Saturday, December 28, 2019

The First Great Awakening By The Puritans - 1356 Words

When the Puritans made their initial journey to America in 1630, they possessed high aspirations and ideals in the hope that their future settlement at Massachusetts Bay would become a â€Å"city upon a hill†. The utopic settlement envisioned by the Puritans was supposed to serve as an example for the rest of the world in proper living. However, an increasing number of onerous factors and hardships fell upon the Puritan settlements, which would eventually lead to the diminishing of their once prominent religious faith in the colonies. Internal adversity as well as external conflicts between the Puritans and assemblies of opposing religious faiths was significant in contributing in their decline of influence. The Puritans intolerance of other religions became increasingly problematic as an expanding proportion of immigrants brought with them a number of different religious practices. The Puritans continued to condemn and try to impose their single strict religious code upon non -Puritans, but their attempts were ultimately unsuccessful as the Great Awakening and Enlightenments movements in the 18th century reformed the religious and cultural philosophies in America tremendously. The first Great Awakening was the most important event in American religion up to that point, and can be characterized by a time in which clergymen strategically preached emotionally charged sermons to bring sinners to conversion. These techniques and rhetoric strategies were not exclusive to one religionShow MoreRelatedAmerica s Influence On The Building Of The United States1190 Words   |  5 Pagesthe lives of people and the culture of the nation. Throughout the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s, groups such as the Puritans, Great Awakening preachers, and abolitionists left a lasting Christian legacy on specific peoples such as Native Americans, and African Americans. The Puritans were a group of religious reformers who came from the Church of England during the middle of the 1600s. Puritans arrived in New England with their families and established small villages of yeomen farmers that revolved aroundRead MoreAnalysis of the Great Awakening and Revolutionary Thought1655 Words   |  7 PagesAnalysis of the Great Awakening and Revolutionary Thought In the 1730s and the 1740s, religious revival swept through the New England and Middle Colonies. Through these revivals, the colonists came to view religion as a discrete and personal experience between God and man which, â€Å"undermined legally established churches and their tax supported ministers.† (Henretta, P. 112) Joseph Tracey was the first person to describe this period of revivalism as, ‘the Great Awakening.’ In 1841, Joseph TracyRead MoreEnlightenment and Puritans782 Words   |  4 Pageswas a period of social, religious, and political revolution throughout the 18th century which changed the thoughts of man during this â€Å"awakening† time. It was a liberation of ignorant thoughts, ideas, and actions that had broken away from the ignorant perception of how society was to be kept and obeyed thus giving little room for new ideas about the world. Puritan society found these new ideas of thought to be extremely radical in comparison to what the y believed which was a belief of strong rationalRead MoreAmerican Life in the Seventeenth Century: Study Notes1206 Words   |  5 Pagestwo years of marriage. 5. Compared to women in colonial Chesapeake, New England women were more likely to have their family remain intact. 6. In colonial New England, dowries were a common feature of marriage. 7. In colonial New England Puritan communities, the family was highly valued. 8. The term middle passage refers to the movement of enslaved Africans from Africa to the New World. 9. Through most of the seventeenth century, slaves transported into the United States came mostlyRead MoreThe Enlightenment and the Great Awakening.1534 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Awakening and the Enlightenment were two historical events that shaped the thoughts of people and religion in America. The most important factor in both of these events is the common theme of reason behind the movements. The Great Awakening began about the 1930s and reached its climax ten years later in 1740. What exactly was the Great Awakening? It was a wave of religion revivals sweeping through New England that increased conversions and church membership. The beginnings of the GreatRead MoreThe American Colonies : How They Shaped Societies And Politics1242 Words   |  5 PagesNew England colonies were made up of mainly Puritans who for the most part monopolized the majority of the New England colonies with the exception of Rhode Island which is where they sent the non-Puritan followers who survive d the Puritans persecution. Ann Hutchinson was one of the founders of Providence, Rhode Island. The Puritans believed that it was possible to have an individual relationship with God without intervening of clergy or aristocracy. Puritans thought that the Bible could be interpretedRead MoreSocial, Political, And Cultural Realms Of `` Young Goodman Brown ``877 Words   |  4 Pageshistorical. All this means is that literature is merely a byproduct of the social and cultural trends of the time and shaped by the many consciousnesses that once existed (Bertens, 158-159). In order to fully understand literature that is, we must first understand the society and its culture that helped to produce the work. Therefore, literature cannot work with all of history, but must work within a particular vision. Put simply, the Enlightenment thinker can only exist during the Enlightenment.Read Morereligion in the colonies773 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Since the very first colony was founded in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia, religion played a very important role in America. Nine of the thirteen colonies had established churches. Having an established church meant you paid taxes for the support of that church whether or not you were a member. The colonies with official state or established churches of the Congregational (Puritan) church denomination consisted of Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont. Colonies that remained a part ofRead MoreThe Great Awakening : A Revitalization Of Religious Piety That Swept Through American Colonies1102 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"The Great Awakening† A revitalization of religious piety that swept through American colonies during the 1730-1770 was known as the Great Awakening. Christian life was of real importance to the North American colonists. And yet, during the eighteenth century, the Great Awakening can be described in several areas of religious revivals history. This was a schism that was made more acute by the enormous Pietistic wave. While reviewing the Great Awakening, if understanding correctly, it focusesRead MoreThe Great Awakening By Christine Leigh Heyrman1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe Great Awakening A restructuring of religious doctrine, beliefs, and social practices during the 17th and 18th centuries in England, and in North America, infused with Calvinistic religious doctrine initiated the beginning of The Great Awakening. Following this further, according to Christine Leigh Heyrman, The First Great Awakening: Divining America,† a New Age of faith rose to counter the currents of the Age of Enlightenment. Ultimately reaffirming the view that being truly religious meant trusting

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Federal vs. State Policy - 1078 Words

Fedral vs. State Policy A public policy is the body of principles that underpin the operation of legal systems in each state. In this paper I am going to talk about federal along with state policies. I will discuss each of the policies and how they are similar and how they are different. Federal and State policies are made to help keep our Country running smoothly. If there were no policies then keeping our Country safe would be a hard task. Policies are principles that are set to help make our Country operate on a daily bases. I like to think of it as rules that are set to keep our Country safe; because if there were no rules then everyone would be doing their own thing which could cause for a very disorganized situation. We see†¦show more content†¦The federal government helps tremendously when it comes to the United State fighting crime. Providing funds to police agencies makes and has made big changes in policing and we can thank the federal government for providing this aspect. State agenies and policies are complex to say the least. Unlike federal government the state dose not have the â€Å"control over the functioning of theses agencies (Marion Oliver, 2006 p. 356).† The state however can set policies along with procedures that the law enforcement agency is to follow. The state level is also able to set standards for training, certification along with recertification all of these local law enforcement is required to follow what the state sets. The state also is a go between so to speak for the local and federal agencies. If there are grants for instance it may be given to the state and then the state will pass it on to the local agenicies. I like to think of policies as pre laws they are not a law yet but they are on there way. Federal and State are ableto set policies and enforce policies. State has local law enforcement to enfocrce the laws. If it is a law the the federal government needs to enforce they are able to do so. If a crime is specialize that Congress has past then the federal government is able to enforce that policy. Also the federal government has the power to provide funding to the state to help them enforce a policy. They are like a big business that has the man power along with theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Federal vs. State Policy Comparison1109 Words   |  5 PagesComparison Laws and policies are written in different aspects of the criminal justice system. Some of these policies are written within the federal government and some are written on a smaller scale in the state government. The two seem rather simple to understand on the surface. The federal government handles the entire United States whereas the state government handles just what it says and that is within that specific state, such as New Jersey (N.J.). The following paper will contain informationRead MoreThe Issue Of A Sanctuary City1624 Words   |  7 Pagesthem. One of those issues is Sanctuary Cities. A Sanctuary city is a city in which State and Local government do not follow immigration policy and do not actively seek and deport undocumented immigrants. Some could find that this Local policy hurts all Americans. Some could find this a moral obligation as a citizen of the United States. But by any means this topics has major implications to President Trumps policies and Federalism. And w ith these cities becoming more mainstream, question are becomingRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control949 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States today there are many different policy issues that are associated with individual’s different hobbies and interests, and lots of these policy issues have some legal components to them. For me a policy issue that comes to mind would be Gun Control, because I am a gun owner who is a supporter of the second amendment. With shootings and other gun related trouble happening all over our country those who create and maintain our gun laws have a big responsibility to take care of. TheRead MoreThe Era of Good Feeling Dbq770 Words   |  4 Pagesnation. This of course is not completely true, debates over many important issues created a crack in the outward appearance of harmony during President Monroe’s two terms. These issues include sectionalism, foreign policy of isolationism and the rights of states vs. the rights of the federal go vernment. During Monroe’s two terms, sectionalism, an excessive regard for sectional or local interest, increased greatly. This increase in sectionalism is due to acts like the Tariff of 1816. A tell tale signRead MoreState vs Federal1043 Words   |  5 Pages| Federal Vs State Policy Comparison | | | CJA 464 | Robert Powers | | Each state has their own specific unique laws established individually for their state. In conjunction with those laws that exist over the people in their specific state there are also federal laws that govern the states as well as the people who live in them. These laws that govern the people are known as state laws and federal laws. The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land in the United StatesRead MoreImmigration : Federal Of State Responsibility1228 Words   |  5 PagesBryson Huitt Professor Shine Government 2306 15 November 2015 Immigration: Federal of State Responsibility? There are few topics in America today that are more hotly debated than immigration. Because of our nation’s economy and current leadership, immigration seems to be a much more sensitive topic in today’s society than ever before. From the time our country was founded, people have immigrated to America for a better life. In an effort to escape religious persecution, war, or just to haveRead MoreProblems Faced by Brazil and South Africa1296 Words   |  5 Pagesbuilding of the nation. The racial divisions have impeded South Africas attempts to promote consensus, change policies, and implement them. As racial differences have increased across the society, uncertainties regarding other races have also increased significantly. This has in turn contributed to more gains to stubbornness and ongoing quarrels about collective decisions and policies (South Africas Troubles, 2011). Consequently, the racial divisions have continued to evolve while becomingRead MoreJudicial Review : The United States1242 Words   |  5 Pageshard work and have dramatic conflicts to select and appoint Federal Judges. The main reason why these jobs are very contested for and sought after by many is because of how the justices have terms for their entire life.. The lesser reason why a lot people and employees in Washington care so much as to who gets appointed is the case that they play a very big part in the public’s policy making. Judicial review is the primary role of the federal courts to discuss back and forth if a law is unconstitutionalRead MoreTax the Rich Essay969 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States debt and defecit is a major problem in our society. One thing I would propose to the President would be to tax the rich. Time. Its useful to keep in mind how the rich are different. When you are poor, you are willing to trade your time to earn money. When you are ri ch, you trade your money to get more time. For example, the rich hire people to clean their homes, and they dont waste time shopping for bargains. In business school I learned that when people have different preferencesRead MoreThree Lifelines of the American Tree957 Words   |  4 Pagesbeliever in the power of the federal government in a time when states had large debts, the military was weak and the influence of foreign powers threatened the thirteen colonies. In this timeframe it was widely believed that an aristocratic minority could take care of the interests of the majority. In the interest of a stronger federal government the framers even had to tolerate the southern slave owning states to maintain a robust alliance of a united thirteen states (Dahl). The power of the

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Decision Support Tools Conditional Profits

Question: Discuss about theDecision Support Tools forConditional Profits. Answer: The conditional profits as calculated by the manufacturer can be shown as: p(s1) = 0.3 p(s2) = 0.7 s1 s2 a1 30,000 16,000 a2 10,000 24,000 Table 1: The Conditional Profits (source created by author) Part a From the decision support tools we can use the method of Expected value with perfect information criteria (EVPI). By using the method of EVPI For the method For the method In comparing the EVPI for the production methods a1 and a2 we find that the EVPI of a1 is 20,200 and a2 is 19,800. The EVPI of a1 is greater than the EVPI of a2. Hence the manufacturer should choose a1. Part b According to the marketing consultant considering prior probabilities the demand being good s1 is 0.35 and the demand being poor s2 = 0.65 p(s1) = 0.35 p(s2) = 0.65 s1 s2 a1 30,000 16,000 a2 10,000 24,000 Table 2: The Decision tools with prior probabilities (source created by author) Using the EVPI method: For the method For the method Thus with the condition of prior probabilities the EVPI for the method a1 is more than a2. The EVPI for a1 is 20,900 and for a2 is 19,100. Thus with the condition of prior probabilities the management should choose method a1. Part c According to the marketing consultant considering posterior probabilities the demand being good s1 is 0.80 and the demand being poor s2 = 0.20 p(s1) = 0.80 p(s2) = 0.20 s1 s2 a1 30,000 16,000 a2 10,000 24,000 Table 3: The Decision tools with posterior probabilities (source created by author) Using the EVPI method: For the method For the method Thus with the condition of posterior probabilities the EVPI for the method a1 is more than a2. The EVPI for a1 is 27,200 and for a2 is 12,800. Thus with the condition of prior probabilities the management should choose method a1. Part d In all the above three methods when the management has made has done his own calculations, with the prior and posterior probabilities (as defined by the consultant) the method a1 provides the maximum benefit to the manufacturer. Thus we do not find any reason to hire the consultant (Kerzner, 2014). Step 1 The first step is to calculate the cumulative probabilities for both the time between arrivals of the patients and the service time of the patients. The random numbers are generated for the cumulative probabilities. Figure 1: Screenshot of the Simulation 1 (source created by author) From the above simulation we see that the first patient arrives 25 minutes after the service starts. Since the nurse is then free hence the service of the patient starts immediately. The service nurse was then waiting for 15 minutes. For the first patient the time taken by the nurse was 25 minutes. The service time for the patient ends 40 minutes after the start of service. The second patient arrives at 40 minutes. Since by this time the nurse has finished her work with the first patient, she can start her nursing with the 2nd patient immediately. The nursing activity on the 2nd patient takes place for 30 minutes. She finishes her work at 70 minutes after the start of the service. The 3rd patient arrives 65 minutes after the start of service. Since the nurse has not finished her task with the 2nd patient hence the 3rd patient has to wait for 5minutes before activity on the patient can start. From the simulation, we can see that from 65 minutes till 120 minutes there is a patient always waiting since the nurse has not finished her activity with the previous patient. Thus there is a requirement of a second nurse accordingly (Render et.al., 2014). References Kerzner, H.R., (2014). Project Management 2.0. John Wiley Sons Render, B., Ralph, M.S.J, Hanna, M.E., Hale, T.S. (2014). Quantitative analysis for management. 12th Ed. Pearson Education

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Writing from the Center and Margin An Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Creation of Frankenstein Essay Example

Writing from the Center and Margin: An Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Creation of Frankenstein Essay Women are sociological chameleons; they take on the class, lifestyle, and culture of their male counterparts. However, it can also be argued that women themselves have formed a subculture within the framework of a nascent society unified by the values, conventions, experiences and behaviors impinging on each individual. Such a subculture is custodial although a thriving and positive entity (Robbins 13). It is custodial as it enables the perpetuation of a group’s subordination [it contains a set of opinions, prejudices, tastes, and values prescribed to a subordinate group that enables the perpetuation of its subordination].  A thriving and positive entity, on the other hand, as it enables the formation of self-awareness [such a subculture is seen as fostering the creation of a collective identity outside the conceptual framework of the male culture]. Women, in this sense, may be seen as possessing what Chela Sandoval refers to as an â€Å"oppositional consciousness†: t he ability to read and write culture on multiple levels (qtd in Kaplan 187). Within this situation, the woman is placed on the edge. The edge, in this sense, may be seen as a region where there is a potential for isolation and despair but most importantly growth and liberty. Such a situation is captured succinctly by Bell Hooks as she states Living as we did-on the edge-we developed a particular way of seeing reality. We looked both from outside in and from inside out. We focused our attention on the center as well as on the margin [and hence] we understood both (23). The political situation of margin and center relies on the existence of a conceptual framework where marginal perspectives are perceived not as â€Å"passive recipients of ready made images and structures (but as) complex, sophisticated views† which filter and mediate other perspectives (Kaplan, 358). In the process of recreation, local meanings are created which in turn lead the way for the formation of hybrid cultural relics and subjects. Such an occurrence leads to the displacement of identities, persons and meanings. Deleuze and Guattari refer this as the process of â€Å"deterritorialization† (62). We will write a custom essay sample on Writing from the Center and Margin: An Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Creation of Frankenstein specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Writing from the Center and Margin: An Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Creation of Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Writing from the Center and Margin: An Analysis of Mary Shelley’s Creation of Frankenstein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari use the term to locate the moment of alienation and exile in language and literature. In the process of deterritorialization, one is able to achieve the effects of the radical distanciation of the signifier and the signified resulting to the estrangement of meanings and utterances. â€Å"This defamiliarization enables imagination, even if it produces alienation ‘to express another community, to force the means for another consciousness and another sensibility’† (Kaplan, 358). In the process, we no longer delineate ourselves to specific literatures, which we consider as the works of  Ã¢â‚¬Å"masters†, but what we designate is the â€Å"revolutionary condition† for the formation of a new form of literature which â€Å"travels and moves between centers and margins† (Kaplan, 358). Within this context the development of personal and political identity are established or pushed through by citing the differences of margin and center. Hence, one can develop one’s identity by rewriting and hence redefining the signifiers attached to the self within a particular domineering culture. Displaced individuals [which include subjects of gender and sexual discrimination] recognize the effects of this situation. Mary Shelley, a multi-faceted female writer during the period of Romanticism [Romantic Era in English Literature] recognized the possibility of forming a strategic response against the language, which delineates the women’s existence through her creation of Frankenstein. Frankenstein [The Modern Prometheus] has been seen as a critique of the industrial revolution, of value-free experimental science, and of romantic Prometheanism, the philosophy to which Percy Shelley [her husband] and his friends [specifically Lord Byron] subscribed. Such a philosophy assumed that there ought to be no limits to human experience and experimentation (Bloom 214-15). It is important to note that the creation of Frankenstein was highly influenced by the two aforementioned figures [Percy Shelley and Lord Byron]. The novel was written during 1816 when Mary Shelley and her husband visited Switzerland in order to meet Lord Byron [George Gordon]. During this period, Byron proposed that each member of the group should write a ghost story. However, amongst the three, it was only Mary Shelley who was able to finish the construction of the story. The result of her efforts is a tale that exerts a hypnotic force on the reader. Apart from the gripping character of her work, Shelley enabled the creation of a genuine literary myth. However, due to the conditions of her time [English culture perceived women’s thoughts as irrational and insignificant], the novel was initially published anonymously. It was only during 1831 that she revised the initial edition and published it in her own name. The differences amongst the two editions mirror the influence of the two aforementioned figures [Percy Shelley and Lord Byron] in the construction of Frankenstein. Furthermore, both editions mirror Shelley’s development as a writer. Joseph states, although the initial edition was characterized with a spite of errors [those of a novice]†¦the central idea is carried through with considerable skill and force† thereby mirroring the promise of Mary Shelley as a writer (v). I would like to note, however, that Shelley’s revised edition of the novel also mirror her separation from the Romanticism that characterized and defined her husband’s [as well as Lord Byron’s views]. Such a separation is evident in the fatalism evident in the second version of Frankenstein. As opposed to the initial version, the second version of the aforementioned novel may be seen as characterizing Shelley’s fatalistic conception of human existence. Human life is thereby portrayed as ruled by an indifferent power capable of betraying human desires for the good. During 1818, Frankenstein was depicted as in possession of both free will and autonomy. He was depicted as an individual capable of abandoning his quest for the â€Å"principle of life†. Along with this, he was depicted as an individual who could have cared for his creation. Dr. Frankenstein’s initial depiction was thereby that of an individual immune to differing potentialities. Such a perspective is highly characteristic of Shelley and Byron’s Romanticism. The revision of the novel, however, depicted an individual prone to chance. Thus, Victor Frankenstein notes in the second version that â€Å"our souls constructed†¦by such slight ligaments (that) we are bound to propensity or ruin (Shelley 239). He further mentions in the later part of the passage that salvation could have been possible for the characters, however such a salvation was denied due to the potency of destiny. He states, destiny’s â€Å"immutable laws decreed my (Dr. Frankenstein’s) utter and terrible destruction† (Shelley 239). As opposed to such a view, one may state that the fatalism within the novel was not really a departure from her husband’s and her neighbor’s (Lord Byron) Romanticism. Rather, such a use of fatalism was meant to place emphasis on the use of rationality in the assessment of devastating moral occurrences. The aforementioned instance, in this sense, may be seen as Dr. Frankenstein’s attempts at rationalization and self-deception. However, as opposed to this view, the Romantics themselves recognized the futility of acts of self-deception as well as the paradoxical character of such acts. Note, for instance the manner in which Percy Shelley states â€Å"the secret Strength of things/Which govern thought, and to the infinite dome/ Of Heaven is as a law†. Such a passage may be perceived, as Shelley’s [his philosophical view’s] inclination towards the rules of rationality taking control over silence and fatality. Within a rational world, self-deceptio n stands as a paradoxical concept due to the necessity of knowing and hence believing a thing, concept, or idea, which one chooses to contradict and negate. Such an act thereby amounts to a form of succumbing to the silence of fatality. Furthermore, in relation to this, thoughts of fatalism were also apparent in the female character of the novel. If it is the case that the second version of Frankenstein mirrors an adherence to fatalism on Mary Shelley’s part, one wonders how it is possible for her to portray Sandoval’s conception of oppositional consciousness. Note that oppositional consciousness stands as a manner of creating a new conception of reality as opposed to the predominant conception of reality evident within one’s conceptual framework. Percy Shelley stands as a direct influence on the shaping of Mary Shelley’s thoughts. Although May Shelley belonged to a highly radical family [being the daughter of Wollstonecraft and Goodwin], the early death of her mother [Wollstonecraft] and thereby her initial experience of family life as highly patriarchal in character [in the sense that the man is the only member of the family retained amongst her parents] enabled her to be highly situated within the auspices of male rationality. The later part of her novel, in this sense may be depicted as depicti ng the manner in which both men and women are recognized as affected by the custodial character of a patriarchal culture. However, due to the dominance of male creation [in terms of meaning] within this aforementioned culture, the male stands as the one directly affected by the irrationality of his presumed rationality [which is evident in the fate of Dr. Frankenstein and his creature]. Frankenstein, in this sense, may be seen as Mary Shelley’s depiction of the mistaken assumptions of her time, which mirrors the mistakes of patriarchy and its effects upon itself. Her novel thereby opts for the recreation of the margins so as to affect the foundational propositions and hence foundational truths depicted within the center of the patriarchal ideology.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Compare and contrast art history Essays - Art Genres, Painting

The two works of art that you need to compare and contrast are in textbook on the following pages: page 756 (Book D), Landscape with Cattle and Peasants and page 812 (Book E), The Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) Claude Lorrain, Landscape with Cattle and Peasants, 1629 -produced tons of landscapes, no Bibilical matter, connection to dutch painting, typical Claude landscape,seems random, but has formality to it, foreground triangles leading into background triangles leading into water, cows chilling, people in conversation, almost exclusively at sunrise or sunset, golden light filter through landscape. Trees frame picture Lorrain's walks and explorations around the countryside of Rome provided the main inspiration for some of his most famous landscape paintings. He was fascinated with portraying nature accurately and playing with the fall of light on his subjects and scenes. Lorrain is most noted for not letting nature be sacrificed to any historical scenes being portrayed in his artwork. He believed that myths and historic events could be depicted and yet still be made beautiful and enhanced by their powerful natural surroundings. Even though this specific painting does not convey an important event, the awe-inspiring landscape is still the focus and enhances and almost beautifies the mundane task taking place in the foreground Description[edit] The first impression that the painting creates is of an enormous deep-red sunset over a stormy sea, an indication of an approaching typhoon.[3] Upon closer inspection one can discern a ship sailing off into the distance. The masts of the ship are red, matching the blood-red colour of the sky and the sickly copper colour of the water, which serves to blur the lines between various objects in the painting.[2] The ship's sails are also not unfurled, revealing that the ship is preparing for the typhoon. In the foreground can be seen a number of bodies floating in the water; their dark skin and chained hands and feet indicate that they are slaves, thrown overboard from the ship. Looking even more carefully, one can see fish and sea monsters swimming in the water, possibly preparing to eat the slaves, and sea gulls circling overhead above the chaos. Consistent with Turner's emphasis on colour in many of his other works, the painting's central focus is on the interactions of various colours. Few defined brush strokes appear in the painting, and objects, colours, and figures become indistinct. Rather, objects are defined by their colours in the painting, and some objects (like the bodies of the slaves and the incoming storm) have no real border at all, being solely defined by the contrast with the pigments around them. The most prominent colours are the red of the sunset which encroaches into the water and ship as well, and the maroon of the bodies and hands of the slaves.[2] Style and interpretation[edit] Turners emphasis on colour rather than design is typical of many Romantic works of the time. The indistinct shapes and the pervasiveness of the sunset's blood-red colour serve to convey a focus on nature and illustrate the idea that nature is superior to man. Other colours in the painting, such as the cool blue of the ocean and the black caps of the water, bring the ocean's hues to life and give the viewer a sense of the true emotions of the natural world. The fact that the figures in the painting are depicted as minuscule and that even the ship is shunted to the background in favour of the water and the sun further serve to decrease the emphasis on humanity and transfer it to nature.[2] By placing the emphasis on nature rather than on figures or objects, Turner evokes the concept of the sublime, coined by Edmund Burke. The idea of the sublime is of the utter powerlessness and terror of humanity in the face of nature; by dramatising the strength of the waves and sun, Turner uses The Slave Ship to perfectly encapsulate Burke's definition of the term. Turner's decision to paint the work with a series of quick, frenzied brush strokes rather than carefully defined lines adds to the intensity of the painting, serving to make the viewer feel even more overwhelmed.[2] Though the painting's size is relatively small compared

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Forester Critique, What I Blelieve

Every human being has personal beliefs ranging from simple to quite complex. In the first line of his essay, â€Å"What I Believe,† E. M. Forester confronts the reader with the seemingly irrational statement â€Å"I do not believe in belief.† This however is not at all true. Forester is a man with many beliefs. In his essay he expresses his opinions and beliefs on a wide range of subjects. The introductory paragraph of the essay explains what the society of human beings needs to keep itself from self destructing like a light bulb that has burned brightly for so long but unexpectedly fizzles out. According to Forester, â€Å"tolerance, good temper, and sympathy† will do nothing more for the human race than become an unattainable ideal for people to pine after. World peace is already a clichà ©, having been used by Ms. America contestants for years, and most recently President George Bush. Universal tolerance will never exist because no one who actually says they want it believes that it is possible. The advocates of world â€Å"tolerance, good temper, and sympathy† are making an attempt to manipulate the feelings of their audience, not make the world a better place to live in. They know that they won’t be blamed for not fulfilling the promise of a better world, because it does not exist and cannot be made. Forester seems oblivious to the fact that bad things bind the group. Americans take an event like those on September 11th, and unify. While the country was unified under a blanket of grief and patriotism, unfortunately it also grew intolerant and unsympathetic towards anyone with an opinion that did not coincide with those of the masses. Contrary to Forester’s belief, the human race thrives on hate and ill will. This is a world â€Å"rent by religious and racial persecution† in Forester’s eyes. This is true. These lesions under the skin of human society will never go away even though they will diminish over time with occasional fla... Free Essays on Forester Critique, What I Blelieve Free Essays on Forester Critique, What I Blelieve Every human being has personal beliefs ranging from simple to quite complex. In the first line of his essay, â€Å"What I Believe,† E. M. Forester confronts the reader with the seemingly irrational statement â€Å"I do not believe in belief.† This however is not at all true. Forester is a man with many beliefs. In his essay he expresses his opinions and beliefs on a wide range of subjects. The introductory paragraph of the essay explains what the society of human beings needs to keep itself from self destructing like a light bulb that has burned brightly for so long but unexpectedly fizzles out. According to Forester, â€Å"tolerance, good temper, and sympathy† will do nothing more for the human race than become an unattainable ideal for people to pine after. World peace is already a clichà ©, having been used by Ms. America contestants for years, and most recently President George Bush. Universal tolerance will never exist because no one who actually says they want it believes that it is possible. The advocates of world â€Å"tolerance, good temper, and sympathy† are making an attempt to manipulate the feelings of their audience, not make the world a better place to live in. They know that they won’t be blamed for not fulfilling the promise of a better world, because it does not exist and cannot be made. Forester seems oblivious to the fact that bad things bind the group. Americans take an event like those on September 11th, and unify. While the country was unified under a blanket of grief and patriotism, unfortunately it also grew intolerant and unsympathetic towards anyone with an opinion that did not coincide with those of the masses. Contrary to Forester’s belief, the human race thrives on hate and ill will. This is a world â€Å"rent by religious and racial persecution† in Forester’s eyes. This is true. These lesions under the skin of human society will never go away even though they will diminish over time with occasional fla...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sugar Cane Alley Video Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sugar Cane Alley Video - Assignment Example Indeed, formal education had thought him that nothing could be more enslaving than for his true identity to be missing. In his search for knowledge therefore, Jose was also seriously searching for his true identity and a self will that would make him accept his roots and identity as the best. After all it is said that even if the back of your teeth is sour, it remains where your tongue licks. This means that even if you shy away from your identity because of whatever negative tag it may have, it remains your roots. For Jose to have said that "tomorrow Ill return to Fort de France and Ill take my Black Shack Alley with me" therefore means that Jose had finally come to find the solution to the puzzle he had been trying to solve since the beginning of the movie. The puzzle of his identity – the puzzle of who he was! The solution was that he was Black and came from the true Black identity, which is of course Africa and for the fact that he admired and revered where he was coming from, he was ready to take his identity along with him without fear or shyness. The statement therefore means the discovery of Jose’s identity and his readiness to embrace his true and original identity without

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Research Paper Example One of the spiders, which have recently become a primary concern of those living in Salt Lake City is the Hobo spider. The scientific classification for the Hobo spider is Tegenaria agrestis. It is in the family Aglenidae. It is not originally native to North America, but was brought over when Western Europeans began to colonize North America. The species was originally discovered in Europe by C.A. Walkenaer in 1802 and then was rediscovered in the United States in 1936 by Harriet Exline. The appearance of the Hobo Spider varies greatly, however there are a few core characteristics, which make it easier to identify. The abdomen has v-shaped patterns on its abdomen which aim down toward the head of the spider. They also have a light stripe, which runs down the middle of the sternum. Considering the size of typical spiders, the Hobo Spider is of a larger variation, usually ranging from twelve to eighteen millimeters in body length. Compared to other spiders, they have very poor eyesigh t and lack the normal climbing ability that many other spiders share. There are also sexual differences, which allow for further identification. The male Hobo Spider has two pedipalps in front of its two front legs, which is homologous to the male gentials in humans. The female Hobo Spiders have a much larger abdomen than the male Hobo Spider and lack the pedipalps (Ethan 4-12). ... After the new spiders hatch, they spend a majority of the first part of their life underground feeding and growing. After they have reached maturity, they begin searching for a mate. The females remain stationary and build their webs. The males come to the females. After mating, the males die first and then are followed by the females. The cycle then repeats itself over again. In the predator-prey relationship, the Hobo Spider does not fall at the top of the food chain. The Hobo Spider has three natural enemies that control the population: the preying mantis, wasps, and other spiders. Hobo Spiders especially have the disadvantage compared to other types of spiders. The first is that they lack the climbing ability and ability to escape from other spiders’ webs, which leaves them extremely vulnerable. The Hobo Spider tends to feed on smaller insects that it can catch, due to the type of web that it spins. It is known as a funnel web spinner. They are typically long in shape and have an empty hole in the middle in which the spider sits waiting for prey. Compared to other types of webs, they are not as thick (Vest). The venom of the Hobo Spider is potent. One important fact regarding bites made by the Hobo Spider is that those made in defense typically do not carry venom, compared to if it was the result of the spider hunting. This is because venom requires energy for the spider to make, so the spider tries to conserve this. The severity of the bite is often dependent on where the bite is located and how old the spider is. Another sexual difference between these spiders is that the male’s venom is more potent than that of the female. The venom is similar to the brown recluse in that it is a necrotic

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Problems in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problems in the Workplace - Essay Example Workers in the 21st century have increasingly raised concerns on how technology has changed their tasks as well as way of life, which could possibly lower performance. Some have lost their jobs because of mechanization and use of computers implying high level of unemployment. It has therefore become necessary for management to formulate policies for introducing new technology that do not lower workers ego but instead instills morale and motivation. In this paper, the issue of negative impact of technology on workers shall be discussed; issues related to technology change in working environment and suggest how to develop a mechanism to solve negative impact of technology, its implementation and suggestion on how to improve workers perception on new technology. Technology is in recent days among the greatest challenges that employees have because they fear losing their jobs after introduction of computers and other devices. Although job has been made easier and efficient, technology has lowered workers morale especially those that are convinced that use of computers, robots and advanced machinery will eventually replace them (Hodgetts & Hegar, 2008). Many workers are therefore not ready to embrace new technology; instead, they are resisting management move to introduce new technologically advanced equipment. This has made work become ineffective since workers are always on go-slows in embracing new technology especially the one that is deemed to take away their positions. Resistance has especially come from workers who are not skilled, those that like paper work and they fear that lack of knowledge on how to use computers can possibly eliminate them. Workers resistance to technology change has held some organization behind thus not sustain ing stiff competition especially in the 21st century. However, workers involvement in decision making and implementation of strategies to embrace technology changes has created a good working environment since

Friday, November 15, 2019

The state of human nature

The state of human nature Assignment The State of Human Nature The conflict on the ideas between Thomas Hobbes and Rousseau in terms of the definition of human nature is seen like a state without social structure. In his book â€Å"The Leviathan†, Hobbes wrote that all condition of the people is one in misery wherein we are compelled to act violently and compete with each others to be able to attain their desired goals in life (Green 1993). As such, men are naturally violent and greedy wherein if they want something, they will do their best to obtain such thing. Thus, the result is that men becomes more inclined towards giving importance to themselves rather than to the general good which they sometimes try to portray. Moreover, as for Jean Jacques Rousseau, men are naturally peaceful and only wishes to live like that as this is what is important in his life. The claim of this paper is that men are naturally violent and we tend to be defensive on things that usually affect our interest. The human nature presented in The Leviathan is based on a society where there is no government to administer the people. As such, people tend to become more aggressive protecting their interest and will not be in accord to anybody that will intend to destroy such interest. The paper presents two types of government which are democratic and authoritarian rule. The way human nature will be influenced will be discussed on each regime to show that we humans cannot live peacefully without the intervention of the government. The Human Nature Philosophy As Human nature ideas grew, philosophers would try to integrate Human nature teaching with government and society. The result threatened the very core of different ideas. Today, we see increased pressure to water down orthodoxy and integrate it with current philosophy and teaching (Schopoenhauer 2012). Much of what passes for teachings today is nothing but different diverse perspectives that states we possess the divine and all we must do is realize that secret. But human nature is not about humans becoming something which they originally are not. Two types of government will be presented which somehow affects human nature. Democratic government in affecting human nature A large number of nations have already adopted a democratic government. A democratic government aims to improve the freedom of the people. The structures of the government and the frameworks serve as guide to the acts of the people. The government, the constitution and the system are the composition for executing the principle within a country. The government as the structure, the constitution as the framework and the system as the means if implementation. The government has proven itself on serving its people at its best. The roles are fulfilled well and it has developed further to the changing times (Dickson 2014). However, the criticism on its process as not following the majority rule questions the democratic principle that the majority should be followed. Due to the idea that the people are influenced by the society, the idea of majority rule is associated with basic principles that could touch human rights to also protect the minority. With this belief, the diversity of the peo ple, which follows pluralism, is observed. The constitution that serves as the fundamental law of the land was amended in accordance of the developing times. Basically, the constitution is the declaration of rights of the individuals and the principles of the state. Rooted from the ideas of English Magna Carta and the principle of the balance of power, the constitution continues to be the guidelines for the state to assure that human rights are being considered. The democratic notion is seen on how it gives freedom to the people. For instance, the press shows how freedom is given importance in a nation. To determine the different rights of the people the government usually use the media. As an effective medium, television, newspaper, radio and the internet are the popular ways to express public opinion. It is use to educate as it gives information to the people. It gives the people a sense of political involvement and socialization which is good because it shows that the people participate in political issues. It serves as the watchdog on government activities ensuring that the rights are observed. However, as the basic principle on freedom of expression is applied, certain laws are imposed to observe responsible use of media. It is also important that human rights violations are being watched so that proper authorities will know it. Schmitter (2010) states that the consequences of democracy brings about significant changes in power relation s, properly rights and social status within a society. Human nature can be influenced by what the people hear and do within the society. Moreover, despite of the success of this type of government, some criticizes it. Most experts on divided societies and constitutional engineering broadly agree that deep societal divisions pose a grave problem for democracy, and that it is therefore generally more difficult to establish and maintain democratic government (Lijphart 2004). Different factions in the government results to different views within the society. The separation in the nation somehow shows the divisiveness in the system that can affect the decisions made by the country, but somehow it is useful for an atmosphere of competition and improvement between the parties. Democracy is a richly textured and complicated concept and scholars have often argued the manner of its measurement. There are only a few sets of information on political regimes that can be deployed as the foundation for the exploration of issues on democratization. Most significant are the data on civil liberties and political rights developed by Freedom House, a US nongovernmental organization covering the period of 1972 to 2011 and the project known as Polity IV which presents data on political regime transitions and characteristics, with information on every country that can be trace way back in 1946. Both sources of data have numerical scores that specify where a country belongs either in a dictatorship or in a liberal democracy. Authoritarian Rule influence on Human Nature This government is one that imposes authoritarian rules are seen on countries in the Arab nation. Hybrid regimes in the Arab world are considered to be electoral authoritarian, competitive authoritarian and partly-free authoritarian. Iraq, Kuwait and Lebanon are often considered as regimes that are democratizing with their hybrid nature going on the side of complete democracy. However, several obstacles will be faced by these countries for them to evolve into stable and full-fledged democratic systems. For instance, Lebanon was a democracy with free elections from 1972 to 1975. Despite of the presence of democratic institutions within Lebanon, the possibility of significant change is inhibited because these institutions have a framework of sharing their powers. Another typical example of a hybrid regime is Kuwait that applied political liberalization in the year 1992 and was praised as a classic instance of the manner states can remain democratize and be stable gradually (Vannelli 20 01). However as of today, the authorities that were elected by the people had too little authority for the political system to be considered as a democracy. Specifically, there are still institutions in Kuwait that do not respect popular rule and hinders the cause of political liberalization. The family of al-Sabah holds the authority to rule while the Congress plays the role of a watchdog and with the limited authority to restrain the cabinet. What makes such authoritarian countries become firm and resolute is because this type of regime goes with the culture of the country. The people within the said country are disciplined and properly follow the law. These kinds of people are usually found within pure authoritarian countries in the Arab world include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Qatar, Oman and Jordan. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are considered by experts to be â€Å"dynastic monarchies† which means that the rules of the family govern instead of a sole individual and power is distributed among the members of the family. Succession to the throne is normally decided by the members of the family and a ruler can be removed from the position if he or she loses the allegiance or faith of the family. In Arab monarchies that are nondynastic like Morocco, Oman and Jordanthe monarch can select his successor and has absolute power over the government. In these countries, the members of the royal family could rule at the pleasure of the reigning monarch. Different theorists states that due to the strict policies implemented within the country, the people does not resort to violence and they only do this in a collective manner. The major explanations can be grouped into four aspects: those related to the cultural requirements of a democracy, those that pinpoint the location of the Arab world, those that involve foreign policy and those that highlight the significance of government agency. Scholars referring to the lack of cultural requirements to achieve democracy in the Arab world can be traced to the Arab or Muslim cultures that run contrary to the values associated with democracy. In particular, individual rights and participatory government are unknown to the political tradition of the Muslim world because the Islam religion considers God as the sole authority and that society must be guided by the laws of God. As a consequence, there is no legal basis for a representative government, civil codes or the mere sovereignty of a man. Meanwhile, the prevalence of oil in the Arab world significantly pushes authoritarianism since oil revenues goes directly to the government that allows it to distribute sizeable patronage to the population without the need for taxation. This rentier effect allows the public to enjoy quality public services and goods without the need for taxation that hinders their demands for reform within the government. Conclusion: In terms of the way people respond to their environment, it is but necessary to note that the government where one lives in usually affects the nature of the people. This is because the rules force people to become disciplined or to become free and do whatever they want. The philosophy had given much to the shaping of human history, and one important part of it is the contribution of well known Human nature thinkers. The main ideas were focused on men and spirit, wherein it is based from different aspects of society such as the ethical norms of humanity (Rogoff 2003). The flourishment of these teachings had an influence to the warring nations on that time, the thinking of the people and the decisions of leaders from different nations. These schools of thoughts contributed to the development of each of them, making each of the schools competent sources of philosophies and teachings.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Literary Analysis of Feminism Seen in Antigone and A Doll’s House Essay

Susan B. Anthony once said, â€Å"The true republic: men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.† In the plays Antigone, by Sophocles, and A Doll’s House, by Henrik Ibsen, strong women overcome restrictions and limitations placed upon them by their society and gender. In Antigone, Antigone chooses to defy Creon, her ruler, uncle, and a male authority figure, to support what she believes is right, which is burying her brother and respecting the gods. Though it was forbidden for her brother to be buried because of Creon’s decree, she resists, and in doing so, feels empowered and discovers what a strong woman she truly is. Similarly, in A Doll’s House, Nora is hindered by how the society in which she lives views women and their capabilities. After saving her husband’s life and keeping the secret of a forgery that could potentially destroy her marriage, Nora discovers that her husband is not who she thinks he is when he tu rns on her as soon as his reputation is threatened. Through leaving her husband, Helmer, she aims to make a life for herself and become her own person rather than just her husband’s â€Å"doll.† Both of these women, Antigone and Nora, make choices that are unheard of for their time periods and that demonstrate the importance of equal relationships between women and men. Through Sophocles and Ibsen’s plays, women in modern times can understand how women are repressed and subservient to men in male-dominated societies. An understanding of the restrictions placed on women requires an analysis of the characters’ submission to men, the expectations placed upon them by society, and their search to find their inner voices through their struggles to be heard. The expectations placed on women by society ... ...ce, and become independent women, even if they go against society’s or their male ruler’s wishes. Sophocles and Ibsen alike portray strong women who defy society’s expectations, do not bend to the wills of men, and who discover themselves while fighting for their rights. The actions taken by Nora and Antigone are remarkable for the time periods in which they live, especially with patriarchal societies. By analyzing these plays, women can determine how to become independent and not always conform to society’s expectations, just as Nora and Antigone do. Relationships between men and women are changing, through time, to become more equal and accepting of strong-willed women. Women worldwide are slowly shrugging off the chains of restrictions placed upon them by the males in their lives and are growing confident enough in themselves to make changes for the better.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Lady Macbeth Is the Real Villain of Macbeth Essay

Shakespeare’s Macbeth explores the notion of villains through its key characters and throughout the play the audience is left wondering who is actually the ‘real’ villain. Lady Macbeth seems to portray certain characteristics of a villain and appears to have evil intentions and Macbeth is also perceived as a villain due to his violent rampage. Nevertheless, both Macbeth and his wife have a conscience and they realize what they’ve done wrong. With this considered, it is ultimately the witches who are the true villains as they continue to encourage Macbeth on his murderous journey and they are soulless as they have a sense of what is right and wrong, however they find pleasure in disrupting the natural order. During the exposition act, Lady Macbeth immediately displays certain characteristics similar to a villain, and she appears to have evil intentions. Since she fears that Macbeth is too full of â€Å"th’ milk of human kindness† to take the steps necessary to make himself king, her attitude becomes very strong and forceful and she states â€Å"unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood† which presents her evil intentions as she desperately wants the crown for her husband, and does so in a dark way to emphasize the supernatural world as she would put aside her natural femininity so that she can do the bloody deeds in order to seize the crown. It also seems to be Lady Macbeth that is the â€Å"spur to prick the sides of [Macbeth’s] intent†, as she is adding to his â€Å"vaulting ambition†. Moreover, she belittles her husband, as she believes he needs to be â€Å"more the man†, and portrays herself as a woman who is capable of doing something unthinkable. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is introduced as a â€Å"brave† and â€Å"worthy gentleman†, as he fought bravely and was loyal to his king. However, the witch’s prophecies affect his ultimate desire to become â€Å"king hereafter†, and he begins to display certain characteristics associated with a tragic hero, thus being a fatal flaw. In Macbeth’s situation, his fatal flaw is his â€Å"vaulting ambition† for power. This is the point in the play when he is viewed as a villainous character, as he sets out on his violent rampage and commits murder, therefore putting the entire kingdom in danger. Furthermore, Macbeth has the opportunity to decline his wife’s temptations, however his hunger for power takes its toll on him and he continues on his murderous journey. As the play progresses, the audience is able to see Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s decline. Another thing that they also notice is that Macbeth and his wife have a conscience; more specifically a guilty conscience. They actually realize what they’ve done wrong, and a terrible amount of guilt washes over them. Lady Macbeth’s guilty conscience was evident when she began getting flooded with nightmares and she would sleep walk as well as always talk about the stained blood on her hands, and how she is trying to wash it off. This idea of blood refers to guilt. â€Å"Out, damned spot! † shows that she is struggling to remove the guilt from her hind. She also emphasizes that it’s impossible to remove the blood as she states â€Å"all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand†. Towards the end of the play, Macbeth realizes the evil he has committed and he is portrayed as a victim to his own ambitious and greedy actions. Due to this realization, Macbeth is viewed as a tragic hero, and at the end of the play the audience notice his emptiness – â€Å"I have lived long enough: my way of life is fallen into the sear, the yellow leaf, and that which should accompany old age as honour, love, obedience, troops of friends.. †. Seeing as Lady Macbeth or Macbeth weren’t the ‘real’ villains of the play, it makes way to present that the witches were the real villains. The witches were the ones who ultimately manipulated and tricked Macbeth to kill King Duncan, Banquo, the Guards and many other people. Everything the witches do eventually lead to Macbeth’s downfall and therefore they are responsible for his demise. They continue to encourage Macbeth on his murderous journey and are displayed as soulless characters, as they have a sense of what is right and wrong, however they choose to find pleasure in disrupting the natural order as they believe that â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair†. Therefore, Lady Macbeth isn’t the real villain of the play. Although she has evil intentions and holds villainous characteristics, she has a conscience and becomes extremely guilty of her actions. The audience is left wondering who the ‘real’ villain is, and some may think it’s Macbeth, however Macbeth is a tragic hero as he realizes the crime he has committed, yet he still fights until his very last moment. The witches are certainly the real villains of this play as play upon the motives of Macbeth, therefore being responsible for his downfall, and they enjoy disrupting the natural order. With this said, it is quite evident that Lady Macbeth is not the real villain of the play.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Je Suis Intress(e) Dans French Mistake

Je Suis Intress(e) Dans French Mistake A common mistake when learning French is to use the phrase je suis  intà ©ressà ©(e)  dans to mean I am interested in. This is a tricky one because students translate literally and it doesnt work in French for many reasons. Use PAR (Not Dans) We say je suis intà ©ressà ©(e) PAR blablabla. Je suis intà ©ressà ©(e) par le cinà ©ma.Im interested in cinema. But it gets more complicated than that... In French, you could also say sintà ©resser Je mintà ©sse au cinà ©maIm interested in cinema You Must Flip Your Sentence Around Both these translations are fine grammatically. But its unlikely a French person would use these constructions at all. We would flip our sentence around. Le cinà ©ma mintà ©resse.Im interested in cinema Etre Intress = To Have Hidden Motives Watch out that à ªtre intà ©ressà © - followed by nothing can also be a way to describe someone who has hidden motives, bad intentions... Like someone who does something that looks genuine but has hidden reasons. Il prà ©tend à ªtre son ami, mais en fait il est intà ©ressà © (par... son argent par exemple).He pretends to be his friend but in reality, he is after something (his money for example).

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Marriott and Hyatt

Marriott and Hyatt Marriott and Hyatt are leading brands in the world hospitality market. Hyatt Corporation operates in more than 45 countries, having over 370 locations, whereas Marriott operates in 68 countries having over 3150 properties.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marriott and Hyatt specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hyatt employs about 100 000 people, and Marriott has about 150 000 employees. Apparently, Marriot has a larger network, but it is necessary to add that this corporation is to great extent aimed at the US market. Conversely, Hyatt can be regarded as international brand. These two corporations also have different focuses. Hyatt is mainly aimed at premium market, whereas Marriot also offers various low-price options. Thus, Hyatt specializes in high end sectors and resorts, business plans, and family centers. At the same time Marriott offers more varied services, focusing on such business segments in the hotel chain as : full service and lodging, select service and lodging, extended stay and lodging, timeshare, and even synthetic fuel. It is necessary to add that in contrast to Hyatt, Marriot has acquired other hotel brands (e.g. Ritz Carlton Hotel Corporation) diversifying its business. These two hospitality giants not only maintain constant high quality if their services but follow ethical standards and reveal social responsibility. Thus, Hyatt is preoccupied with environmental issues. The company launches various trainings for the employees to increase their awareness of what can be and should be done to solve environmental issues. Hyatt also has HyattEarth website where they monitor energy use reductions, reductions of Greenhouse Gas emissions, water use and landfill waste reductions. At the same time, Marriott is more concerned with contributing to the development of social responsibility among people. Thus, Marriott is very deliberate while choosing their partners paying much attention to th e quality of products they provide and their being socially responsible. For instance, Marriott demands very high quality of products and the use of environmentally friendly raw materials; they also check whether all human rights are followed in the hotels of the corporations or in companies-partners.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to point out that such social responsibility of the companies contributes to their respectful names. However, it should be mentioned that while Marriott has a really strong image of one-off hospitality corporation maintaining high quality standards, Hyatt had several scandals which damaged the company’s reputation. Thus, Hyatt has been often accused of employee mistreatment, workforce reduction and housecleaning personnel outsourcing. SWOT analysis Marriott Hyatt Strengths Wide range of brands Strategic l ocations Brand image Website and social networking in Conducting its business Successful strategies to attract and Retain a pool of staff Premium offering Brand image Hyatt casino Weaknesses Focus on the United States market instead of global markets; Over-reliance on luxury products; Mostly targeted by terrorists and extremists High-level exposure to the premium market Diluted brand name Financial pressures Opportunities Emerging Asian Travel and Tourism markets Come up with low-end brands Distinction amongst hotel services offered; Decreased cost of real estate in the United States Eco-tourism Specialist businesses Hyatt business services Road trips Threats Timeshare is decreasing on popularity Economic meltdown, which lowered consumer’s spending power Threat from terrorists and extremists Tight United States borders Low cost travel/leisure Market heavily influenced by competitors Strengths Hyatt has a strong image and it is focused on premium segments, and benefits from its additional option: casino. However, Marriott has more strong points: it has more diversified business, it possesses strategic locations and benefits from using technology to provide more services. Moreover, Marriot, in contrast to Hyatt, has very positive and unblemished reputation. Weaknesses Hyatt’s major downsides are its focus on premier segment where demand is declining due to world financial crises and diluted brand name. Conversely, Marriott which has quite diversified business suggests different options in all segments but it is mainly focused on the market within the United States without developing new opportunities on new markets (e.g. very promising Asian market). One of Marriott’s weaknesses is its frequent exposure to terrorist attacks. Opportunities Nevertheless, the both companies have many opportunities to develop. Thus, Hyatt can develop its specialist business segment, offering more services in holiday and lei sure industries. Moreover, the company can benefit from its road trips services due to the rise of air travel costs. At the same time Marriott should pay more attention to developing new markets, especially in Asia. The company should also consider providing more low-end brands which is quite possible due to the decreased costs in the US real estate.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Marriott and Hyatt specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Threats However, the companies should also take into account possible threats. Thus, Hyatt can face difficulties due to the increased offer of travel services where demand is becoming lower than offer. Hyatt can also lose its position in the segment of gambling since many new companies emerge. As far as Marriott is concerned it is necessary to point out the following threats: financial crisis consumers lowered consumers’ spending power. Besides, Marriott can lose its leading posi tion if it stays within the boundaries of the US. In summary, Marriot and Hyatt are two giants of hospitality market. However, it is necessary to point out that Marriot has larger services chain and strong reputation whereas Hyatt is not presented in so many countries and has had many scandals concerning employee mistreatment. Apart from this Hyatt is potentially more vulnerable to financial hardships since it is aimed at premier segment whereas Marriot should pay much attention to implementing innovations.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Gorbachev and the Age of Rebuilding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Gorbachev and the Age of Rebuilding - Essay Example Did he really know what he was doing? Most of the radical reformists generally receive much doubt and unstable support simply because their theories have yet to be tested. It does not come as a surprise that many perceived Gorbachev was moving blind in his pursuit of reforms. But the author firmly believes that he had a clear and well equipped understanding on their position regarding what matters were needed to be reformed. Gorbachev literally grew up inside the sluggish Soviet system, thus he knew which components were hindering them from achieving good economic standing (Mcnair et al. 2005: p. 1). The West perceived him as a liberator and progressive leader with his foreign and domestic policies such as the Perestroika, which means restructuring or rebuilding, and the Glasnost which is literally translated as openness. These reforms were meant to remedy the economic deficiency of Russia and adapt better practices in the hope of making Russia a globally competitive economy. These p olicies, especially the Perestroika, received the spotlight since the USSR standard of living drastically collapsed together with the economy under his rule, and ultimately it also lead to the dissolution of the USSR. Perestroika is widely believed and argued to be also the main cause of the revolution of Eastern Europe in 1989 and also it contributed to the end of the Cold War (Heauel & Cohen 2009: p. 1). In the aftermath of these events, it is relevant to consider how Gorbachev has come up with such policies and aggressive reforms. Relevant also would be how he devised and schemed the plans to go, and how the plans later on faltered and backfired to Mother Russia despite all the good intentions and virtues that it bannered. The status quo before he came into power should also be put into consideration and also the consequences of the demise and how much should really be the attributed blame to his blunder. The policies of his predecessors, like Khruschchev, where the early stages of Perestroika was likened to his reforms during the 1950s and sixties (Tompson 1993: p. 73), should also be understood. This is necessary so as to learn how he then came to be with his political orientation and of what external factors are at play in influencing and engineering such policies. SHAPING A REFORMIST Before delving deeper into Gorbachev’s policies and reforms, one must first try to understand where he is coming from and how he came to be in power. His early life shaped how he came to be an aggressive reformist who later on became one of the most influential political figures in the XX century. Gorbachev was born into a mixed Russian-Ukrainian family on March 2, 1931 (Ikeda & Gorbachev 2005: p. 11). Early in his childhood, he experienced the Soviet famine of 1932-1933 which claimed the lives of his two sisters (Gorbachev 2006: p. 10). His family started off as poor landless peasants but later on rose to become middle-class farmers because of the Soviet collectiviz ation (Mcnair et al. 2005: p. 1). He recalls that â€Å"The peasant labor was very hard. It was back-breaking labor twenty hours a day, with no more than three or four hours of sleep. Yet it did not bring prosperity to the farmers. The only hope was the private plot of land where everything was cultivated to make ends meet somehow† (Gorbachev 1996: p. 36). It can be concluded that he is no stranger to the struggles of the lowest of classes for he experienced the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Internatinal Business Management - Risk Analysis of Brazil Essay

Internatinal Business Management - Risk Analysis of Brazil - Essay Example The article has emphasized the need for FDIs in the agricultural sector of Brazil, and how with the proper flow of finance into this sector will help agriculture of Brazil reach the unfathomable heights. â€Å"Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) occurs when an investor based in one country (the home country) acquires an asset in another country (the host country) with the intent to manage the asset.† (Graham Jeffery P, 2005) Over the years FDI has helped a great deal in the globalisation and internationalisation of business ventures across the globe especially in the developing countries. According to a source from the UNCTD, in the developing countries annual FDI flow has increased from less $10 billion to $636 billion in the span of three decades that is from 1970 to 2004. (U.S. Dept of States, Jan, 2009) This huge increase in the flow of FDI was driven by the industrial mergers, acquisitions and globalisation of businesses. One of the main aspects of FDI is that it enhances the flow of capital and technology into the developing countries. This is generally beneficial to both the parties, the home ground and the host ground, that is, the country which makes the investment and the country which takes in the investment, respectively. It also presents the smaller and the medium sized industries with the opportunity of becoming more actively involved in business on the international level. To sum it up th e FDI assists in the internationalisation of small business, harnesses a spirit of cooperation between the different nations and different firms within the nations and overall speeds up the growth and economic development of the participating nations and firms. (Graham Jeffery P. and Spaulding R. Barry, 2005). The Federative Republic of Brazil, geographically situated on the Latin side of America and with a work force of 99.23 million is one of the fastest growing economies in the sphere of developing countries of the world, with an

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Project Managment for Boeing 787 Dreamliner Essay

Project Managment for Boeing 787 Dreamliner - Essay Example The project life cycle is used to further refine the project before arriving at a general conclusion. Project managers have to make trade-offs among the scope, time and cost considerations in a bid to establish project priorities (Westland 2007, p. 56). The trade-offs are more serious in case of momentous project such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, already experiencing multiple delays and millions of pounds lost in fines. One of the best tools to help project managers at any level is the Project Matrix technique, through which the manager makes trade-offs based on constraining, enhancing or accepting the main project criteria; time, cost and performance (Frame 2003, p. 87). For the case of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner project, each element will be discussed before arriving at an appropriate Project Matrix. The project manager must categorically discuss with the relevant stakeholders for each criterion before deciding on the trade-offs. The first criterion under discussion in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner project is time. Time is a major determinant of project success due to a number of reasons. First, the establishment of SMART Boeing 787 Dreamliner project objectives involves proper considerations on timelines; secondly, the work break-down structure of projects deeply embeds time considerations; lastly, the traditional relationship between time and cost translates to a situation where delaying the project increases the cost of the project. Further delaying the project attracts unbudgeted-for fines which further add to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner project cost. However, the project manager is in a position to control the time considerations through managing procurements, revolutionising the work break-down structure to tighten time use and managing risks. Thus, the time consideration becomes a priority for enhancement. The performance criterion is of absolute

Monday, October 28, 2019

Project proposal Essay Example for Free

Project proposal Essay RESEARCH TOPIC PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CASE STUDY OF CHEVRON) INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY â€Å"Performance appraisal is an evaluation of the appraisee performance in his or her job while potential appraisal helps in discovering the appraisee’s capabilities, skills and talents for development.†(Obisi, 1996). Worldwide, performance appraisals are used in nearly all organizations. There are different tools and number of goals that performance appraisals focus to examine individual’s performance and potential of development, (Leena and Twinkle, 2012: pg01-06). Therefore, the general area of our study is performance appraisal systems in organization. Only minority activities in personnel management are concerned with evaluating employees as individuals. Performance appraisal is a planned interaction between employees and their supervisors, during which the former examine the performance of the latter to identify strengths and weaknesses with the view to improving future performance, (Kofi, 2012: pg22). For their, appraisal is part and parcel of an important personnel activity salary planning and administration. Having accepted that staff performance appraisal is a legitimate activity in organization, we shall familiarize ourselves with the difficulties concerning both accuracy and fairness. It is important to note that the culture of value-system of the organization will act as the major determinant of both the appraisal scheme adopted and the way it is introduced. For instance if the culture is one which favors control and measurement of people, then it is likely that system will be imposed on the participants, but that it will at least contain some measurable criteria against which to judge performance. But where openness performance are encourage, any system will be discussed first with those involved, with the result that appraisals are more likely to be joint problem – solving affairs rather than a calling to account by a superior. Similarly, we can appreciate the importance of performance appraisal when we realize that it is through it that organizational progress at the target and productivity of workers can be evaluated. For instance, a high performance rating tells the workers the organizations is aware of his devotion to his job increase his performance via the goal when were set. The above arguments are not weights. Today open appraisal system has come to stay and any organization, which ignores open appraisal system, should be prepared to face the negative consequences of low performance, conflict and uncertain future. (Obisi, 1996). Alo, (1999) defines performance appraisal as a process involving deliberate stock taking of the success, which an individual or organization has achieved in performing assigned tasks or meeting set goals over a period of time. The specific subject matter of our t is study concern the use of performance of employee as a basis for judging the contribution and weakness of emplo yees so that continuing efforts can be made to build a strange and more effective organization performance appraisal system helps in retaining promotional and retaining policies. Performance appraisal as the process of appraising staff performance against previously agreed standard and targets. It is based on guidelines given to employer by the management of what is expected of them in terms of organizational objectives. Performance appraisal involves the observation and evaluation of employee work behavior or the result that behavior by some. To appraise is to judge the work quality or conditions of something or to find out its value. However, it is important to note that one of the responsibilities of manager is to evaluate the performance of his subordinates. The essence of the evaluation is to assess their character, attitude, potentials and past performance on the job. According to Alo (1999) defines performance appraisal as a process involving deliberate stock taking of the success, which an individual or organization has achieved in performing assigned tasks or meeting set goals over a period of time. Atiomo (2000) agrees with Fajana (1997) that perfor mance appraisal is a system which provides organizations with a means of identifying not only what people’s performance levels are but which areas those levels need to be improved if maximum use is to be made of human resource. In most organizations, there is always a way instituted to evaluate productive behavior of the workers. This is important if the goals for which  organization was established are to be attained. Further, most industrial organizations institute mechanism to solve human problems of workers such as motivation and job satisfaction with an overall objective of ensuring higher productivity. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM The process of appraising the performance of employees is made difficult by the fact that criteria of effective performance are frequently difficult to define, the areas of performance for which an individual is responsible are often unclear and evaluation tend to be based not on measurement of actual performance but on the perceptions and judgments of an employee’s immediate boss. And also there can be ineffective if the performance appraisal system does not correspond with organizational culture and system. Despite that performance appraisal will be of immense assistance to management in formal organizations in general and CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED. It can be detrimental to quality improvement: it has been proposed that the use of performance systems in organizations adversely affect organizations pursuits of quality performance. Negative perceptions, quite often individuals have negative perceptions of performance appraisal receiving and/or the anticipation of receiving a performance appraisal can be uncomfortable and distressful and potentially cause tension between supervisors and subordinates. Performance appraisal should provide accurate and relevant ratings of an employee’s performance as compared to pre-established criteria that is organizational expectations. Legal issues: if performance appraisal are not carried out appropriately, legal issues could result that place the organization at risk. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main purpose and objective of studying performance appraisal systems is as follow. i.To understand varieties of an heir use in personnel administration and motivation of workers for higher productive behavior.  Evaluate the strength of performance appraisal in supplying data that could help the management of the CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED to make an efficient use of its human resources. iii.To understand problem of performance appraisal system and reaction of workers to consequences of their adoption iv.Highlight whether the appraisal technique as presently  creates a learning experience for the employees of the organization to motivate them on improving their level of performance on the job. v.To find out whether the employees of the company are usually satisfied with the way they are being appraised by their supervisors. Vi.Find out how effective is the use of performance appraisal technique as a toll for determining promotion, salary increases and training. RESEARCH QUESTIONS To direct the conduct of this study, the following research questions were developed whose answers will go along in attaining the objectives of the study. i.Do you agree with the fact that performance appraisal is significant to the personnel and effective human resource manager? ii.To what extent can Performance appraisal as an instrument enhance effective human resource management? iii.In what areas has the Chevron Nigeria Limited performance appraisal scheme created an impact on employees? vi.Are performance appraisal reports usually a true reflection of employee’s strength and weakness? v.Is the present appraisal scheme appropriate for evaluating suitability for promotion and salary increment? vi.Do bosses influence performance appraisal reports? Could proper use of performance appraisal lead to employee’s motivation? RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS The following research hypothesis has been developed for the purpose of this study tested for acceptance or rejection. H0:The usefulness of performance appraisal is significant to the personnel and human resource managers. H1:The usefulness of performance appraisal make no significant to the personnel and human resource manager. H0:Performance appraisal could be used to enhance employee’s performance H1:performance appraisal could not be used to enhance employee’s performance. H0:performance appraisal systems usually a true reflection of employee’s strength and weaknesses H1:performance appraisal systems does not usually reflect a true employee’s strength and weaknesses H0:Present appraisal scheme is appropriate for evaluating suitability for promotion and salary increment H1:Present appraisal scheme is not appropriate for evaluating suitability for promotion and salary increment. H0:Proper used of performance appraisal leads to employee’s motivation. H1:Proper used of performance appraisal does not lead to employee’s motivation. SCOPE OF THE STUDY Because of the time constraint, the research will be primarily directed to the country headquarter CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED located at 2, Chevron drive, Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, Nigeria. It will delve into such sensitive and areas like promotion, salary increases, training and reward for hard work. To make the research work more reliable and valid the sample study will cut across all categories of junior staff, officers and management staff. It is my sincere hope that the study of the research will be of immense assistance to the management in formal organizations in general and CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED in particular. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY Generally, in any meaningful project work of this nature, some difficulties are likely to come up. Such difficulties include: TIME FACTOR: Time factor is a major problem because as an undergraduate student, there is little or no time to allocate to a greater work as the available time is shared between this study and other subject course study. FINANCE: Research project is quite expensive. Preparing the research instrument, moving about to gather the data, administering the research instrument, compiling, validating, writing, typesetting and printing the report cost a lot of money. For an undergraduate, the fund may not really flow as much as needed. HUMAN FACTOR: All efforts would be made towards ensuring error free findings. However, absence of errors is not totally guaranteed as all human are prone to mistakes. DATA GATHERING: Eliciting of data from the stakeholders might also be like a camel trying to pass through the eye of a needle in the sense of inaccessibility and unwillingness of executives and other respondents in providing data information for the purpose. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The significance of this study includes: The study will assist organizational control by ensuring efficient initialization of human resource. It will also be of assistance in formulation of acceptable and objective performance appraisal. It will also assist in areas such as staff promotion or advancement as well as demotion. Performance appraisal helps to maintain records in order to determine compensation packages, wage structure, salaries raises. It helps to identify the strengths and weaknesses of employees to place right men on the right job. It helps to maintain and assess the potential present in a person for further growth and development. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This section of the research proposal will examine, research design, research population and sample, data collection method and procedures for data analysis. RESEARCH DESIGN The survey research methods would be used in this study and a case study of CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED would be undertaken. POPULATION OF THE STUDY The population of the study would be made up of the entire staff of CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED located at 2, Chevron drive, Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, Nigeria. RESEARCH SAMPLE After the sampling size has been determined, simple random sampling techniques would be utilized in coding the sample. The reason for using the simple random sample is precisely to give each individual in the population equal chances of being included in the sample and to make it possible to every sectional group of individual to be represented. DATA COLLECTED METHOD Both primary and secondary sources of data collection method would be adopted in gathering data relevant information on this study. The primary sources will consist of a well-structured questionnaire to be administered to the respondents within three levels of management (i.e. top, middle and lower management) of CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED. The secondary data would be collected from the texts, journals, newspapers, seminar papers, magazines, employee’s performance reports from the personnel departments of CHEVRON NIGERIA LIMITED and other literature on performance appraisal as an  instrument for effective human resource management the usefulness of financial ratio analysis. DATA ANALYSIS METHOD The analysis of the data to be obtained would be done by the use Chi-Square methods of statistical analysis. The spearman’s rank approach ÃŽ §2 = [ (O – E)2] E E= Expected value O= Observe value ÃŽ §2= Chi-Square DEFINITION OF TERMS Appraisal: A method of assessing and grading employees for the purpose of promotion, commendation/development and salary increase. Performance: It refers to the output or personal contribution of an employee to the overall goals and objectives of an organization. A high performance may yield positive appraisal and vice versa. Employee: It refers to the workforce of every organization or firm Human Resource Management: It is a term that can notes the management of human being and raw material of an organization. The blending of both is crucial if the object of an organization is to be realized. Organization: It is the entity where economic activities take place. It could be formal or informal. Organizations strive to harness its human and material resources in order to achieve its goals. REFERENCES Obisi, C. (1996). Personnel Management: lakbod enterprise, Ibadan. Leena. T and Twinkle. P. (2012). From Performance Appraisal to Performance Management. IOSR Journal of Business and Management, Volume 3, Issue 5. 01- 06. Kofi, O. A., and Vincent, P.K. (2012). Performance Appraisal As Employee Motivation Mechanism In Selected Financial Institutions In Kumasi, Ashanti Region Of Ghana. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol.2 Issue 6, 22. Atiomo, A.C. (2000). Human Resource Management: Malthouse Management Science Books, Lagos. Fajana, S. (1997). Human Resources Management: Labofin and Company, Lagos. Alo, O. (1999). Human Resource Management in Nigeria: Business and Institutional Support Associates Limited, Lagos. UNIVERSITY of LAGOS Department of Business Administration Research Proposal NAME: LAWAL ADEBISI FATIMAT MATRIC NUMBER: 100203122 DEPARTMENT:BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION COURSE TITLE:RESEARCH SEMINAR COURSE CODE:FBA321 RESEARCH TOPIC PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR EFFECTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (CASE STUDY OF CHEVRON)

Saturday, October 26, 2019

foolear Essay on Shakespeares King Lear - The Fool In Us :: King Lear essays

King Lear: The Fool In Us      Ã‚  Ã‚   King Lear is without doubt Shakespeare's most nihilistic play.   It is a storm without clearing.   In this version of reality, faith is absurd.   The play is set in the pagan era, where King Lear loses all his faith in the gods.   However, we see the need for Christian revelation in the hopelessness of the play.   We also see in the character of the Fool a character who resembles the wisdom and words of the Apostle Paul "Let no man deceive himself.   If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise."1   These words are very similar to the function and meaning of the word fool in the play.   While fool in Shakespeare's plays can represent a "dupe", a "madman", a "beloved one", a "court jester", or a "victim", it means all of these in King Lear.   For the Fool is the court jester, Cordelia is Lear's beloved one, and Lear, himself, is at various times duped, a madman, and a victim.   Yet, when we look at th e words of Paul, we see the Fool tell Lear virtually the same thing in this play.   For Lear believes himself to be wise, when, in reality, he is a duped fool:    Fool.   If thou wert my Fool, Nuncle, I'd have thee beaten for being old before they time. Lear.   How's that? Fool.   Thou should'st not have been old till thou hadst been wise.2    The Fool loves Lear as much as anyone in the play, save for his youngest daughter Cordelia.   The Fool knows Lear's only mistake is not accepting Cordelia's expression of love.   Once he has divided his kingdom between Goneril and Regan it is too late for any advice to Lear to resolve the matter.   The Fool tries to get Lear to understand what a dupe and bungler he has been, but Lear cannot see himself as the portrait the Fool paints.   Lear needs nothing more than himself; he has everything in himself.   However, he goes from everything in himself to nothing because he has been unwise:    Lear.   Does any here know me?   This is not Lear: Does Lear walk thus?   Speak thus?   Where are his eyes? Either his notion weakens, his discernings Are lethargied-Ha! waking? 'tis not so. Who is it that can tell me who I am?

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Transformation in “An Imaginary Life”

Tables Made into Trees Transformation is one of principal themes of David Malouf’s short novel An Imaginary Life. Sent to a barbarian village in the outskirts of the Roman Empire, Ovid is forced to make changes to himself to find even the smallest bits of happiness. He starts to notice and absorb nature which, in turn, helps teaches him about himself. He first starts to notice his mental state improving from bleak to bright. He also begins to observe his surroundings and allow them to open his eyes and improve his attitude.These surroundings have a beautiful and powerful effect on Ovid and he learns that they can teach him more about his own emotions and thoughts than society ever could. The Boy is also a part of Ovid’s transformation. He is a tool and a link between human society and nature. While Ovid tries to teach the Boy about human culture, it is the Boy that teaches Ovid about being human. Malouf uses many tools including Ovid’s mind, nature, and the Boy t o facilitate Ovid’s transformation throughout the novel.One of the major aspects of Ovid’s transformation is based on his mental state and his outlook on his situation. The first glimpse we get into his thoughts comes in the opening paragraphs when he is describing what seem to be his surroundings. He portrays the setting as a bleak and dull place with nothing worth mention and no hope to be had but he ends his description with â€Å"But I am describing a state of mind, no place†(16). This shocks the reader and exposes Ovid’s current state of mind. This bleak, pessimistic description is then contrasted to a joyful, beautiful description of a scarlet poppy.The contrast provides insight into the importance of changes in the natural environment, as Ovid is change from being troubled by the bleakness and emptiness of life that surrounds him to being overcome with joy from the color of the poppy. While he is on this high of emotions, he questions whether the p eople from his old life in Rome would look poorly upon him for the exaggerated happiness he feels because of the flower. This shows the separation of his natural surroundings and society. It also marks the beginning of his transformation to natural world acceptance.Ovid’s identity is also molded by his surroundings. He starts to adapt to his new home and become more in tune with the people and the landscape. An example is when he starts to learn hunting from the village people. It brings him closer to nature which, in turn, teaches him aspects about himself. He finds himself able to purely express himself physically and emotionally rather than being caught up in Roman traditions. He learns that nature has the ability to teach men about human existence. The societies, like him, are shaped by their surroundings.In Rome, he was surrounded by civilized and advanced culture. This culture had formed by changing the nature that surrounded them. They built great buildings and intrica te roads; thus distancing themselves from nature. This not only changed the way they lived, but the people that lived there. On the other hand, the barbarians that Ovid was exiled to live with are much closer to nature. They live more modestly and are more in tune with the environment. When the poet is engulfed by this society, he changes naturally to fit in over time. Even the language changes Ovid.His point of realization of the language’s affects on him is when he decides to teach the boy the barbarian dialect. â€Å"I have come to a decision. The language I shall teach the Child is the language of these people I have come among, and not after all my own. And in making that decision I know I have made another. I shall never go back to Rome†¦ So I admit openly to myself what I have long known in my heart. I belong to this place now. I have made it mine. I am entering the dimensions of my self† (94-95). This is a major turning point in Ovid’s transformatio n.It is when he makes the decision to shed his old life and replace it for his new on one. He is fully submerging himself in this new existence and is opening himself up willingly for change. The Boy is another tool of transformation during the novel. Once again, it can be accredited to the environment and conditions he and Ovid are in. Ovid strives for a sense of belonging and unity with all the elements and tries to force the same upon the boy. After some time he becomes fascinated with the Boy’s ability mimic the sounds of nature.Ovid starts to admire the Boy’s personality and is intrigued by the fact that he has mastered life in nature. Nature and wilderness made by God are what the boy has faced and lived through while all Ovid has done is survive a society made by mere men. The Boy and Ovid are very similar though. They are both affected and react to changes in their environment. When first captured, the Boy reacts violently and is tied up with cloths. This is sy mbolic as it signifies both the physical and mental restraints caused by the conformity of civilized society.These bonds hold him back just as Ovid’s cultivation impedes him. Later on in the wintertime, the Boy’s sickness reflects both the physical sickness caused by captivity and the lack of freedom that men endure in order to work against, not with, the elements and nature. Conversely, when the Boy is finally released into his natural habitat, he is happy to return and is even willing to care for Ovid in it because he thrives there. At the end of the novel, when he is in the field, he finds ultimate satisfaction and freedom from what he used to be.The vast openness and immensity of the land which once scared him becomes his source of food and drink. Through his progression and changes, he finds himself at and endpoint in which he is satisfied in mind, body, and spirit. The vast openness and immensity of the land which once scared him became his source of food and dri nk. The natural environment impacts Ovid so much that age and small details of life no longer bother him. He sees that the existence of human life is everlasting. He is transformed to the point of total satisfaction. His final statement sums up his conversion to his new self, â€Å"I am there. He benefits from belonging to the wilderness and not being defined by society. Ovid makes a complete transformation over the course of this novel. He is influenced by his surroundings and finds himself being changed by them. These conversions first happen in his mind, then through nature and language, and finally through the Boy. Ovid finds himself changing as the book progresses and reaches a point of complete happiness and contentment at the end of the novel.? Works Cited Malouf, David. An Imaginary Life. New York. Vintage Books, 1996. Print