Friendship Between George and Lennie Essay

In the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ Steinbeck stresses the importance and abnormality of the friendship between George and Lennie by using a variety of methods. They are complete opposites, yet they share a journey through the struggles of The Great Depression as friends and have faith in the same dream. This pulls them together through the most stressful parts of the novel. These two itinerant workers meet many people along their journey, but the bond between them doesn’t weaken. Right from the beginning of the novel, Steinbeck has portrayed the relationship between Lennie and George appears abnormal. Steinbeck uses dialogue as a method to show the father and son roles between Lennie and George, â€Å"Look, George, look what I done†. This suggests that Steinbeck wants to show Lennie as having the mind of a little boy; when he says this, you think of when a son would say this to a father figure – in this case George – in order to get some kind of r eaction. It is as if Lennie is trying to impress George. This is quite strange, between grown men of around the same age – remembering that Lennie is a fully grown man, but has the mind of a five year old. The author uses historical context as a method and 3rd person narration to allow other people’s views about George and Lennie to be expressed, â€Å"I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy.† This implies, that even form one of the first characters that George and Lennie come across, we already get the impression that others think that Lennie and George have a weird friendship and an unlikely bond. A lot of the characters have a tone made to sound suspicious, which I think is purposely written in to the novel be John Steinbeck. People found it unusual because at the time of the Great Depression, no one had friends because everyone was in competition for the same jobs. The other characters noticed this and thought that it was strange. John Steinbeck uses description as a method to emphasise the unusual nature of the friendship between George and Lennie, â€Å"Behind him walked hi opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eye†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This suggests that these two men completely contrast each other in looks, as well as state of mind. This makes you wonder why George sticks around Lennie, if he is according to the book, a handsome, smart man. They are opposites in everything, but love each other like brothers. George is very fit, healthy and ready to brace anything thrown at him, whereas Lennie is described as much more careless and in a world of his own. This shows contrasting personalities. From the start of the novel, Lennie is shown to be very childlike. John Steinbeck used metaphors as a method to show this, â€Å"dabbed his big paw†. A big paw is suggesting that Lennie has animalistic qualities, whether that is looks or behaviour; I think it is both. Because of these animalistic qualities, I think that Lennie is immature and hard to handle. This makes the friendship between Lennie and George seem strange because I think to myself â€Å"why would George want to stay around Lennie?† Even though Lennie could wind George up and test his patience, they stick by each other. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck uses foreshadowing as a method to portray how weird Lennie and Georges friendship is, â€Å"He aint no good to you, Candy.† Earlier in the story, Candy’s old dog was shot dead by Carlson, because they decided that he was of no use to anyone anymore. Candy then told George that it would be more comforting to know that he shot the dg himself. At the end of the novel, George shot Lennie â€Å"and he pulled the trigger† because he knew that Lennie didn’t need to live anymore and would be better in heaven. George killed Lennie himself because he remembered what Candy told him about the dog. This is a perfect example of the author using correlation. Also, at the start of the novel, they were on t he run and if George hadn’t shot Lennie, they would have to run again. This shows a cyclical occurrence. Steinbeck’s idea about this friendship makes me realise that it would be extremely unusual to form a friendship during the Great Depression due to everyone fighting for jobs at the same ranches. However, Lennie and George did not compete, they stuck together and found jobs at the same ranch. Lennie treats George like a father and George needs Lennie as a companion. I think this is why they work so well together; it is because they need each other. Their friendship reaches its ultimate test, when George has to choose whether or not to shoot Lennie, as self-sacrifice. However, everything that George does for Lennie is in Lennie’s best interest. John Steinbeck makes the friendship seem unusual, but deep down, I think that it is really just natural for them to need a companion.

Lars Von Trier Essay

Lars Trier was born in Kongens Lyngby, north of Copenhagen, the son of Inger Trier (nà ©e Hà ¸st, 1915—1989). He had believed that his biological father was Ulf Trier (1907—1978), until his mother revealed to him on her deathbed that he had been conceived as a result of an affair she had with her employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann. His mother considered herself a Communist, while his father was a Social Democrat, and both were committed nudists,[5] and the young Lars went on several childhood holidays to nudist camps. They regarded the disciplining of children as reactionary. Trier has noted that he was brought up in an atheist family, and that although Ulf Trier was Jewish, he was not religious. His parents did not allow much room in their household for â€Å"feelings, religion, or enjoyment†, and also refused to make any rules for their children,[6] with complex results for von Trier’s personality and development.[7] He began making his own films at the age of 11 after receiving a Super-8 camera as a gift and continued to be involved in independent moviemaking throughout his high school years.[3] In 1979, he was enrolled in the National Film School of Denmark.[8] His peers at the film school nicknamed him â€Å"von Trier†. The name is sort of an inside-joke with the von (German â€Å"of† or â€Å"from† used as a nobiliary particle), suggesting nobility and a certain arrogance, while Lars is a very common and Trier not an unusual name in Denmark.[9] He reportedly kept the â€Å"von† name in homage to Erich von Stroheim and Josef von Sternberg, both of whom also added it later in life.[10] During his time as a student at the school he made the films Nocturne and The Last Detail, both of which won Best Film awards at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools.[11][12] In 1983 he graduated with the 57-minute Images of Liberation, which became the first Danish school film to receive a regular theatrical release.[13] Europe trilogy After graduation he began work on the very stylized crime drama, The Element of Crime (Forbrydelsens element 1984), which won a technical award at the Cannes Film Festival. His next film was Epidemic (1987), which was also shown at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section. The film is partly a dark science fiction-tale of a future plague epidemic, and partly chronicles two filmmakers (played by Lars von Trier and screenwriter Niels Và ¸rsel) preparing that film, with the two storylines ultimately colliding. For television von Trier directed Medea (1988), which won the Jean d’Arcy prize in France. It was based on a screenplay by Carl Th. Dreyer and starred Udo Kier. He completed the Europe-trilogy in 1991 with Europa (released as Zentropa in the U.S.), which won the Prix du Jury at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival[14] and picked up awards at other major festivals. In 1990 he also directed the music video for the worldwide hit â€Å"Bakerman† by Laid Back.[15] This video was reused in 2006 by the English DJ and artist Shaun Baker who did a remake of Bakerman. Zentropa and The Kingdom In 1992 he and producer Peter Aalbà ¦k Jensen founded the movie production company Zentropa Entertainment, named after a train company in Europa, their most recent film at the time.[8] The reason for doing this was to achieve financial independence and to have total creative control. The production company has produced many movies other than von Trier’s own as well as television series. It also has produced hardcore sex films: Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999), HotMen CoolBoyz (2000) and All About Anna (2005). In order to make money for his newly founded company,[16] he made The Kingdom (Riget, 1994) and The Kingdom II (Riget II, 1997), a pair of miniseries recorded in the Danish national hospital, the name â€Å"Riget† being a colloquial name for the hospital known as Rigshospitalet (lit. The Kingdom’s Hospital) in Danish. A projected third installment in the series was derailed by the 1998 death of Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd, who played Helmer, one of the ma jor characters. Dogme 95 In 1995, Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg presented their manifesto for a new cinematic movement which they called Dogme 95. It would however take a while before the first of these films appeared, and at this point many thought of the concept mainly as a radical idea with no future.[citation needed] In 1996, von Trier conducted an unusual theatrical experiment in Copenhagen involving 53 actors, which he titled Psychomobile 1: The World Clock. A documentary chronicling the project was directed by Jesper Jargil, and was released in 2000 with the title De Udstillede (The Exhibited). Von Trier’s next film, Breaking the Waves (1996), the first film in von Trier’s ‘Golden Heart Trilogy’, won the Grand Prix at Cannes and featured Emily Watson, who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Its grainy images and hand-held photography pointed towards Dogme 95. The second was The Idiots (1998), nominated for a Palme d’Or, which he presented in person at the Cannes Film Festival notwithstanding his dislike of travelling. Dancer in the Dark (2000) was the final component of the trilogy. As originator of the Dogme 95 concept, which has led to international interest in Danish film as a whole, he has inspired filmmakers all over the world.[17] Trier and Thomas Vinterberg, who created the Dogme 95 Manifesto and the â€Å"Vow of Chastity† together with their fellow Dogme directors Kristian Levring and Sà ¸ren Kragh-Jacobsen shared in 2008 the European Film Award European Achievement in World Cinema. Explicit images Von Trier’s use of sexually explicit images in The Idiots (1998) started a wave[citation needed] of arthouse mainstream films with unsimulated sex, such as Catherine Breillat’s Romance (1999), Baise-Moi (2000), Intimacy (2001), Vincent Gallo’s The Brown Bunny (2003) and Michael Winterbottom’s 9 Songs (2004). In 1998, Lars von Trier also made history by having his company Zentropa be the world’s first mainstream film company to produce hardcore pornographic films. Three of these films, Constance (1998), Pink Prison (1999) and the adult/mainstream crossover-feature All About Anna (2005), were made primarily for a female audience, and were extremely successful in Europe, with the first two being directly responsible for the March 2006 legalizing of pornography in Norway.[18] Women too like to see other people having sex. What they don’t like is the endless close-ups of hammering bodyparts without a story. Lars von Trier is the first to have realised this and produced valuable quality porn films for women. — Stern No. 40, 27 September 2007[19] Lars von Trier’s initiative spearheaded a European wave of female-friendly porn films from directors such as Anna Span, Erika Lust and Petra Joy, while von Trier’s company Zentropa was forced to abandon the experiment due to pressure from English business partners.[20] In July 2009, women’s magazine Cosmopolitan ranked Pink Prison as No. 1 in its Top Five of the best women’s porn, calling it the â€Å"role model for the new porn-generation†.[21] Lars von Trier would return to explicit images in his self-directed Antichrist (2009), exploring darker themes. 2000s In 2000, von Trier premiered a musical featuring Icelandic musician Bjà ¶rk, Dancer in the Dark. The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.[22] The song â€Å"I’ve Seen It All† (which Trier co-wrote) received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song. The Five Obstructions (2003), made by Lars von Trier and Jà ¸rgen Leth, is a documentary, but also incorporates lengthy sections of experimental films. The premise is that Lars von Trier challenges director Jà ¸rgen Leth, his friend and mentor, to remake his old experimental film The Perfect Human (1967) five times, each time with a different ‘obstruction’ (or obstacle) specified by von Trier.[23] He then directed two films in his announced ‘U.S. trilogy’: Dogville (2003), starring Nicole Kidman and Manderlay (2005), starring Bryce Dallas Howard in the same role – as Grace. Both films are extremely stylized, with the actors playing their parts on a nearly empty soundstage with little but chalk marks on the floor to indicate the sets. Both films had huge casts of major international actors (Harriet Andersson, Lauren Bacall, James Caan, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, etc.), and questioned various issues relating to American society, such as intolerance in Dogville and slavery in Manderlay. Controversy erupted on the 2004 set for Manderlay when actor John C. Reilly walked off the Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden, set in late March. Reilly walked off the film when he learned that an upcoming scene involved the slaughter of a donkey for food. The film’s producer says the animal—who was old and not expected to live much longer—was killed off-camera by a certified veterinarian, in accordance with Swedish law. Reilly was replaced by Zeljko Ivanek.[24] The U.S. was also the scene for Dear Wendy (2005), a feature film directed by von Trier’s â€Å"Dogme-brother† Thomas Vinterberg from a script by von Trier. It starred Jamie Bell and Bill Pullman and dealt with gun worship and violence in American soci ety. In 2006, von Trier released a Danish-language comedy film, The Boss of it All. It was shot using a process that von Trier has called Automavision, which involves the director choosing the best possible fixed camera position and then allowing a computer to randomly choose when to tilt, pan or zoom. It was followed by an autobiographical film, De unge à ¥r: Erik Nietzsche sagaen del 1 (2007), scripted by von Trier but directed by Jacob Thuesen, which tells the story of von Trier’s years as a student at the National Film School of Denmark. It stars Jonatan Spang as von Trier’s alter ego, called â€Å"Erik Nietzsche†, and is narrated by von Trier himself. All main characters in the film are based on real people from the Danish film industry,[citation needed] with the thinly veiled portrayals including Jens Albinus as director Nils Malmros, Dejan ÄÅ'ukić as screenwriter Mogens Rukov and Sà ¸ren Pilmark in an especially unflattering portrayal as sex-obsessed sch ool principal Henning Camre. Von Trier’s next feature film was Antichrist, an art film about â€Å"a grieving couple who retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping a return to Eden will repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage; but nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse†. The film, which includes sexually explicit content, stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg. It premiered in competition at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, where the festival’s jury honoured the movie by giving the Best Actress award to Gainsbourg.[25] The Cannes Film Festival Ecumenical Jury, which gives prizes for movies that promote spiritual, humanist and universal values, also â€Å"honoured† the film with a special â€Å"anti-award†; a spokesman for the jury described it as â€Å"the most misogynist movie from the self-proclaimed biggest director in the world.†[26] In 2010 the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported on their website that the film production company Zentropa is reportedly making more revenue from suing movie pirates in Germany that have downloaded Antichrist illegally than from box office and DVD sales, demanding a payment of around 1,300 euros per download to avoid legal action.[27] 2010s Von Trier’s latest work is Melancholia, a psychological disaster drama;[28] shot between 22 July and 8 September 2010 at Film i Và ¤st’s studios in Trollhà ¤ttan, Sweden,[29] and with exteriors in the area surrounding the Tjolà ¶holm Castle.[30] Magnolia Pictures has acquired the distribution rights for North America.[31] The film was in competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[32] Von Trier announced that after finishing Melancholia he hopes to begin production of The Nymphomaniac, a two-part film about the sexual awakening of a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg).[33] The director explained how he got the idea for the upcoming project: â€Å"my DP on [Melancholia], Manuel Claro, at one point voiced a surprising prejudice. He urged me not to fall into the trap that so many aging directors fall into – that the women get younger and younger and nuder and nuder. That’s all I needed to hear. I most definitely intend for the women in my films to get younger and younger and nuder and nuder†.[34] The announced cast includes Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd, Shia LaBeouf, Willem Dafoe, Connie Nielsen, Jamie Bell, Jens Albinus, Jesper Christensen and Nicole Kidman. Phobias Von Trier suffers from multiple phobias, including an intense fear of flying.[35] His fear of air travel frequently places severely limiting constraints on him and his crew, necessitating that virtually all of his films be shot in either Denmark or Sweden, even those set in the United States or other foreign countries. Von Trier has had a number of his films featured at the Cannes Film Festival over the course of his career, and each time has insisted on driving from Denmark to France for the festival and back. On numerous occasions von Trier has also stated that he suffers from occasional depression which renders him incapable of performing his work and unable to fulfill social obligations.[36] Filming techniques Lars von Trier has said that â€Å"a film should be like a stone in your shoe†. In order to create original art he feels that filmmakers must distinguish themselves stylistically from other films, often by placing restrictions on the filmmaking process. The most famous restriction is the cinematic â€Å"vow of chastity† of the Dogme95 movement with which he is associated, though only one of his films, The Idiots, is an actual Dogme 95 film. In Dancer in the Dark, jump shots[37] and dramatically-different color palettes and camera techniques were used for the â€Å"real world† and musical portions of the film, and in Dogville everything was filmed on a sound stage with no set where the walls of the buildings in the fictional town were marked as lines on the floor. Von Trier often shoots digitally and operates the camera himself, preferring to continuously shoot the actors in-character without stopping between takes. In Dogville he let actors stay in character for hours, in the style of method acting. These techniques often put great strain on actors, most famously with Bjà ¶rk during the filming of Dancer in the Dark. Often he uses the same regular group of actors in many of his films: some of his frequently used actors are Jean-Marc Barr, Udo Kier and Stellan Skarsgà ¥rd. He is heavily influenced by the work of Carl Theodor Dreyer[38] and the film The Night Porter.[39] He was so inspired by the short film The Perfect Human directed by Jà ¸rgen Leth that he challenged Leth to redo the short five times in feature film The Five Obstructions.[40] Trilogies Von Trier has on occasion referred to his films as falling into thematic and stylistic trilogies. This pattern began with his first feature film, marking the beginning of The Europa Trilogy, though he claims a trilogy was not initially planned, instead being applied to the films in retrospect. The Europe trilogy illuminated the traumas of Europe in the past and future. This trilogy includes The Element of Crime (1984), Epidemic (1987) and Europa (1991). The Golden Heart trilogy was about naive heroines who maintain their ‘golden hearts’ despite the tragedies they experience. This trilogy consists of Breaking the Waves (1996), The Idiots (1998) and Dancer in the Dark (2000). While all three films are sometimes associated with the Dogme 95 movement, only The Idiots is a certified Dogme 95 film. The USA: Land of Opportunities trilogy follows the character of Grace, and is set in a stylized American past. Von Trier has stated he was inspired to make a trilogy about the United States as a reaction to Americans at the Cannes film festival who said he had no right to make the Dancer in the Dark,[8] which was often viewed as being critical of a country he has never been to (and has no intention of ever visiting, due to his phobia of travel); however, von Trier himself has stated in interviews he did not intend it to be a criticism of America, saying the film takes place in a â€Å"fictional America†. Von Trier proposed the films as ‘a series of sermons on America’s sins and hypocrisy’[citation needed], inspired by the fact that American movie makers have made many movies about places across the world to which they have not travelled. All three movies will be shot in the same distinctive style, on a bare sound stage with no set and buildings marked by lines on the floor. This style is inspired by 1970s televised theatre. The trilogy will consist of Dogville (2003), Manderlay (2005) and the so far not produced Washington. The Depression Trilogy consists of Antichrist, Melancholia and the yet to be completed, Nymphomaniac. All three star Charlotte Gainsbourg and deal with characters that deal with depression or grief in different ways. This trilogy is said to represent the current depression that von Trier himself is currently going through. The Kingdom (Riget) was planned as a trilogy of three seasons with 13 episodes in total, but the third season was not filmed due to death of star Ernst-Hugo Jà ¤regà ¥rd shortly after completion of the second season. Biological father In 1989, von Trier’s mother revealed on her deathbed that the man who he thought was his father was not, and that she had had a tryst with her former employer, Fritz Michael Hartmann (1909–2000),[41] who descended from a long line of Roman Catholic classical musicians (his grandfather was Emil Hartmann, his great grandfather J.P.E. Hartmann, his uncles included Niels Gade and Johan Ernst Hartmann and thus Niels Viggo Bentzon was his cousin). She stated that she did this in order to give her son â€Å"artistic genes†.[42] Until that point I thought I had a Jewish background. But I’m really more of a Nazi. I believe that my biological father’s German family went back two further generations. Before she died, my mother told me to be happy that I was the son of this other man. She said my foster father had had no goals and no strength. But he was a loving man. And I was very sad about this revelation. And you then feel manipulated when you really do tur n out to be creative. If I’d known that my mother had this plan, I would have become something else. I would have shown her. The slut![43] During the German occupation of Denmark, Fritz Michael Hartmann worked as a civil servant and joined a resistance group (Frit Danmark), actively counteracting any pro-German and pro-Nazi colleagues in his department.[44] Another member of this infiltrative resistance group was Hartmann’s colleague Viggo Kampmann, who would later become prime minister of Denmark.[45] After four awkward meetings with his biological father, the man refused further contact.[46] The revelations led von Trier to attempt to â€Å"erase† the connections with his stepfather by converting to Catholicism, and to rework his filmmaking into a style emphasizing â€Å"honesty†.[3] I don’t know if I’m all that Catholic really. I’m probably not. Denmark is a very Protestant country. Perhaps I only turned Catholic to piss off a few of my countrymen.[43] In 2009, he declared, â€Å"I’m a very bad Catholic. In fact I’m becoming more and more of an atheist.†[47] Controversy at 2011 Cannes Film Festival On 19 May 2011, Cannes Film Festival’s board of directors declared von Trier persona non grata for comments he made during a press conference for his film Melancholia the day before, an unprecedented move for the film festival.[48][49] Responding to a question by The Times film critic Kate Muir about his German roots and his comments in a Danish film magazine about the Nazi aesthetic, von Trier claimed to have some sympathy for and understanding of Adolf Hitler,[50] and then jokingly claimed to be a Nazi himself:[51][52] Von Trier at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. What can I say? I understand Hitler, but I think he did some wrong things, yes, absolutely. †¦ He’s not what you would call a good guy, but I understand much about him, and I sympathize with him a little bit. But come on, I’m not for the Second World War, and I’m not against Jews. †¦ I am of course very much for Jews, no not too much, because Israel is pain in the ass, but still how can I get out of this sentence. †¦ — Press Conference for Melancholia, Cannes, 2011[53][54] Referring to the art of Nazi architect Albert Speer, von Trier added: †¦ he had some talent that was kind of possible for him to use during†¦ Ok, I’m a Nazi. Then, to Toronto Star film critic Peter Howell, who questioned whether Melancholia could be an answer to Hollywood blockbusters and asked von Trier if he could â€Å"envision doing a film on a grander scale than this†, von Trier replied: On a grander scale? Yeah. Yeah that’s what we Nazis, we have a tendency to do things on a greater scale. Yeah, maybe you could persuade me into the final solution with journalists. †¦ Hours later, von Trier released a brief statement of apology about his comments at the press conference: â€Å"If I have hurt someone this morning by the words I said at the press conference, I sincerely apologise. I am not anti-semitic or racially prejudiced in any way, nor am I a Nazi.†[55] The next day, the festival directors held an extraordinary meeting, deciding his remarks were â€Å"unacceptable, intolerable and contrary to the ideals of humanity and generosity that preside over the very existence of the festival. [†¦] The board of directors condemns these comments and declares Lars von Trier persona non grata at the Festival de Cannes, with effect immediately.†[55] Afterwards, von Trier held a news conference of his own in Danish. His first remark to the Danish journalists was: â€Å"If any of you journalists will beat me, so just do it. I will enjoy it.† He went on to say that â€Å"The Holocaust is the worst crime that ever happened. I have nothing against Jews. I have a Jewish name, and all my children have Jewish names.† He admitted that his remarks about the Nazis had been misguided, saying â€Å"It was really stupidly done and it was in the wrong forum. At the press conference with Danish journalists, there were no problems, but I do not think the international journalists understand my Danish humor.† But he also said he was proud to have been kicked out of the Cannes festival: â€Å"I am proud to have been declared ‘persona non grata’. It is perhaps the first time in cinematic history, it has happened. †¦ I think one reason is that French people treated the Jews badly during World War II. Therefore, it is a sensitive topic for them. I respect the Cannes festival very highly, but I also understand that they are very angry at me right now.†[56][55] Speaking to other news outlets he said that his comments were â€Å"very sarcastic and very rude, but that’s very Danish.† He also added, â€Å"I don’t sympathize with Hitler for one second.†[57] In the October 2011 issue of GQ, von Trier is quoted in an interview saying he was not really sorry for the comments he made, only sorry he didn’t make it clear that he was joking. He added, â€Å"I can’t be sorry for what I said—it’s against my nature.†[58] On 5 October 2011, von Trier was interviewed by police in Denmark about his remarks at Cannes. Afterwards, he announced that he had ‘decided from this day forth to refrain from all public statements and interviews’.[59] Honours Von Trier was made a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog on 14 January 1997.[60] Ten years later von Trier decided to hand back the prize, saying that the Danish royal family are just â€Å"simple people of bad quality†.[61]

God’s rule over human happenings Essay

God controls events of human history to accomplish of his purposes. God’s rule over human happenings is demonstrated many times in the Bible. One of the clearest examples is recorded in the first four chapters of the book of Daniel. Daniel and three of his friends were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In Babylon they are trained to be special servants of the king. When Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and apparently forgot it, he demanded that his wise men tell him what he dreamed and give its interpretation, on penalty of death if they didn’t. When Daniel heard about this situation, he and his friends prayed to God to learn about the dream and its interpretation. When God revealed the dream and its meaning to Daniel, Daniel thanked God by saying, â€Å"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. . . . He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. . . . I thank You and praise You, O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known . . . the king’s demand† (Daniel 2:20-23, NKJV). The dream was about a man with a head of gold, his chest and arms of silver, his thighs of bronze, his legs of iron, and his feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Daniel told the king that God had revealed to him the dream and its interpretation. He declared that different parts of the man represented various kingdoms. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar. His was the greatest kingdom. After him would come lesser kingdoms, represented by the inferior medals, until the coming of the greatest – an everlasting kingdom – represented by a stone, uncut by human hands. The stone would strike the image and broke it in pieces. It would then became a great mountain and fill the whole earth. Nebuchadnezzar was grateful to Daniel for telling him his dream and its interpretation. He declared, â€Å"Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret† (Daniel 2:47). The king then promoted Daniel to be ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Moreover, Daniel’s three friends were placed in positions of power in the province of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was a most powerful king. He was also very conceited. He built an image of gold, ninety feet tall. Why he built it is not declared in scripture. However, it may be because the dream, wherein he was represented as possessing a kingdom portrayed with a head of gold, motivated him to exalt himself in that way. He called for everyone to fall down before the image and worship it. But Daniel’s three friends refused. Nebuchadnezzar threatened them, saying that they would be put into a furnace of fire if they didn’t prostrate themselves before it. They still refused, saying that God would deliver them, but even if he didn’t, they would not worship the image. Nebuchadnezzar, full of fury, had them put into the fiery furnace. Afterward, however, when he looked into the furnace, he was greatly surprised. There was a fourth person, one like a son of the gods, walking among them and none of them were burned. When Nebuchadnezzar called for them to come out of the furnace, he discovered that they were not singed, nor did they have even the smell of fire on them. Therefore he said, â€Å"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him . . . that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.† (Daniel 3:28-29) He then promoted them in the province of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar thus came not only to recognize, but also to appreciate the Most High God. Nevertheless, Nebuchadnezzar was still filled with great pride. In his own words, Nebuchadnezzar told how he came to be humbled by God. He had another dream which none but Daniel could interpret. The dream was about a great, strong, and high tree with lovely leaves and abundant fruit. In it the birds lodged, under it animals found shade, and from it all flesh was fed. But a voice from heaven commanded the tree to be cut down. Even so, the stump and roots were to be left, bound with iron and bronze in the grass of the field. Before being told the meaning of the dream, Nebuchadnezzar recognized that â€Å"This decision is . . . in order that the living may know  that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men† (Daniel 4:17). When told the dream, Daniel was disturbed because he knew it was against the King. The tree represented the king. Although the king was great, he would be cut down but not destroyed. His heart would become like that of an animal and he would eat grass for seven â€Å"times† (probably seven years). However, Nebuchadnezzar was assured that the kingdom would be his after he came to realize that Heaven rules. Daniel then advised the king, â€Å"break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity† (Daniel 4:20). The dream began to be fulfilled a year later while Nebuchadnezzar was walking in his palace. He said, â€Å"Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?† (Daniel 4:30). It was then that a voice from heaven said, â€Å"King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses† (Daniel 4:31-32). And so it was. Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like an ox, his body was wet with the dew of heaven, his hair grew like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like bird’s claws. At the end of the time, Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding returned to him, as did his kingdom, honor, splendor, counselors and nobles. He then blessed the Most High, saying, â€Å"His dominion is an everlasting dominion, . . . He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’† (Daniel 4:34-35). He then praised and honored the King of Heaven, saying that his works are true and his ways just. Moreover, he said, â€Å"those who walk in pride, He is able to put down† (Daniel 4:37). God rules. He sent dreams to Nebuchadnezzar. Through Daniel, God made their interpretations known. In this way God caused Daniel to become ruler over  all Babylon and his friends to be elevated to rulership positions. God changed Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and made him to be a believer in the Most High God. He also humbled and then restored Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom. He thereby caused His name to be heralded by the King throughout all Babylon (Daniel 4:1-3). Nebuchadnezzar came to know that God ruled. Yet he probably did not understood the extent or purposes of God’s rule. He may not have realized that in all these things God was preserving the Israelites in their captivity. When we see disturbing conditions in our world (just as the Israelites saw and were disturbed by the fall of Jerusalem and the overthrow of their nation by the Babylonians) we should realize that God â€Å"reigns over the nations, God sits on his holy throne† (Psalm 47:8; See also Jeremiah 18:7-10). He still rules in the kingdom of men. And while we may not know the extent of God’s rule, we should realize that God is working out his own purposes through contemporary human events.

Real Estate Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Real Estate - Research Paper Example In tandem with some good prospects for other GCC states, such as Qatar which is expected to benefit from the real estate boom fueled by its hosting of the World Cup in 2022, Kuwait is seen as enjoying a boost to its real estate sector in general moving forward, with positive signs in 2012. Of the three segments, residential, investment and commercial segments in Kuwait, it is the residential sector that has seen much growth in 2012, followed by the investment segment, and with the commercial segment trailing and exhibiting problems and poorer prospects overall relative to the residential and investment segments of the Kuwaiti real estate sector (Ejaz). Taking a step back, prior to the financial crisis of 2007-2008, it is worth noting that prospects for the Kuwaiti real estate sector were seen as very good by the mainstream investing public, with the real estate sector seen as being one of the key pillars of the Kuwaiti economy, together with oil and the Kuwaiti stock exchange. As it is at present, in 2007 the residential segment of the sector was seen as leading the charge of growth, with the investment segment behind it, and the commercial segment seen as doing relatively well too, during that time, with growth at an compounded annual growth rate of 18.8 percent for the period from 2000 all the way to 2006. We can see, moreover, that from the way the literature has segmented the Kuwaiti real estate sector, that industrial real estate translates to commercial real estate roughly, as this is the segment of the sector that is allotted to businesses. The investment segment, on the other hand, pertain to those properties that are allocated to being rented out to foreigners and other entities within the Kuwait society (Global Investment House KSCC). Moreover, taking the entire discussion in the context of the situation of the real estate availability in Kuwait, one sees that because of the government mandate to provide property/housing for all citizens of Kuwait, an d owing to the fact that just a tenth of the total land in the country is available for real estate activities, that two things are evident. One is that residential or non-industrial real estate dominates activities in Kuwait. Two is that there is less emphasis conversely on the industrial real estate sector in Kuwait, with Kuwaiti real estate firms focused instead on venturing into nearby regions for industrial real estate development due to the lack of land for such purposes in Kuwait. On the other hand, government is in charge of most of the industrial real estate development in the country, it seems, from the way the government has been spearheading the very large industrial projects in Silk City and in the islands of Failaka and Bubiyan, with the goal of uplifting the state of industrial development in Kuwait to make it on even terms with the level of business real estate development in the other GCC countries (Zawya). There are prospects for industrial real estate activities w ithin the free trade zone known as the Kuwait Free Trade Zone or KFTZ, which had been in operation since 1999, and have about 90 percent occupancy rates for companies who have on paper come to enjoy some of the benefits that do not accrue

Why is child obesity on the rise Research Paper

Why is child obesity on the rise - Research Paper Example BMI is a measurement that compares a person’s weight and height. Children suffering from obesity experience medical and psychological effects. Children suffering from obesity are more likely to suffer from type II diabetes, heart diseases, sleep apnea, pancreatic complications, asthma and liver problems. Obese children may suffer from depression, low self esteem and emotional eating. Medical and psychological problems may interfere with academic progress as well as successful transition of children from childhood to adulthood. Furthermore, parents or guardians of obese children spent a lot of money to treat illness associated with obesity. It is because of the above reasons that World Health Organization has declared obesity as a public health global epidemic that must be contained. The number of children suffering from obesity in Central Valley of California is increasing. According to the research conducted by The Central Valley Health Policy Institute at California State Un iversity, obesity in the valley is higher than average obesity rates in the whole of California. The prevalence rate of children suffering from obesity in Central valley has more than tripled in the recent times. According to Rivera (2005), Central Valley has the highest percentage of overweight children at 42 percent. Increased rates of obesity in the Central Valley is attributed to higher levels of poverty, limited access to healthy food and reduced opportunities for physical activities. There are various interventions that have been made by schools, department of health and community based organization to reduce the incidence of obesity in children. The interventions include increased provision of vegetables and fruits as well as increased physical activities in children among others. These interventions must be increased in scope and intensity to be more effective to reduce psychological, medical and economic challenges that will interfere with children, parents and community at large. 2.0 Historical Context World Health Organization claimed that obesity is leading cause of preventable death as well as disability globally. Obesity is also linked with increasing number of chronic diseases. Obesity was rare before twentieth century. World Health organization recognized obesity as a global epidemic in 1997. In 2005, World Health Organization estimated that about four hundred million adults were obese. This is about 9.8 percent of the global adult population. Obesity rates increases as people get older. Obesity rates are severe with people above fifty years in the United States, Canada and Australia. However, more children are diagnosed with obesity each passing day. Obesity is a medical condition where a child accumulates excess fats in the body. Obese children are overweight with body mass index above 30. According to WHO (2004), Body Mass Index (BMI) indicate weather a person is underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. A child is underweight if BMI is less than 18.50, normal weight BMI is between 18.50 - 24.99, overweight BMI is 25.00 - 29.99 and obese children have BMI of 30.00 and above (refer to table 1). Obesity is a serious health issue because it causes untold suffering to the children and increases the cost of treatment. Ogden et al (20101) revealed that preschool children between two and five years suffering from obesity increased from 5 percent to 10.4 percent from 1980 to 2008.

Product life cycle (PLC) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Product life cycle (PLC) - Assignment Example Introduction Stage Pepsi Next is a beverage drink manufactured by Pepsi. Pepsi introduced it into the United States market in 2012, and therefore, it is at the introduction stage. Ever since, Pepsi has introduced the product to the international market. The company had a strong launch for the product. This shows it commitment to making the product globally recognizable. Its target market includes lapse cola drinkers. According to Pilger,†the company had lost a significant number of cola drinkers to competitors and the main aim of Pepsi Next was to win them back† (54). The company used â€Å"drink it to believe it† tag line in launching the product. The philosophy has worked well for the company. In terms of promotion mix, the company applied television adverts, direct mail, digital marketing, and heavy free trials. The product is at the introduction stage because of the high cost per a new customer acquired. The high cost is associated with the marketing costs, for example, the heavy free trials. The company offered free samples for the product including the over 800 Wal-Mart stores. Although the company’s top leadership believes that the product has performed beyond expectation, it has registered low sales. For example, because of a strong launch and promotional activities, the product had acquired a market share of 1 percent. However, the market share has declined to 0.6 percent because of low repeat sales. However, the management is convinced that the product would perform better in future. Growth stage Coke Zero is a soft drink manufactured by Coca-Cola. The company launched the product in 2006. It is at the growth stage in the product life cycle. Since the product was introduced into the market, it has been registering increasing sales. It has contributed a lot to the company’s profitability. For example, within the two years of the introduction into the UK market, the product sales reached ?75 million. Hays states that â⠂¬Å"the drink has been launched in over 70 countries and is experiencing growth in over 80 percent of its new markets† (98). The target market for the product is young men and women who are concerned about their sugar intake. After the product was introduced into the market, Pepsi sugar free drinks experienced decreased demand within the first two years. Diet Pepsi and Pepsi Max, for example registered a demand of 129 million liters for the seven months after the product was launched. This was a decline compared to the demand of 138 million liters registered within the same period the previous year. Coke zero currently is registering increasing profit and an average cost per customer. This is because there are no costly promotional activities going on as the product is already established. Maturity Stage Sprite manufactured by Coca-cola is at maturity stage. The soft drink has been in existence since 1961. The product is at the sales peak, which cannot grow further. Baldwin st ates â€Å"Sprite has a low cost per customer (32)†. One reason behind this is the fact that the product is already globally recognizable and there are no costly promotional methods used in marketing it. There are as well high profits associated with the product now. Additionally, Sprite does not face a stiff competition as it was facing during the growth stage. Decline stage Diet Dr. Pepper, on the other hand is a soft drink that was introduced in 1963. After it was introduced, the product enjoyed increased support from its target

Water wars the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Water wars the Middle East - Essay Example Fresh water is a very important resource that is in short supply and continuously diminishing in numerous regions across the globe. In barren, semi-arid, and desert regions, like the Middle East, water shortages are a serious problem. Regions lacking access to adequate supply of water resources had witnessed vicious competitions for fresh water supplies since ancient times.   The likelihood of conflict is aggravated by the fact that numerous major rivers extend to the territories of various nations, and political boundaries partition underground water tables. Proponents of the water wars hypothesis cite numerous subjective proofs to substantiate their assumption that conflicts over access to water resources will lead to wars, like the statement of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat that Egypt will soon fight over water resources, or the warnings of Turkey to discontinue water supply from Euphrates to the detriment of Iraq.   However, these predictions are not actually backed u p by evidence, and are filled with methodological weaknesses. Declaring a trend, like what Peter Gleick, a well-known environmental security scholar, did is unjustifiable because Gleick and others do not take into consideration the earlier prevalence of conflicts over water, which requires a comparison between the prevalence of actual instances of conflict and the number of such instances across the globe.   The examination of present and future situations is also subjective and unreliable, and the affirmation of a trend is not supported.

The Situation of a Company Hanson Private Limited Assignment

The Situation of a Company Hanson Private Limited - Assignment Example The biggest issue HPL faces are regarding the size of the investment. The company has never made such a large investment in a single project at one go. This would practically stall investments into all other projects in the pipeline for the medium term. Hence, the company is not in a position to afford any failure in this project. The retail partner is willing to agree to a 3-year contract only. However, with such a large investment, there is a risk of not getting the money back within 3 years. It is possible that the products fail or are rendered obsolete at the end of 3 years. The company faces a risk of the debt trap. Right now, HPL maintains a highly favorable debt position. For adding new capacity, there are constraints in raising money through equity and almost all the financing will have to be done through debt. This raises the risk exposure of the company enormously. Hanson manufactures private label products in the personal care space where the competition is very intense. A large number of branded and non-branded companies are vying for a limited shelf space. Hanson already covers 28% of the private label market in personal care space. Therefore, there is a limit to the scope of further acquiring the market share. The personal care market volumes have increased less than 1% in the past 4 years. The marginal growth (1.7%) has been largely driven by the price increases. However, one of the biggest USPs of private label products has been their low prices as compared to the branded ones.

Process Steam Boiler Conversion Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Process Steam Boiler Conversion Project - Essay Example Failed projects have a colossal negative impact to any business, especially due to the time and resources spent. Ensuring that the project management process continues in a successful manner, tools are available to support and ensure that the aspects of project integration, time, cost, quality, as well as human resources are effectively covered. The project charter for instance is a very important document that is prepared to support a successful project management process (Schwalbe, 2009). This lays the framework for the project management process and remains a strong reference point during the progress of the project. Lack of a project charter reflects negatively on the project and can adversely affect its success. Scheduling under project time management can be demonstrated using scheduling chart tools such as Gantt chart and critical path method (CPM). During project activity documentation, the project manager can use illustrations and diagrams to ensure that communication is wel l effected among the members of a project team and with other stakeholders. Charts are used to ensure that information is accurately passed across to the target audience. Another common tool in use in scheduling is the project evaluation and review technique (PERT) which is an analysis tool that can also be used by the manager to schedule the project’s activities. The most important key to successful and effective project management is through planning. A logically constructed and orderly plan is essential to direct any type of project and to help in preparing a report from conception through completion. The key to good planning is in its turn founded on clearly defined project objectives. For instance, project planning can begin with the identification of the client's needs, the development of a budget and work schedule that fit these needs, and the planning for resources, including staff and materials. The setting up of a clearly defined project proposal plan is therefore v ery useful from the beginning as it can help ensure that matters as a technically capable staff and an adequate budget are part of the process. The understanding of the assumptions is important given how the expectations for the final results of the project are based on the initial suppositions made. Furthermore, changing assumptions throughout the project can bring about lack of satisfaction about the final results among the senior management; a scenario that is rather frequent in the project management field. Therefore, and despite the fact that project length remains a critical factor in the eventual extent of satisfaction exhibited with regard to the final results, assumptions should be documented at project initiation and throughout using the project charter as a possible means. The project manager should from then on continue to challenge and revalidate the assumptions to ensure that the project is either redirected towards a different set of objectives or simply terminated fu lly in the event of changing assumptions. Among the assumptions that need to be considered are related to both enterprise environmental factors as well as organizational process assets. Assumptions related to the external environment, and which can affect any given project and should be therefore taken well into account, include for

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - Research Paper Example The author of this research paper provides the reader with the description of a condition called Duchenne muscular dystrophy that is named after French neurologist Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne who is known for his description of the disease in fine detail. This research paper focuses on discussing of the various aspects of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy, such as it's basic definition, description, epidemiology, pathogenicty, symptoms and diagnosis, treatment and on-going research. This desiase is common in boys between ages 3 and 5 and progresses very fast with most patients completely unable to walk by age 12. However, the disease can be detected with about 95% accuracy by conducting genetic studies during pregnancy. Currently, several possible treatments are being investigated in trials globally in hospitals, laboratories, independent researchers, research institutions and higher learning institutions such as universities with the major focus placed on pursuance cure from ste m cells and gene therapy. The researcher explains current treatment methods that basically aim at merely controlling symptoms and improving quality of life. It is concluded that duchenne muscular dystrophy remains one of the greatest health concerns amongst young children and especially boys today. It is prudent that expectant mothers who are carriers of the disease get help from doctors during their pregnancy so that steps can be taken to minimize effects of the ailment on their children as treatment is still researched.

Polar Bears Essay Example for Free

Polar Bears Essay Polar bears are found in the Northern hemisphere inside the US, Canada, Russia, Denmark and Norway. It is estimated that there are twenty thousand to twenty five thousand polar bears in the world. Adult male polar bears can measure eight to ten feet tall with a weight of two hundred and fifty to seven hundred kilograms. Adult female bears are much smaller weighing ninety to three hundred and twenty kilograms. Seals are the primary prey of the polar bear. The ringed seal is the favorite diet of the polar bear. Polar bears usually eat only the fat if hunting is good and leave the rest of the carcass for scavengers. Polar bears are also known to eat walrus and beluga whales. They have been known to hunt reindeer, birds, kelp and beached whales. The polar bear is at the top of the food chain in the Arctic. It helps to maintain the balance of nature by preventing the overpopulation of seals. The average life span of a polar bear is between fifteen to eighteen years. Some bears have been found to live until their thirties (Bruemmer 23,1989). Female polar bears have two cubs in a litter. They have one of the slowest reproductive rates of any mammal. The cubs are born in snow dens called maternity dens. Scientists have recognized that there an estimated nineteen distinct populations of polar bears without any subspecies. Polar bears do not have enemies but they might view humans as potential adversaries. The biggest threat facing the polar bear is the change in the climate. Polar bears are adapted to survive in the harsh conditions of the Artic where the temperatures can plunge to -50 F. Polar bears have two layers of fur which provide good protection and insulation that prevents any heat loss. They also have a thick layer of blubber which measures four inches (Matthews 41, 1993). Another adaptation of the polar bear is the compact ears and small tail which prevent heat loss. While being protected from the cold, they experience problems with overheating which can occur even in cold weather. Polar bears have small bumps called papillae which help protect their feet from slipping on ice. They have strong powerful claws that allow them to catch seals. They have a powerful nose enough to detect prey which is miles away (Hemstock 63, 1999). The polar bear can adapt to the harsh environment of the Arctic because it has a thick fur coat which provides protection. Long and dense guard hairs are present outside the thick fur coat. An undercoat consists of short woolly hairs in the polar bear. Sunlight can directly make contact with the polar bear’s skin using guard hairs which act as hollow tubes. The color of the bear’s skin inside is black while from the outside it looks white. The dark skins help in absorption of heat. The layer of blubber under its skin helps keep it warm in icy water as well as on land. For human beings, the Arctic appears to be a harsh environment but for animals like the polar bear with the correct adaptations, it does not become a harsh environment for them. Polar bears live in an environment which is characterized by the freezing of the ocean which forms sea ice. The bear has paws which provide a good grip on the slick and cold surface. It helps in keeping the footing on slippery ground. Another adaptation of the polar bear is the rough pads which gives it a non slip grip. The bear ensures its feet are warm because of the thick fur between the pads. The front paws have sharp and curved claws which act like hooks that provide climbing abilities to the polar bear on ice. They also help in digging in the ice while hunting seals. Although polar bears do not hibernate in the true sense, some bears especially female pregnant bears can dig dens and hibernate. They give birth to cubs inside the dens in early winter. They stay inside the den till spring. The den’s temperature can be around forty degrees Fahrenheit because of the presence of a warm and big bear.   Hibernation is an adaptation by the polar bear which they usually do when storms and blowing snow make travel and hunting difficult (Lockwood 23, 2006). They curl up and let the snow cover them. They find themselves being warm inside the snow as compared with the air. Polar bears have a yellowish shade to their coats which can occur due to staining from seal oils. This coat allows it to blend with the snow covered environment. It is an important hunting adaptation by the polar bear in the harsh environment of the Arctic. The front legs are bowl legged and pigeon toed which is another protection from slipping on the ice. The marine environment in which polar bears live has made them evolve many adaptations to survive. They have white coloration which helps camouflage them and gives them an advantage during hunting of seals. They have water repellent guard hairs and dense under fur which helps in absorbing heat. Polar bears have the ability to make a solid grip on slippery ice using small suction cups on the soles of their feet.   Teeth of the polar bears are suitable for a carnivorous diet. Their ability to store huge amounts of fat helps protect them during food scarcity (Sage 147, 1986).   They have teeth which are specialized for a carnivorous rather than omnivorous diet. This storage capacity can help for feeding purposes if hunting season is not good. While seals are the favorite food of polar bears, walruses and whales can also be hunted and eaten by them. They can even eat carcasses and carrion of whale and seals which are found along the coast. They have excellent swimming abilities which help them cross bays or leads. Their swimming abilities are powerful as they enable the bear to swim over long distances. Research conducted by scientists has found out that polar bears can swim continuously for one hundred kilometers (Rosing 78, 1996). The front paws can help propel them through the water. Flat hind feet and legs help the polar bear to use them as rudders. The polar bear can stay warm inside the cold water due to the thick layer of blubber. Polar bears can attain a swimming speed of ten kilometers per hour. They can remain underwater by closing their nostrils. They catch their prey by making shallow dives inside the cold water. They swim under water of depths of three to four meters. They can remain underwater for a time period of two minutes (Domico 25, 1988). The body temperature of a polar bear is normally ninety eight degree Fahrenheit.   Temperature regulation is achieved by the thick layer of fur and tough hide. Additional heat regulation is attained by insulating layer of blubber. Insulation is so powerful that even during temperature drops the bear remains warm. However the problem of overheating remains because of the strong insulation. In order to prevent their bodies from getting overheated, the polar bears periodically take rests and move at a slow speed. The polar bear can release excess heat from the body in areas where the fur is absent like nose, ears, inner thighs and shoulders. Excess heat can also be released through blood vessels which are closer to the skin (Dalziel 14, 1994). Swimming is an adaptation by the polar bear by which they can cool themselves during hot days or after physical activity. Polar bears enter a state of carnivore lethargy which is similar to hibernation. Their vital body functions continue and the body temperatures remain constant during carnivore lethargy. The body temperature drops slightly as the female polar bear fasts throughout hibernation. They may lose most or all of their fat stores. Research has concluded that polar bears which do not hibernate during times of food shortages can efficiently use their energy reserves like hibernating bears. The harsh environment of the Arctic has resulted in the polar bear using many adaptations to the challenges of such an environment. Scientists have appreciated how polar bears using their adaptations can survive for two decades or more on the glacial ice of the Arctic Circle (Derocher 140, 1990). The grizzly bear is found in the jungles, streams and mountains of western North America. Compared with the polar bear, the grizzly bear is found in the uplands of western North America. It is a solitary animal which lives near streams, lakes and rivers. Females produce one or four young cubs which hare small. They can reach weights of one hundred and eighty kilograms. They have hind legs as males are larger than females. The huge size of the bear helps in attracting females for breeding purposes. The color of the grizzly bear is different from the polar bear due to the different environments with regard to diet and temperature (Lyman 23, 1982). The grizzly bear has powerful digging abilities because of the large hump over its shoulders. Grizzly bears have large round heads which provide good running speeds for them. They are slower running downhill because of the large hump of muscle over their shoulders. Grizzly bears have longer claws and cranial profiles as compared with the polar bear. Grizzly bears tend to eat eighty to ninety pounds of food per day to allow it to hibernate in the winter. It can build beds under branches or dig holes under the ground which is an adaptation that allows it to be protected without the need for food. Grizzly bears have long claws as compared with polar bears as they need to catch salmon and dig. It gives the grizzlies an easier time to catch food for its young cubs and itself. Like polar bears they have also developed a keen sense of smell to find food for their young cubs. They do not have good eyesight as compared with polar bears. The grizzlies have adapted to their less harsh environment by having a good sense of smell which allows them to sniff out things (Nowak 52, 1991). The harsh arctic environment of the polar bear has forced it to create many adaptations which help to ensure its survival. The polar bear’s favorite prey is the seal. It helps to prevent the overpopulation of the seal. Sometimes polar bears can also eat carrion and carcasses of seals and whales which come across the coast. Polar bears have excellent swimming skills which allow them to swim at high speeds. They can swim for many long hours and remain underwater for a time period of two minutes. They use their diving skills to look for prey. They have small suction cups which provide good traction during slippery grounds. The polar bear can adapt to the harsh environment of the Arctic because it has a thick fur coat which provides protection. Long and dense guard hairs are present outside the thick fur coat. Polar bears have a yellowish shade to their coats which can occur due to staining from seal oils. This coat allows it to blend with the snow covered environment. It is an important hunting adaptation by the polar bear in the harsh environment of the Arctic. Compared with grizzly bears, the polar bear has different adaptations because of the different environments in which they live. References: Bruemmer, Fred (1989). World of the Polar Bear. Toronto, ON: Key Porter Books. Matthews, Downs (1993). Polar Bear. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. Hemstock, Annie (1999). The Polar Bear. Manakato, MN: Capstone Press. Lockwood, Sophie (2006). Polar Bears. Chanhassen, MN: The Childs World. Rosing, Norbert (1996). The World of the Polar Bear. Willowdale, ON: Firefly Books Ltd.. Derocher, A.E. and I. Stirling. Observations of aggregating behaviour in adult male polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Canadian Journal of Zoology 68, 1990 Dalziel, Ian W.D. Arctic. The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 1994. Domico, Terry. Bears of the World. New York: Facts On File, 1988. Lyman, C. P., et al. Hibernation and Torpor in Mammals and Birds. New York: Academic Press, 1982. Nowak, Ronald M., ed. Walkers Mammals of the World. 5th edition. Volume 2. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991. Sage, Bryan. The Arctic and its Wildlife. New York: Facts On File Publications, Inc., 1986

Analysis on the role of women and men in vanity Essay Example for Free

Analysis on the role of women and men in vanity Essay Victorian era literary has produced many different masterpieces from many different writers who focused mainly on the emergence of interpersonal issues involving love, money and social status, usually backdropped by a historical event with national relevance at the time of the story telling. Vanity Fair is one of these types of this kind of work. And even until today, Vanity Fair is one of the materials referenced by critics during literary analysis involving the role of women in the society, the role of patriarchal influence in the Victorian era social politics and the presentation of different women stereotypes in literature. Vanity Fair is a serialized literary material written by William Makepeace Thackeray, published initially in the pages of Punch Magazine in the United Kingdom, beginning at the start of the year 1847, the final instalment appearing a year later in July. The initial title of this masterpiece was Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero. A popular saying describes vanity as the favorite sin of men and women, a line of thought which will be heavily discussed and supported in this particular paper through the analysis of the presence of vanity and the role of men and women inside the society on the propagation and existence of vanity. Vanity Fair is a very interesting book that attacks personal and societal illnesses that causes the corruption and corrosion from the inside of what was believed to be a socially-shared moral right. The author attacked the issues and the personal and social crises by pointing out the role of individuals as well as the role of the structure of the society that influences the lives of the individuals in the story. â€Å"Almost every sin in Vanity Fair can be traced, beyond personal weakness, to the fundamental laws of money and class The poison in Vanity Fair infects the bottom rungs of the social ladder as well as the top (Dyson, 1973, p. 86). † The role of women in William Thackeray’s â€Å"Vanity Fair† There are many different women found in the novel Vanity Fair. But there are some key female characters that provided significant roles in the story so that the novel can depict the real life situation in the Victorian era and in the process provide whatever moral lesson it can about the aspects of life that it managed to discuss and tackle. The list of key female characters that require scrutiny and analysis is topped by the three women characters that possess any or all of the traits that made them important, like personality, influence, cunning and power: Miss Crawley and the contrasting Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Becky Sharp – In a novel without a hero, Becky Sharp was the heroine, even if for some she is the anti-heroine. Becky was one of the two lead women characters who are central to the story. The two girls are opposites in many different ways, and their lives continue such path, with Becky becoming the most villainous of the two and Amelia Sedley her exact opposite. Indeed, the character of Becky Sharp was the catalyst for social abrasion. Some might feel that Becky represents everything that is morally bad and undesirable in the society inside Vanity Fair. Sharp’s character also reminds the readers that people cannot ignore people like her and the characteristics that she displays, dismissing it as a characteristic that is a mere product of a fictional character. Her character represents a type of individual who is alive in the real world. In some twisted consideration, Becky can be considered as the source of â€Å"life† – if life means the presence of constant conflict and the consistent surfacing of anything unexpected – inside a society because Becky does not let social norms get in the way of what she wants. â€Å"The woman who goes after money and status but finds that they do not satisfy her a woman like Becky Sharp is allowed to be at least morally interesting (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Whether readers admit it or not, Becky’s character is an important pull to the consciousness of the readers; she provides the intrigue and sin that readers on the outside condemn but diligently follows through in the next episodes of the novel. Becky seduces and elicits the feeling of scorn and hate so much that she makes the readers always eager to know what happened to her, largely because real life readers are as vain as her. Becky taunts the devil in the readers, making them think and reconsider the â€Å"what ifs,† the things that Becky is not afraid to do which the readers are having second thoughts of doing. Becky triggers the fantasies. For the women readers, it is the fantasy of being able to pull of seduction and gain worldly possessions, to bed many different men and feel a different kind of power, to be free from the shackles and restraints the patriarchal society placed upon women and to be largely free and unaccountable to anything. For male readers, the fantasy is to be seduced by a Becky Sharp, to be offered body and lustful obedience in exchange for money and power that not every man can have in his lifetime. Becky made the world go around inside Vanity Fair, even if the sad part is that as a whole, she is still a mere part of the patriarchal society that used her as much as she used it to her advantage. â€Å"And what else creates change in Vanity Fair if not Beckys subversive sexual behavior? It is she deprives Amelia of a loving husband well before Thackeray has him killed off on the battlefield at Waterloo (Armstrong, 1990. p. 178). † Amelia Sedley – Amelia contradicts Becky in comparison in many ways. Amelia always opts to live in the past and is tied with the memory of past while Becky is always looking ahead into the future. Amelia is always passive and easily contented, while Becky is always on the move, always hunting or scheming so that she can get what she wants. Amelia is the prototype for the docile and meek domestic housewife, during and after her married life with George, while Becky was â€Å"anything but. † Amelia gives the readers hope that there are still people who walk the straight path of morality, while Becky is jumping up and down, always falling far from where morality wants her to be. Amelia’s role in the novel is more than just as an individual who represents everything that Becky is. Amelia, to some extent, was also the symbol of the ills of the life of being meek and sulky. She is the anatomy of the unknowing victim, the unwitting casualty to the moral massacre that poverty, indebtedness, puritanism and being overly morally upright undertakes in everyday life. She was an angel all right, but Thackeray made sure that even with wings it is easily discernable that Amelia is far from being in heaven largely because of her personality. Amelia, as a character, lived a life that was far from being the ideal married life, and the story was as unkind to her as the critics of the symbolism of woman to which she stood for. â€Å"Late-Victorian women writers contributed to the fight for womens rights by creating representations of women that confronted the self-abnegating, submissive, housebound image of middle-class Ideal Womanhood. This ideal was epitomized at mid-century by William Thackerays Amelia Sedley from Vanity Fair (Mangum, 1999, p. 2). † Becky and Amelia: The analysis and profiling of the real heroine The heroine in the story can either be Becky or Amelia, depending on the reader and the readers perspective and moral standpoint. This is because the identification of the heroine type between the two female characters in the novel speaks a lot about the personal characteristics of the person making the difference between the two. The reader would be placed in a dilemma wherein the reader has to choose which personality she would approve between the polar characteristics of Becky and Amelia. â€Å"Plot in Vanity Fair is primarily the histories of two women: one, the shrewdly competent Rebecca Sharp, consistently exploits the conventions of high society to rise within it; the other, the compassionate but vulnerable Amelia Sedley, is exploited by Rebecca and others in their campaign to achieve social prominence (Lund, 1992, p. 23). † The author was consistent with what critics call as rule in the creation of fictitious married female characters. The story divides the desire for love and for materials goods between two individuals who are vaguely antagonists or protagonists in the story. The clear idea to the readers is the priorities of the women as human characters, looking at them outside the scope of gender. As a human character, Becky was the one who puts material things above all, while the character of Amelia puts love above all providing not just a state of realism but also a sense of balance to the presence of contrasting but significant roles in the novel. With this the reader, male or female, would knowingly or otherwise pick one of the two to become his/her heroine largely on the identification of the same grounds where the character and reader stands. A reader will hardly choose both because like the rule of the fiction writing, the reader will only empathize with the predicament of the character with whom he or she relates the most. â€Å"The rule in fiction is that a female character cannot want both love and luxury. Rare indeed is the novelistic heroine who genuinely loves her husband but who at the same time desires and frankly enjoys the goods that he is able to buy her (Garson, 2007, p. 99). † Thackeray makes it more difficult for the readers to pick which is the heroine between the two opposite characters because an important characteristic of the difference between the two is that the author created characters which are neither white nor black. Becky and Amelia are both neither strictly good nor straight-out bad. The differences of the two candidates for heroine-ism also made implications that altered their state of being good or bad as their state of lives moves forward in the story. There is a sense of goodness in Becky as much as there are some things in Amelia which may merit disapproval from the readers. Because the story is centered on domestic life of couples and the complexity that the society and the personalities of the people in it contribute to the lives of married individuals, the personalities of Beck and Amelia as wives are just as important pieces of consideration as much as their own personal characteristics are in the pursuit of defining who is the more suitable heroine between the two. And like their personalities as single individuals, how they were as wives is just as complicated, Thackeray became consistent with the idea of ending up with having no real defined hero (or heroine for that matter). It forces the reader to take a very good look at real life before finally judging who between Becky and Amelia deserved to be raised in the pedestal as the ideal woman and wife. â€Å"The role she plays perhaps most productively is that of the faithful and charming little wife to Rawdon Crawley. Ironically, as long as she finds it advantageous to play this role, she is a much more effective domestic angel than Amelia Osborne, whose devotion to her husband George is heartfelt but sterile, who maternal affection is positively destructive, and who is quite unable to repay Dobbin for his years of devotion. In contrast to Amelia, Becky brings out the best in her husband, transforming Rawdon from a randy roue to a contented husband and a devoted father (Garson, 2007, p. 99). †

Reflection on Leadership Skills for the Forces

Reflection on Leadership Skills for the Forces Task 1: From LC â€Å"Context† lessons 6-9, describe ONE significant insight that you have gained and explain why. The concept of â€Å"Organisational Culture† taught in Lesson 7 left the deepest impression on me, as I sought to ponder and apply this concept in the context of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), specifically the Army. The key question that arose was whether there is a uniform culture in the Army. If so, what is important about the presence of such a culture? As I sought to clarify these questions, a related concept of leadership came into mind. Undeniably, the leadership of an organisation would form and develop, or even change the foundation of its values and cultural norms. These values, assumptions and norms can then shape an organisation’s culture. According to Colins and Porras, leaders need to adopt a firm belief that some things should never change (Collins Porras, 2011). Some things such as the SAF core values and beliefs ought to remain unchanged as alterations could potentially lead to destabilisation. Using my experience while serving as an Officer in Command (OC) and the observations of my Divisional Commander, BG Lam Shui Tong; I would explain how leadership is able to shape the organisation’s value systems, and in the process align the followers to its mission statement, purpose and values. As an OC, I was in charge of a ‘support’ company of 150 men from different walks of lives, and my duty was to train them to become operationally ready soldiers. To align everyone with SAF’s mission statement, I consciously inculcated the message of ‘Always (being) Ready and Expect the Unexpected’ into my men. I also made it a point to ensure that I am a positive role model who ‘walks the talk’ and to facilitate their internalising of this core value. Over time, it was observed that my men were more self-motivated and strived to become more competent. At the higher level, I observed the same dynamics at work. My Divisional Commander, BG Lam, believed strongly in a culture of fitness. He held the belief that physical fitness activities can bond people and build their character. To instil this culture of fitness within the organisation, events such as â€Å"Olympics Challenge†, Friendship runs, Frisbee and cycling were organised. As a leader who ‘walks the talk’, he would personally conduct physical training for the division on Mondays and for all NS units during their In Camp Training. On Wednesdays and Fridays, he would play Frisbee and cycle with his men. Over time, everyone began to appreciate the greater sense of camaraderie, as well as improved fitness levels. These two examples demonstrated that a leader’s actions can influence and impact organisational culture. When the individuals within the organisation are influenced with the organisation’s culture, they become more committed and aligned with the organisation’s shared values and vision. Task 2: State the appointment that you are likely to be posted to after CSC. Analyse and describe key aspects of the leadership context of the appointment that you will face, using the circle from SAF Leadership Framework and concepts you learnt from lesson 6-9. After CSC, I will have the opportunity to command a NS Infantry Battalion (IB). As a NS CO, I am responsible for NSmen who will come under my charge. These NSmen are soldiers who have completed the 2 years of national service and my core responsibility is to ensure that they continue to be competent, and are operationally ready. The foundation and strength of our Army lies in our people, thus my first emphasis would be to understand the composition, values and history of the unit. During the NSmen’s active days, the CO would have made a positive impact to the soldiers and some form of organisational culture would have been formed. As their NS CO, there is a need for me to sincerely understand and analyse the unit’s culture before proposing any change. Even in the implementation of new rules or norms, the process has to be gradual to allow for ease of adjustment. In addition, the SAF 24/7 Leadership Framework will serve as a reference point for me to influence my soldiers towards achieving the unit’s mission and purpose, the desired outcomes and new operating environment (Yin, 2011). Fundamentally, it must be understood the motivation of NSmen will be different from their active days (Chee, 2012). However, I believe our core SAF values will be the binding factor in a unit of diverse personalities. In managing such diversity, I foresee having to apply direct leadership. Specifically, during their ICT, the adoption of direct leadership methodology such as â€Å"Meet The People† sessions is important in providing an open communication channel, which will allow the NSmen to raise their concerns and for me to respond appropriately. In order to facilitate such communication effectively, it is paramount to bring on board my key appointment holders such as the Principal Staff Officers and OCs. In situations, such as mobilisation exercises, there will be a need to exercise organisational level leadership. Besides having to empower my commanders, there has to be a focus on addressing complex policies such as NS training requirements. Through the application of different leadership levels, and communicating the unit’s mission, purpose and values to every stakeholder, it will provide the platform to achieving SAF’s mission. Task 3: Identify and explain the key leadership requirements for this appointment. First, with the SAF 24/7 Leadership Framework (Figure 1), I understood the theoretical basis of having to possess the ‘right’ values, so as to guide my actions. My values should, and need to be aligned with the organisation’s values; in order for me to convey SAF’s vision effectively through my speech and actions. With this self-awareness, I understand that my actions can either positively or negatively influence my followers’ behaviours. Second, I have learnt from LLC lecture 5 that appropriate leadership style is dependent on situations. This is because the adoption of different leadership styles will allow for more effective addressing of the issues faced by my subordinates. As a Battalion Commander, I need to change my leadership styles according to the competency, motivational and commitment levels of the staff under my charge. A/P Chan also highlighted that a leader should possess a â€Å"full repertoire of styles 6† to suit different situations. As I build upon this new understanding of a spectrum of leadership styles, it is essential for me to exercise flexibility and adjust my leadership style accordingly. Third, prior to attending CSC, I was introduced to the Leadership, Management and Command Model (LMC) when I read the SAF Pointer Monograph â€Å"Called to Lead†. Then, I saw LMC as three separate skill sets that a leader ought to possess, and that a leader cannot be effective in all 3 domains. After attending the LLC lectures (1 to 5), I gained a more thorough understanding of the 3 domains that are intertwined. I gained the insight that I cannot afford to exercise my role as Leader, Manager, and Commander (in the position of a Battalion Commander) independently of each other. Instead, I have to work on exercising all three domains simultaneously. This relationship is illustrated in Figure 2. The LMC model provides a clear conceptual tool to analyse and formulate my command and leadership strategy accordingly. In the scenario where my subordinates are already doing a good job in administration and resource management, I can then devote more time and effort in motivating and inspiring my team. Task 4: My leadership strengths and weaknesses. How do I intend to deal with my weakness. As an SAF personnel who has been deployed into various appointments and also through the feedback channels available in this course, I understand that my strengths lie in the ability to employ values-based leadership, and interpersonal effectiveness. In leading my staff, I consciously endeavour to treat every man fairly and respectfully. Also, I ensure that my actions are guided by sound moral principles, and be willing to take responsibility for my actions. For my commitment to employ values-based leadership, I am well-regarded by my superiors and subordinates Possessing interpersonal effectiveness is another strength of mine that would help to establish and maintain good relationships in the workplace. In order for the SAF to excel in its mission of national defence effectively, it is essential that a strong rapport is established between colleagues with different job functionalities. The strong bonds and cordial relations would help the big SAF family to support to one another through challenging times. To enhance my effectiveness as a leader, it would be beneficial that I strengthen my skills in the area of communicating to influence, and in exercising style flexibility. When there is a need to share my ideas, the natural instinct would be to convey my thoughts in a direct manner, and assume that they will be accepted wholly by others because my ideas are anchored on logical thinking and research. When this does not happen, I would presume that others are less informed than I am. Upon deeper reflection, I internalised the learning point that it is necessary for me to explain the rationale of my ideas, so as to encourage acceptance by others. Essentially, part of effective leadership is â€Å"†¦ the process of influencing others to achieve a common outcome†[1]. Through the opportunities provided in this course, I would make a conscious attempt to explain the rationale of my ideas to my course-mates. The other area that I could work on is to exercise style flexibility, according to the situation and circumstances. When there is a need to tackle problems, I have the tendency to approach the issue in a rigid manner. As a result, I appear to be stubborn or foolhardy. The lesson on FRLM increased my knowledge of the different leadership styles that a leader could undertake. I would consciously explore utilising transformational leadership instead of relying heavily on transactional leadership. I have requested for my CSC buddy and my course-mates to provide feedback on my progress. REFERENCES SAF Leadership Development Doctrine Directive 2/2004, SAF Leadership Framework dated 26 Jul 2004 SAF Leadership Development Doctrine Directive 3/2004, SAF Leadership Competency Model dated 26 Jul 2004 Chan, K.Y.; Soh, S. Ramaya, R. (2011). Military Leadership in the 21st Century: Science and Practice. 1 [1] Chan Kim-Yin, Star Soh, Regena Ramaya (2011), Military Leadership in the 21st Century: Science and Practice. Cenage Learning, p4.

Ontology :: essays research papers

Ontology One of the most controversial debates in philosophy has been over the nature of being. In the Pre-Socratic era the dispute focused on whether change was constant while our human perceptions made static separations so that we could make sense of our environment, or if being exists omnipresently and that our perceptions of diversity in matter are false. Plato tries to solve this dilemma with his theory of an objective reality in a realm different from that which we experience. Aristotle agrees with Socrates except that he believes an object’s true essence cannot exist separated from the object itself. I presume that we can exist with our own identity and inhere to a greater whole simultaneously, however my rationalism does not extend beyond people. Nonetheless, these philosophers all had valid conclusions and their theories compliment each other. "War is king"1 said Heraclitus. He believes that reality is not composed of a number of things, but is a process of continual creation and destruction. An accurate metaphor for his rationale is a river. It’s location remains basically the same. One can walk away from it, and return with the confidence that it will still be there. However, the exact water that flows through it is never the same. One can’t tell the difference between the water in the river now and the water in the river earlier and yet this transience of matter does not detract from the identity of the river. Heraclitus would say that all of what we experience is like the river, forever changing in a process of erosion and creation. Heraclitus’ successor, Parmenides, believes that Being must exist virtually in the mind. Because nothing cannot be thought without thinking of it as something, there cannot be "nothing"2, all that can exist is Being. If there is only Being it must be indestructible, uncreated, and eternal. If one agrees that Being is , then there can’t be any place where being is not. According Parmenides’ purely logical view, all perception of vacuous space is an illusion. Plato tried to solve this dilemma of ontology with his theory of the forms. "You have before your mind these two orders of things, the visible and the intelligible,"3 he says, which can be compared to opinion and knowledge respectively. In The Republic he uses a line analogy to explain the connection between what we perceive and what really exists. Dividing a line in four unequal parts gives us the four stages of understanding with a state of being on one side of the line corresponding to a state of understanding on the other side of the line.

Use of the Female Gothic in Beloved Essay -- Toni Morrison Beloved Ess

Use of the Female Gothic in Beloved      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved is a slave narrative, but it encompasses much more than slavery.   Unlike many slave narratives that focus on the male perception of slavery, Morrison's novel portrays slavery from a feminine point of view.   The main characters are Sethe, her daughter, Denver, and the mysterious Beloved.   In the beginning of the novel, Sethe and her daughter live alone in 124, a house that is haunted by the ghost of Sethe's first daughter. Sethe's two older boys, "Howard and Buglar, had run away by the time they were thirteen years old. Soon after the sons have fled, Baby Suggs, Denver's grandmother, dies.   The novel centers on Sethe's past, in particular, the death of her first daughter.   This event dominates the book and the action of the novel revolves around this terrible incident.   In Beloved, Toni Morrison utilizes characteristics of the female gothic novel such as mothering, living within enclosed spaces, and the doubli ng of characters, coupled with dilemmas involving memory and repression, to address the issue of slavery.    Beloved illustrates the notion of the gothic mother through the character of Sethe.   Her motherly love is turned into a horrific image of mercy, one that many find difficult to understand. At the time, slaves were valued as property.   They were bred as if they were horses, with their young snatched away from them, often at birth, and no chance of having a family.   Many children were "permanently separated from any other family members, [and] did not know if or when they would ever see their mother[s] again" (King 527).   Sethe describes her own childhood experience with the woman she knew as her mother and it is typical of the experi... ...illions of lives and Morrison gives those lives names and faces.   The narrative form is an effective tool to bring the reality of slavery and all its misery into everyday life.    Works Cited Goddu, Teresa A. Gothic America. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. King, Wilma. "Within the Professional Household: Slave Children in the Antebellum South." The Historian 59.3 (1997): 523-540. Kristeva, Julia. Powers of Horror. New York: Columbia UP, 1982. Morrison, Toni. Beloved. New York: Penguin Group, 1987. Samuels, Wilfred and Clenora Hudson-Weems. Ed. Toni Morrison. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. The Coherence of Gothic Conventions. New York: Methuen, 1976. Smith, Valerie. "Circling the Subject: History and Narrative in Beloved." Toni Morrison. Henry Gates, Jr. and K.A. Appiah. Ed. New York: Amistad Press, 1993.

huck finn :: essays research papers

Twain’s â€Å"Huckleberry Finn† was a very enjoyable read. It was my first early American novel and I could not help feel as though I was being swept along the current of the Mississippi sharing in Huck’s adventures. I was fortunate enough to travel to New Orleans a few years ago on my first trip to the American south. Huck’s narrations while powerful in their own right, were that much more meaningful because of my own experiences. While Twain ironically proclaims that there is no theme in the preface, there is a very strong theme that satirically is inescapable in the way society’s rules can stifle individual freedom of expression and thought. While at first I found the diction to be very confusing and even frustrating at times, it later seemed almost vital in order to make the narration believable, controversial, shocking, and powerful. One believes the adventures to be true because we can envision these types of discussions taking place in the mid south at that time. The multitude of adventures, told in the first person in a concise and simplistic manner was very appealing. My own province of Newfoundland has a very rich and distinctive culture, with numerous strong dialects, and storytelling is a very big part of that culture. I like the fact that the novel is controversial, and challenges the mainstream views of society. Many have debated over the years whether Twain’s novel is a masterpiece or subversive trash. It has been argued that it is â€Å"rough, coarse, inelegant, and exerts a dangerous influence on the young.† (Concord, Massachusetts, library committee). However, the reality is this is a part of life whether we like to admit it or not. If one chooses to look beyond the lies, If one chooses to look beyond the lies, bad language and criminal activity what shines through is a strong social messages meant for society as a whole. Many have questioned whether the persistent use of the word â€Å"nigger† makes Huckleberry Finn racist. I think, it has to be put into the context of the entire novel and the underlying theme. The novel portrays the worst society has to offer through the innocent and impressionable eyes of a thirteen year old boy. The book is shocking, the behaviors and attitudes towards a cast society are appalling and shameful, and should be our central focus for debate. While no one today should tolerate the use of the word in a derogatory sense, its use in the novel is vital.

Hbs: Jetblue Airlines Managing Growth

Analyzing each of these areas we recommend that Getable Implement (A) a new employee selection strategy, (B) a formalized training program, and (C) a reference management system to continue fostering employee autonomy and motivation. II. Analysis Stable's rapid growth presents a potentially costly problem. In terms of strategy, Getable avoids the common airline problem with unions by investing heavily in (1) selection, (2) culture, and (3) systems, areas in which it can grant employee autonomy and foster motivation. While this strategy works currently, these areas do not have the fundamental Institutions to survive the company's growth.People: employee selection and hiring: Currently, Getable constructs highly motivated teams using both n in-depth selection process and role customization. Stable's human resources (HRS) department uses behavioral interviews, where all interviewers reach consensus, to determine applicant cultural fit and value alignment. By closely controlling employee quality and fit, Getable can offer employees significant autonomy and fulfill their higher order â€Å"esteem† needs. In addition, Getable developed customized compensation, benefits, and work structures per role that align with each group's respective desires.The hiring and compensation structures have two main results: 1 ) Jet Blue can attract top talent that matches the organization and (2) the company reinforces overall fairness by tailoring each role. While currently successful, Stable's hiring process is a hindrance to its continued growth as it is not scalable. Getable will Increase its workforce 400% in a limited timeshare to meet Its internal growth targets. The current selection process will fall because Getable does not have the HRS resources or time to personally interview all applicants multiple times.If Getable maintains its current hiring practices, it risks losing quality employees and grunting the fairness and autonomy that it currently offers. Culture throu gh values, employees, and approachability: Stable's value-centric, employee focused, and approachable culture motivates employees, attracts talent, differentiates the firm, and enforces the company's values. First, the company establishes culture by focusing on values. Stable's top management locked themselves in a New York hotel and defined the company's core values that align with Its strategy and culture.These values gulled Stable's hiring, strategy, dally operations, and employee evaluation. Second, Getable focuses on meeting employee needs. Through customized and 1 OFF clear signals that employees are a priority and treated fairly. Third, the management is approachable to all employees. Stories of David Melanin, CEO, working as flight attendant and responding directly to crew member suggestions, or Dave Barge, COO, staying on the plane with his family helping the cleanup crew were famous among employees.These actions reinforce that coaches and teams work in a fair â€Å"find a team solution† environment instead of â€Å"pointing fingers† culture visible in other airlines. The combination of clear values, employee focus, and management approachability gives Getable a culture that motivates employees through visible fairness and clear expectations. While Stable's culture has succeeded, it lacks more formal embedding mechanisms to survive substantial growth and prevent cultural dilution. Stable's current culture practices require a method by which to formally spread and reinforce the norms to all new and existing employees as the company expands.If Getable fails to sustain its culture, it risks compromising employee motivation and, as a result, its mechanisms that prevent unionization. Performance systems: To deliver low-fare airline tickets to customers, Getable uses genealogy to cut operating costs. Stable's â€Å"paperless environment† not only saves paper and resources, but also is a motivating factor. Each pilot's laptop computer al lows him to eliminate monotonous work required for pre-flight checks and further focus on his Job, helping satisfy his need for interesting work.While technological systems help Getable develop a competitive advantage, their employee performance management systems are limited. Currently, Getable â€Å"coaches† review workers' performance informally along the company's five values. Because the company does not have more explicit expectations, the procedures risk Ewing perceived as unfair. As the company grows it must explicitly correlate performance to expectations to continue motivating employees. Ill. Recommendations We recommend a multi-faceted and integrated solution that addresses Stable's scalability problems regarding their people, culture, and systems.First, we recommend that Getable use metrics and refine its hiring process. Second, we recommend that Getable pursue a formal training program. Third, we recommend that Getable construct a formal performance management sy stem. Institute a performance metrics hiring selection process: We recommend using two online tests hat identify interpretable candidates. The first test will use multiple choice and review an individual's personality against Stable's five core values. The second test is role-specific and measures each individual's work skills.Getable will then interview candidates that perform well on both tests only once. Getable can compare test results with career success and identify desirable characteristics from testing. This process will simultaneously (a) speed hiring practices, (b) significantly reduce costs associated with a talent search, and (c) improve employee fit while meeting workforce deeds. This improved efficiency will allow Getable to continue offering employees significant autonomy as the company grows. A potential hurdle is that individuals may attempt to cheat the tests.We contend this will not be a major problem. These individuals will either not pass the interview round, be terminated quickly, or potentially absorb the Getable culture through the training. Construct a formal management and new employees engage in mandatory â€Å"core training. † First, Getable must implement an all roles new hire orientation that focuses on values and the company goals. This will foster a shared company identity and create formal culture embedding. Top management involvement will reinforce that values and culture are universal from CEO to cleanup crew.Second, Getable must offer role specific training where employees are introduced to their coaches. This training will, along with teaching necessary Job skills, outline each role's expectations, how it fits at Getable, and how each coach will help their employees develop. To ensure ongoing success, Getable should survey employees before the training about their expectations along with their feedback afterwards. Getable must then improve the program based on the feedback, further fostering a collaborative team envi ronment.The training program ensures that Getable will reinforce company identity and embed its culture as the workforce grows. Implement a formal performance management system: We recommend that Getable adopt a formal performance management system to properly motivate employees. First, this system must formally outline each role's expectations. This mandates that each role have both specific and accessible expectation by which coaches and peers can evaluate each other. Second, Getable must provide employees tit semi-annual â€Å"360† performance feedback.This feedback will allow both coaches and the employees' peers to review their performance along the company values and role expectations. Third, employees must give formal feedback to both their coaches and Getable. This feedback fosters a greater company identity and helps coaches understand how to help employees. By implementing a more explicit performance management system, Getable can demonstrate fairness across employe es and roles that will continue to motivate workers as the company grows. ‘V. Conclusion Stable's competitive edge comes from its ability to discourage unionization and, s a result, it can keep costs low.Unions fulfill employee needs and culture when the parent company fails to do so. Currently, Getable uses a combination of successful selection, cultural practices, and systems to motivate employees and meet their needs; however, these will not survive Stable's growth. To continue motivating employees through autonomy, shared identity, clear expectations, and fair practices, Getable must implement an improved hiring process, a formal training program, and a performance management system. These changes will help Getable retain its competitive edge as it expands.