itself, The river- slow, noiseless and dark- the Schwartzwasser of Casterbridge. And adds that further down the river, The water roared down a back-hatch like the voice of desolation. But sometimes Hardy described the weather to be the exact opposite to what the character was feeling. Just after Henchard had left Elizabeth, and was very upset; The bright autumn sun shining in his eyes across the stubble awoke him the next morning early. In his tale Hardy includes a range of different historical notes that remind us of which era he was writing in, but he also included real events and incorporated real places into his story. In his original preface he tells us that three of the main topics in his story which were based on real events were the visit of a royal personage, the corn trade and the sale of a wife. The sale of the wife was, in my opinion, one of the most crucial points of the whole plot. If it hadnt happened, the whole life of Henchard as we know it would never have happened. Hardy got the idea from an edition of the Dorset County Chronicle between the dates of 1826-1830. The corn trade was also very important. In The Mayor of Casterbridge Hardy demonstrates the power of the corn trade by showing how it can give you all of the money you ever dreamt of, but also take it all away by having just one bad harvest. Henchard was at the peak of his life, he was Mayor, churchwarden and a successful businessman, but by the end of one bad year when he had gambled just a bit too much on the turnout of the weather, he had lost it all, his wealth, business and house. The corn trade continued to toy with farmers lives until the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Up until then the Corn Laws had forbidden any importation of wheat or corn and so if it was a bad harvest there was a shortage of good bread. Because of this, before the Corn Laws had been repealed the corn trade ruled the lives of everyone involved. The Mayor of Casterbridge is a very accurate and detailed account of life in the 1840s. It is a valuable source of information about the era, and reflects the social, historical and cultural influences of the period in a descriptive, but entertaining and interesting way.

Ban The Klan essays

Ban The Klan essays In 1866 in the town of Pulaski, Tennessee a group of confederate army veterans started a group called the Ku Klux Klan. When this group emerged it caused much controversy on what its real purpose was. Everyone had their own opinion on what its cause was but all it ended up being was a group of confederate army veterans bored with post war Tennessee. The World IQ Encyclopedia defines the Klan as one of several white supremacist organizations started in the southern United States, which dedicated themselves to opposing civil rights for blacks, jews, and other racial, ethnic, social, and religious groups. This movement went on for years having a negative impact on many aspects of peoples lives. The Ku Klux Klan quickly had a global impact after arriving in 1866. With its arrival in the U.S. came the influence on other countries such as: Canada and the United Kingdom to start their own chapters. When Canada first received the Klan there were a numerous amount of people that wanted to join. Memberships rose drastically at first, but out breaks led to members being ridiculed. Memberships later on plunged eventually making the KKK nearly extinct in Canada. The United Kingdom started a similar organization but lack of involvement made it a small movement with no real influence. Although many countries were influenced to start their own movements none of them came in comparison to that of the United States. The Ku Klux Klan had the largest impact on the United States. The KKK Started in Tennessee, but eventually had organizations in almost all major cities in the south. There was a nationwide outbreak in racial violence that got so bad at one point people were referring to them as mobs. There were instances reported of Klan members rioting and taking over cities. When these riots broke out not even the law could control them leaving them to do what they please. They often kidnapped people they had a pr ...

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Mattel and Toy Safety Essay Example for Free

Mattel and Toy Safety Essay For the better part of 30 years now, corporate executives have struggled with the issue of the firms responsibility to its society. Early on it was argued by some that the corporations sole responsibility was to provide a maximum financial return to shareholders. It became quickly apparent to everyone, however, that this pursuit of financial gain had to take place within the laws of the land. Though social activist groups and others throughout the 1960s advocated a broader notion of corporate responsibility, it was not until the significant social legislation of the early 1970s that this message became indelibly clear as a result of the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 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Mattel Corporation is the largest toy company in the world, a publicly traded organization with a market capitalization of over $6. 5 billion, employing approximately 36,000 people worldwide in 42 countries. Their products are sold in 150 nations In the summer of 2007, Mattel suffered a major product recall incident. The first recall was the result of vendor failure in China where traces of lead paint were discovered on 83 different products. This led to a recall of 1. 5 million items worldwide. The products contained levels of lead paint that failed the products’ specification. Mattel even announced that a significant portion of the toys were recalled because of a design flaw and not substandard manufacturing. Mattel requires the factories it contracts with to use paint and other materials provided by certified suppliers. Mattel executives said they did not know if the contract manufacturer substituted paint from a noncertified supplier or if a certified supplier caused the problem. I believe that Mattel acted in a socially responsible and ethical manner with regard to the safety of its toys. During this crisis, Mattel contacted their chief suppliers and asked them to pull the recalled products from the shelf. I think this was the appropriate thing to do in this case. First things first, pulling the product and afterwards warning the public of their finding so we could get the lead painted toys out of the hands of our kids. Then getting down to the problem, trying to figure out where they went wrong to correct the problem. I do believe that this incident could have been avoided, but it was handled in a perfectly responsible and ethical manner. Some of the things that I think Mattel could have done differently from the beginning were to lay out rules and regulations for all of its external vendors and their subcontractors that were cutting corners to save money and time. Some of these subcontractors chose to violate the rules and use paint that was coated with lead, which went against Mattel’s rules. Perhaps if Mattel would have ran periodical checks with the suppliers and subcontractors the lead paint could have been caught before the toys went out. Although it was unintended, Mattel is the responsible one for the fact that children were exposed to potentially dangerous toys. According to the case study and given factors, Mattel has always held a reputation of being a good corporate citizen and their intentions were never something like this to happen. But because Mattel fail to follow up on their guidelines and set rules with vendors and subcontractors to assure they too were complying within guidelines, it all falls back on the originating organization itself. Mattel Inc.  CEO, Robert Ekert reported that the company could have done a better job overseeing the subcontractors in China which produce more than 21 million toys that were recalled. 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S. toy industry are the mandatory federal standard (Code of Federal Regulations, Commercial Practices 16 [16CFR]) and the toy industry has also developed and adheres to voluntary standards (ASTM F963-03 Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety). In addition to adhering to the federal requirements and additional self-imposed safety measures, the toy industry has initiated reassurance testing to affirm the safety of the toys already on the shelves. At the same time, the toy industry is developing a new, mandatory testing protocol by accredited laboratories in conjunction with the well-respected American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The U. S. toy industry understands the concerns many parents have about the safety of toys on the market and is encouraging the U. S.  Congress to pass comprehensive legislation on consumer product safety. The toy industry is also providing additional resources to inform consumers and parents and provide useful tools through this site and through partnerships with independent consumer organizations. The toy industry is also working with health and safety experts to provide parents and consumers with practical tips and relevant information. In the U. S. , the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the independent federal agency that oversees the safety of toys and other consumer products. Nearly 50% of the CPSCs resources ($66 million annually) are used towards the agencys work on toys and other childrens products. The CPSC enforces the U. S. requirements for toy safety and, along with the manufacturer or distributor, issues product recalls as needed. Toy Industry Association (2011). I believe the best way for society to protect children from harmful toys is to follow along the lines, the eight steps that the Consumers Union proposed to help safeguard the health and safety of American consumers from the onslaught of unsafe Chinese-produced consumer products and foods.

Essay --

Week 3: Discussion 1 – Conceptual System Design Colorado Technical University CS672: Systems Engineering Methods Pooja Kattimani Instructor: Professor John King January 20, 2014 Conceptual System Design 1. In accomplishing needs analysis in response to given deficiency, what type of information you would include? Describe the process that you would use in developing necessary information? Information required to accomplish needs analysis in response to given deficiency is statement of problem presented in specific quantitative and qualitative terms and with enough detail to justify progressing to next step. Problem statement must reflect true customer requirements Information necessary for accomplishing needs analysis is developed using the team approach process. Team approach is involving of customers, consumers, producers, suppliers as appropriate in order to identify the problem and define WHATs first. The objective of team approach process is to establish effective communication between all the parties involved in the team approach process. Among all parties involved in...

Dry Leaves as Sand Substitute for Blocks

Caraga State University Cabadbaran Campus Cabadbaran City Dry Leaves as Sand Substitute for Blocks Submitted by: Dime Rose Diola Jerzeld Villalon Lyka Lou Arogancia Natasha Anne Payot Adviser: Prof. Nathalie Daminar Chapter 1 The Problem Background of the Study A leaf is a lateral photosynthetic appendage of the stem of a plant, commonly broad, flat, thin and of a green color. Leaves (plural) are the â€Å"food factories of plants, the sites where most of the plant’s energy is produced [1]. There are leaves that provide a protective service when a plant is under attack.Leaves may also serve as a storage sites or help obtain food for a plant [2]. For plants, as defense, leaves protect them from enemies such as animals, diseases, and environmental extremes through specific defense mechanism [3]. The most important contributions leaves make to our planet’s ecosystem are through their processing of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Oxygen, though a waste product of photosynthesis is essential to plant, animal, and human survival. As leaves break down carbon dioxide and release oxygen, they also help determine global climate patterns [4].On the other side, a block is a molded rectangular brick of clay or sand enclosed in a molder and hardened for long hours and used as a building and paving material. Bricks were often used for reasons of speed and economy [5]. The researchers aimed to make dry leaves into use not only by preserving it and use as decorations but by making it as one of the main component for concrete blocks. Also, to support the RA 9003 or known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act for implement. Objectives of the StudyThis study primarily aims to make dry leaves as one of the main component in making concrete blocks to lessen dry leaves in the surroundings since some of us burned dry leaves which disrupt our ecosystem by creating harmful gases through smoke. Since the depletion of the ozone layer is coming to its worst, the researchers fi nd some way to control this problem and to have temporary solution that will lead to a permanent solution on how to lessen dry leaves without burning it or by causing some harm both to the planet and to the people.And to support the waste management campaign in the country. Significance of the Study This study which aimed to find out if the dry leaves can be one of the main components in making blocks is significant to different sectors for various reasons: * Serves as an eye-opener for those who have problems regarding on how to reduce dry leaves in their community/area. * Provides durable and economical product. * Helps in controlling ecological waste. * Provide information to citizens with respect of continuous burning of dry leaves that destroys the planet or causing global warming. * Serve s motivating factor for home owners, construction workers and construction materials manufacturers to strengthen their capabilities for developing blocks and other processes to maximize the u se of dry leaves in the society. Furthermore, the outcome of the study will provide empirical information to policy makers in Ecological Solid Waste Management (RA 9003). Dry leaves are usually burned down elsewhere and eventually produce hazardous gases in the air. Conducting this experiment does not only support RA 9003 but it also opens an avenue to develop technology in bricks in the community.Likewise, this provides all people an opportunity to enjoy living in a clear, clean and hazard-free environment. Scope and Limitation Creating dry leaves as one of the component for concrete blocks is the main concern of this research. This study is limited only in using dry leaves, cement, water and a little use of small stones and if the study is a success, it can be use in constructing buildings. Review of the Related Literature The oldest discovered blocks, originally made from shaped mud and dating to before 7500 B.C and were found at  Tell Aswad, Egypt. The first sun-dry blocks wer e made in Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq), in the ancient city of  Ur  in about 4000  BC, although the arch used for drying the blocks was not actually found. Other examples of civilizations that used mud brick include the  ancient Egyptians  and the Indus[6]. In Europe, blocks were often used for reasons of speed and economy, even in areas where stone was available. The buildings of the Industrial Revolution in Britain were largely constructed of block and timber due to the demand created [7].In  pre-modern China, brick-making or block-making was the job of a lowly and unskilled artisan, but a kiln master was respected as a step above the former [8]. Bricks of concrete with sand aggregate can be made using a simple machine, and a basic assembly line method. A conveyor belt adds the mixture to a machine, which pours a measured amount of concrete into a form. The form is vibrated to remove bubbles. The form is then raised to reveal the wet bricks, spaced out on a plywood s heet. A small elevator then stacks these palettes, after which a forklift operator moves them to the brickyard for drying.Definition of Terms carbon dioxide- a colorless, odorless incombustible gas somewhat heavier than air. In photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are absorbed by plants, which synthesize certain carbohydrates and release oxygen into the air. oxygen- odorless, colorless, tasteless, gaseous chemical element that occurs free in the atmosphere. photosynthesis- the production of organic substances, chiefly sugars, from carbon dioxide and water occurring in green plant cells supplied with enough light to allow chlorophyll to aid in the transformation of the radiant energy into a chemical form. zone layer- an atmospheric layer within the atmosphere absorbing ultraviolet radiation and preventing some heat loss from the earth. climate change- is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather  patterns over periods ranging from decades to mi llions of years. kiln- a furnace or oven for drying, burning or baking something as bricks, grain or pottery. Chapter 2 Research Methodology Research Design The researchers will use experimental method wherein the study focuses on the acceptability of the said topic.Several data were gathered before coming up with a procedure. Research Instruments Materials used in the study: * Brick molder * Cement * Dry Leaves * Water * Shovel Procedure: 1. Pulverize the gathered dry leaves. 2. Mix the pulverized dry leaves, 3 cups cement and 2 cups water. 3. Using a shovel mix thoroughly then put in a block molder. 4. Shape mixed substance. 5. Wait for the block to dry. Research Locale The study was conducted at one of the researcher’s home in Brgy. 12, Cabadbaran City. The place is complete with materials that are use in the study.