Invisible Race and Gender in Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison

In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the unnamed narrator shows us through the use motifs and symbols how racism and sexism negatively affect the social class and individual identity of the oppressed people. Throughout the novel, the African American narrator tells us the story of his journey to find success in life which is sabotaged by the white-dominated society in which he lives in. Along his journey, we are also shown how the patriarchy oppresses all of the women in the novel through the narrator’s encounters with them. One of the major motifs in Invisible Man is blindness. The first time we’re shown blindness in the novel is at the battle royal. The blindfolds that all of the contestants wear symbolize how the black society is†¦show more content†¦Then in my minds eye I see the bronze statue of the college Founder, the cold Father symbol, his hands outstretched in the breathtaking gesture of lifting a veil that flutters in hard, metallic folds above the face of a kneeling slave; and I am standing puzzled, unable to decide whether the veil is really being lifted, or lowered more firmly in place; whether I am witnessing a revelation or a more efficient blinding† (Ellison 36). The empty-eyed statue is a symbol of the black society’s false freedom. He says that the veil is lowered more firmly into place to illustrate how American society is completely blinded from the fact that black men are not completely free. On the surface, it seems like they are free, but they are still oppressed. Our own narrator is still half-blind to this oppression of his race. They are unable to have success like the white man, even though the college fools them into thinking they can. They are still controlled by the white culture. The Founder is also a symbol himself of black identity within the white society. The founder was a successful black man who we never learn the name of. This is because his identity, along with our nameless narrator, doesn’t matter in the white dominated society. Although he founded the college to help black people find success just like he did, his actions were somehow lost within this bird-soiled statue. We are also shown blindness through Mr. Norton. Just like most ofShow MoreRelated Invisible Man Essay: Searching for Black Identity in a White World1229 Words   |  5 PagesInvisible Man: Searching for Black Identity in a White World      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man was published at a time when America was racially divided.   The novel presents the theme of the lack of black identity – a theme supported by the fact that the protagonist, Invisible Man, has no name.   The reader knows the names of Dr. Bledsoe, Ras-the-Exhorter, Brother Jack and others - but the reader does not know the name of the main character.   Ellisons leaves it to the reader to decide whoRead MoreSummary Of Invisible Man1450 Words   |  6 PagesRalph Ellison was a 20th century African-American writer and scholar, who also studied music before moving to New York City, where he worked as a writer. Ralph Ellison was born on March 1st, 1914 in Oklahoma City. In 1936, Ellison went to New York City for an internship and while he was there he earned money for his college expenses. He was a researcher and writer in New York for The Federal Writers Program. Plot Summary: Invisible Man is a story by Ralph Ellison, told in the point of view ofRead MoreEssay on Impact of Rasicm on Idenity in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man1293 Words   |  6 PagesIn society, there are many misconceptions in terms of racism. According to the merriam-webster dictionary, racism is define the belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others . Many people would agree with that definition. What is racism? The normal person if asked will simply reply, not liking someone for the color of their skin. Racism from my attitude which is substantiated by historical events is a system of power .ThereforeRead MoreIdenity Affected by Racism Essay1202 Words   |  5 Pages In society there is a lot of misconception of the term racism. According to the merriam-webster dictionary members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of others race which many people would agree with. What is racism? The normal person if asked will simply reply, not liking someone for their color of their skin. Racism from my attitude which is substantiated by historically events is a system of power .Thus is a system of power i.e. to control the world and its people. EmployedRead MoreTo look at Charles W. White’s paintings is to see early 1900s Black America through the lens of a800 Words   |  4 Pagespaintings is to see early 1900s Black America through the lens of a social realist. African-American novelist Ralph Ellison stood behind men and women, like Charles White who used art to express their personal views on their experiences of being Black in America (Heritage Gallery). â€Å"Most of the social realists of the period were concerned less with trag edy than with injustice,† said Ellison during a 1955 interview published in the Paris Review. â€Å"I wasn’t, and am not, primarily concerned with injusticeRead MoreAnalysis Of Double Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Neale Hurston And Invisible Man1335 Words   |  6 PagesNeale Hurston and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison are considered a bildungsroman. In the case of those two novels, there is one unique concept that contributes to their examples of self discovery. Double consciousness is that idea. It emphasizes how a person may struggle to adapt to more than one varying identities in order to fill a role within society. Double consciousness is present in both novels through the mindset and actions of characters who try to conform to the gender and racial roles placedRead MoreInvisible, Invisible Man, By Ralph Ellison1994 Words   |  8 PagesInvisible Race and Gender in Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison In Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, the unnamed narrator shows us through the use motifs and symbols how racism and sexism negatively affect the social class and individual identity of the oppressed people. Throughout the novel, the African American narrator tells us the story of his journey to find success in life which is sabotaged by the white-dominated society in which he lives in. Along his journey, we are also shown how the patriarchyRead MoreAnalysis Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man1190 Words   |  5 PagesSocial Position in Invisible Man In Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, the author portrays a world in which black men are dominated by a white, racist patriarchy. With this, Ellison draws a connection between both the plight of women and black men—both are oppressed by white males. The author repeatedly portrays women’s suffering from invisibility by continuously erasing their human presence throughout the novel since they only function as devices for men to use. More-so, Ellison depicts how men—includingRead MoreLiterary Analysis : `` Invisible Man `` Essay1905 Words   |  8 Pagesactivist, Pan-Africanist, author, and editor and he explored a societal idea that other authors, poets, and short story writers adapted in their pieces of writings as well. The theories of Du Bois’ â€Å"Double Consciousness† made its way into Ralph Ellison s novel Invisible Man, and Langston Hughes series of poems. All of these authors wrote about Double Consciousness in there own way but never cha nged the real meaning of it being, it describes the individual sensation of feeling as though your identity isRead More Racism and Identity in Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man Essay2209 Words   |  9 PagesIn Ralph Ellison’s novel The Invisible man, the unknown narrator states â€Å"All my life I had been looking for something and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was†¦I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself the question which I, and only I, could answer†¦my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man!† (13). throughout the novel, the search for

The Effects Of Video Game Violence On Human Aggression...

Throughout a number of recent studies, participants playing violent video games have consistently shown increases in their aggressive behavior, both during and after the gameplay. A study that linked violent video games to child aggression found that in every group they tested, â€Å"Children who were exposed to more video game violence did become more aggressive over time than their peers who had less exposure† (Harding 1). An increase in aggressive behavior after playing violent video games is quite common in most cases, although many gamers would argue that other factors, such as people’s emotions, cause this negative change in behavior. This reveals numerous questions surrounding the effects that video game violence might have on†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Participants in violent video game studies have been less cooperative than participants in non-violent video game studies (Sheese Graziano, 2005)† (Greitemeyer, Osswald 212). Short bursts of negat ive behavioral responses don’t really pose a major threat to the individual, and these short term behavioral changes are much less of an issue in contrast to the possible long term behavioral changes. Long term behavioral changes are nowhere near as prevalent as short term changes. â€Å"In the long run, moral beliefs and various concepts on life can be acquired (Huesmann,1988, 1997)† (Rowell 180). Negative long term effects can often be detrimental to the individual and society in general. The meta-analysis made by Anderson et al. (2010) confirms the concepts made in the hypothesis, and is the most successful study surrounding the effects of video game violence to date. Some would argue that people’s emotions have a much greater influence on the change in behavior while playing violent video games. For example you could base the violent behavior â€Å"...not by the actual game, but by the emotions caused by prolonged use and frustration of not being able to g et through the tough parts. Sometimes the seriousness of people’s emotional responses is not always taken into significant account when the research is conducted† (Danielski 1). â€Å"The violence seen is not caused by the actual game, but by the emotions caused by prolonged use and frustration of not being able to get throughShow MoreRelatedVideo Game Violence And Its Effects On Gamers1205 Words   |  5 PagesVideo Game Violence and its effects on Gamers In recent years there has been a significant increase of shooting incidents, specifically in America. When there is a shooting event the media is quick to question if the suspect had a history of playing violent video games. There is already the initial connection between video game violence and aggression; but is this connection scientifically correct? This topic interests me because of the increase in school shootings and violence. I have personallyRead MoreDo Video Games Inspire Violent Behavior?1713 Words   |  7 Pagesregarding the effects of violent video games and the development of today’s youth. Many people believe that the violence in video games promotes aggression. According to Doctor Brad Bushman’s article, Do Violent Video Games Increase Aggression? he claims that violent video games leads to aggression because it is interactive process that teaches and rewards violent behavior. Yet others believe that this not the case. Gregg Toppo of the Scientific American, writes in his article, â€Å"Do Video Games InspireRead MoreVideo Games : Violence And Violence1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe issue of violence in these media products has been a highly-debated issue for the past few decades. Recently it has become extremely popular in the subject of violence in video games. It is rumored that games such as â€Å"Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, Battlefield, Halo and many more have been the culprit behind a recent spike in childhood aggression. Many people have their own views on the subject, but it has been most commonly deduced that aggression is caused by the games, but violence does not alwaysRead MoreViolent Video Games: Closing the Doors to Success688 Words   |  3 Pagesviolent outbreaks may be linked to violent video games. There has been an increasing amount of crime in the age groups involved violent video games in some way. In turn, watching and/or participating in violent video games can increase violent behavior. Violent outbreaks are more common with age groups that are actively participating in violent video games, or have an active role within the community of violent video games. An article states Sales of video games have more than quadrupled from 1995-2008Read More`` Not Here : If We re Truly Serious About Stopping Massacres Like1687 Words   |  7 Pagesaddiction to evil† informs readers about the truth behind massacres. Metcalf says that violence performed in the form of mass killing have definite causes. People are fascinated by the violence. He further suggests that evil and mass killing incidents in Aurora and Port Arthur are just few examples of that evil. The evil in our society is growing in large portion and people are more attracted towards violence. The article discusses invention of superheroes during late 1930s in order to response toRead MoreAlbert Bandura Social Learning Theory1060 Words   |  5 PagesMass shootings,  youth violence,  and  anti-social behav iors have caused society to point their finger at video games. Video game reformists claim that video game violence causes aggressive behavior which result in violent acts. The best way to approach society’s claim is with Albert Bandura’s cognitive-behavioral â€Å"Modeling† approach. This research shows that although video game violence may condone aggressive behavior,  it is not  the only factor triggering individuals to act aggressively or performRead MoreViolent Video Games and Bad Behavior1531 Words   |  7 PagesFrom the World Wide Web, to cell phones, music, movies and video games the human race has thought of any and everything to keep us entertained. Over the years studies have shown reasonable concerns regarding the long-term effects of video games. These games can desensitize gamers to real life violence, which is usually seen in the younger crowd. The studies especially hit on the games containing player-on-player violence. Though these games are extremely entertaining and can get kids to settle downRead MoreMedia s Influence On The Youth Of America1454 Words   |  6 Pagestelevision, radio, newspapers, and video games practically any time they want. The violence in media, along with the availability of media are increasing, however the most predominant form of media for children is video games. Because of this, many are concerned with the effects on the youth. The violence in video games is a cause for aggressive emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in the youth of America. Media is defined as the main means for mass communication. Video games, television, radios, newspapersRead MoreThe Effect Of Violent Behavior1216 Words   |  5 PagesEverybody knows the effects of violence. The effects of violent behavior are generally bad. The causes are something very little known. Most people say that violent video games and television shows are the source of violence in our society but they are not the only source. There are many theories that try to explain what those causes are. Theories include, biological, macrosocial, and psychosocial. Albert Reis and Jeffrey Roth identify two levels of explanation including the individual, microsocialRead MoreGame over: the Effects of Violent Video Games on Children Essay1416 Words   |  6 PagesGame Over: The effects of Violent Video Games on Children Seven hours. That is the amount of hours a day the average American child plays a video games (Anderson 354), and with technology advancing and games becoming more graphic, the concern over a violent game’s effect over a child’s development is growing. What does playing video games for seven hours do to a child’s development? Violent, role-playing video games adversely affects a child’s development and causes aggression in children and adolescents;

Do a detailed critical analysis of the opening of Coetzee’s Foe Free Essays

string(82) " was all I had escaped with\) baking dry upon me, tired, grateful like the saved\." A successful analysis of an opening to any novel can not occur without taking into consideration what sort of journey the author is going to take their audience on. Openings can be deceiving and the point of close is needed to successfully determine the true meanings behind the foundations that the author lays at the start. This is definitely the case in Coetzee’s Foe. We will write a custom essay sample on Do a detailed critical analysis of the opening of Coetzee’s Foe or any similar topic only for you Order Now Hindsight is the analysists greatest ally when looking in detail at the devices and subtext that Coetzee is employing to open this novel. In opening it appears to begin as an alternative story of Daniel Defoe’s classic, Robinson Crusoe. However as the novel unfolds it becomes clear that it is an allegory for many pressing issues of today’s society such as gender, race, politics and power. But not stopping there Coetzee has also created a piece of metafiction attacking the way in which fiction is created. It can also be seen as an attack on the claimed father of the novel Daniel Defoe. With hindsight all these issues can been seen in Coetzee’s opening however I will begin by giving some ideas as to what Coetzee possibly wanted to achieve from the entire novel as it will help shed light upon the structure, devices and meanings that lie in the opening. Coetzee is questioning realism in novel writing, throughout he is proving that, just as Defoe did, he can create realistic characters and setting but he is showing that he too has the power to destroy them. As a piece of metafiction, Foe looks inwardly on its self as a novel and questions itself throughout. Coetzee creates things just to break them down. He is out to prove that Defoe and other authors are, as Paula Burnett described, â€Å"the giver of false witness† and in effect the enemy of reality thus the title and pun ‘Foe’. The attack is on Defoe, the so-called ‘father of the novel’, perhaps because he tried to sell Robinson Crusoe off as a real life biography. Coetzee is trying to show that even if Crusoe was real the writer of the novel he would still hold the power to create and destroy what the want to, so fiction can never be taken as reality. The key central issues in the novel are the themes of gender and racial difference and power. Throughout the book there is a strong feeling that Friday represents a lot more than just the slave of Robinson Crusoe. It is through Friday and his treatment in the hands of his white masters that Coetzee is addressing the way the white people have handled there relations with the Negro race. Coetzee probably wrote this particularly with South Africa in mind as it is where he is from but it can be related to any time in history when the whites have tried to help or enslave the black race. Through Susan Barton he also addresses women and their struggles for equality and recognition. A feminist reading of the text would to claim that Coetzee in providing a narrator is showing that the novels has ‘mothers’ as well as fathers such as Defoe and Fielding. Also, her struggle to establish herself as the main character of the story and the only true story teller can be seen to represent women’s struggle to establish themselves as credible novelists in the early periods of novel writing. So with these underlying issues in mind the structure of the novel is also worth briefly looking at so the opening can be put into context. It must be taken into consideration the stylistically the opening chapter is very different from the rest of the novel. The first chapter is set on Crusoe’s island and is a written account as to what occurred. The style is very realistic and detailed. The second chapter is slightly more removed and is written before our very eyes in a set of letters to Mr Foe. The writing style is still detailed and realistic however towards the end of the chapter a few questions are raised as to who Susan Barton is and who is the child following her around. The third part of the novel is set at Foes house and is again a first hand account but has a very different feel to the opening. It becomes slightly more surreal and raising many questions as to whether Foe exists or is a creation of Susan’s or whether Susan is a creation of his. The final scene is set in a room and under water. It could not detach the reader any more as we lose who is narrating. We know its is not Susan as she appears to be dead. This is Coetzee destroying the realistic world he had created. Out of the four parts the opening is extremely significant as it crucial for creating the world in which Coetzee can put across the points that he is raising. So what is Coetzee beginning to create at the start of the novel? With his opening chapter he creates the foundations for his attacks on Defoe and the cultural and gender issues of today’s society. However my use of the word attacks should not be taken too literally because directly no issues are addressed however it is clear in the subtext what points he wants to throw into debate. The main function of the opening is to throw Defoe’s apparent true novel of Crusoe into debate and also to create a realistic foundation that can crumble in on itself as the novel develops. Anything self-critical has to reflect on itself inwardly and the opening sets Coetzee up to be able to do this. From the very opening it is clear that this is a vivid realistic account. â€Å"There I lay sprawled on the hot sand, my head filled with the orange blazing sun, my petticoat (which was all I had escaped with) baking dry upon me, tired, grateful like the saved. You read "Do a detailed critical analysis of the opening of Coetzee’s Foe" in category "Papers" † ‘ It is clear immediately from this quotation that the narrator appears to physically feeling what she is describing. The opening few pages include many of these vivid descriptions which lay the setting for Defoe’s attack on Crusoe’s story. The reader can not doubt her version, as it appears so real. His first attack on Defoe’s novel appears early on. † For readers reared on travellers’ tales, the words desert isle may conjure up a place of soft sands and shady trees where brooks run to quench the castaways thirst†¦ But the island on which I was cast away was quite another place: a great rocky hill with a flat top†¦ There were ants scurrying everywhere, of the same kind we had in Bahia, and another pest too, living in the dunes: a tiny insect that hid between your toes and ate its way into your flesh. † ‘ This account is a great example of the realism used to put the whole of Defoe’s work into question. This is a direct attack by Coetzee on how realistic Defoe’s island really is. The reader will of course believe Susan Bartons account as it appeals through realism. It is a clever device used by Coetzee because he knows himself that what he is writing is not true. Another area that lays doubt upon Defoe’s story is the figure Crusoe. His name is depleted to Cruso to show he is nothing like the man that Defoe creates. Not only is he a shadow of the main that Defoe created he is also unsure of his own history. ‘ † †¦ he stories he told me were so various, and so hard to reconcile one with another, that I was more and more driven to conclude that age and isolation had taken their toll on his memory, and he no longer knew for sure what was truth†¦ † ‘ This throws again Defoe’s account into doubt and would make a reader believe Coetzee’s version. Another example of Coetzee trying to strengthen Susan’s account is her repetition of the line: â€Å"Then at last I could row no further. My hands were raw, my back was burned, my body ached. † This repetition of the same account to both the reader and Crusoe shows that she knows her story and uses the exact same wording both times she tells it. This is a clever device used by Coetzee to show that Crusoe’s story is fragile and various where as Susan’s is stabile and unchanging. The other main instrument used by Coetzee in the opening of the book to express his subtext is the use of Susan as the narrator and the way she perceives things. Through realism he sets up his attack on Defoe and novel writing but through the narrator he brings in the allegorical themes such as gender and race. From a feminist point of view Susan Barton is, as Patrick Corcoran stated, â€Å"a representative of her sex who has suffered at the hands of men and who struggles to assert herself in a male dominated society. † To expand upon this comment, she does definitely appear to represent the women of society and how even though she shared the island with Crusoe she always felt that she was not there † When I reflect upon my story I seem to exist only as the one who came, the one who witnessed†¦ † She feels that it is Crusoe’s story despite the fact that she is as easily as active as Crusoe and manages to escape, which he does not. Upon arrival she assumes that she is his subject. â€Å"With these words I presented myself to Robinson Cruso, in the days when he still ruled over his island, and became his second, the first being his man servant Friday † She does not even question the fact that he is the master of the island she just excepts that Friday and herself are under his rule. This is put in by Coetzee to question the role of women in Defoe’s novel. There is no place for women in Robinson Crusoe and Coetzee provides us with an idea of what Crusoe would have been like with a woman on the island. Also Coetzee leaves it to the audience to decide what type of woman Susan is. He gives us no social background so we expect nothing from her. Throughout the book it is unclear what she is, whether she is a lady, a whore or a gypsy. This uncertainty is thrown into confusion many times, as she seems very educated and full of ideas ‘ â€Å"You are mistaken! † I cried † I do not wish to dispute, but you have forgotten very much, and with every day that passes you forget more! † ‘ This extract shows that Susan Barton’s type of language is not uneducated and her ability to speak up to and man and disagree shows strength. This may be a result of her life experience gained on her travels. However it is more likely that it is Coetzee toying with the idea of how putting a female on the island would effect Crusoe’s power. These power battles are an important theme in the novel and Susan faces them throughout first chapter with Crusoe then Friday in the second and then Defoe in the third. The other major issue raised by Coetzee is the idea of slavery and race difference. Friday is a shadow that hangs over the story throughout and cannot be ignored, as his silence is perhaps the most telling and powerful factor in the novel. The majority of these issues are raised in the second and third chapters in Susan’s handling of Friday. However they are present in the early stages of the novel in Crusoe’s approach to Friday. ‘ â€Å"How many words of English does Friday know? † I asked â€Å"As many as he needs,† replied Cruso. â€Å"This is not England, we have no need of great stock of words†. ‘ Dispite Fridays disability this shows that Crusoe has no intention of making a companion of Friday and only wishes to treat him as an inhuman slave. Crusoe’s views on Friday can be seen to represent the whites treatment of the African race in the early part of the nineteen hundreds. When Susan takes over the role of master she can be seen to represent the white liberals in South Africa who tried to help the Africans but only tried to help them by trying to make them like white men and by doing so enslaved them further. RM. Post’s view on the political level of the novel is that Crusoe represents the stubborn and corrupt Afrikaner government, with Susan Barton the white sympathetic liberal and Friday the black people. He even goes as far as to compare Susan to Mother Africa as she is searching for a child who is searching for her. He justifies his claim that Foe is an allegory of contemporary South Africa by pointing out the crucial fact that Friday is of completely different race in Coetzee’s Foe than he is in Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. † The fact that the latter Friday is a black man helps us see Foe, set primarily in England in the eighteenth century, as an allegory of contemporary South Africa. † Defoe’s Friday has olive skin with straight long hair; Coetzee s Friday is black with a â€Å"head of fuzzy wool. † There are other hints in the opening of the story to suggest some link with the treatment of the blacks in South Africa. The removal of Fridays tongue is perhaps one of the most obvious symbols in the book. He can be seen as having no voice like the Negro’s in post colonial Africa. Susan and Crusoe’s failure to communicate with Friday successfully is of course down to lack of understanding of his culture. However the fact that Crusoe manages to communicate with Friday better than Susan could be seen to flaw RM. Post’s argument as could the fact that Friday was apparently happier on the island before Susan tried to free him. The opening to Coetzee’s foe is a vital part of the novel. As discussed it lays the foundations for all of Coetzee’s allegorical meanings. The opening is essential to understanding the race, gender and power struggles that are central themes in the novel. In terms of realism it sets Coetzee up to question the fundamentals of the novel and how far can an author go in terms of making a book appear an accurate reflection of real life. From this foundation he also highlights the author’s ability to create and destroy there own work no matter how realistic it may appear to be. How to cite Do a detailed critical analysis of the opening of Coetzee’s Foe, Papers

Shakespeares comedy is based on cruelty and subversion free essay sample

Shakespeare created comedy in Much Ado through the characters behaviour, dialogue and prose but his comedy is often seen as cruel and subversive. Cruelty can be defined in many ways, one definition is behaviour which causes physical or mental harm to another, another is to inflict pain or suffering and enjoy the pain or distress of others. Plato said that ‘laughter is an emotion that overrides rational self-control’. From this definition we clearly see that this play cannot be cruel and only comedic because although Don Pedro almost sabotages Claudio’s wedding, all ends well so the characters do not enjoy inflicting pain towards others or at least succeed. This must be a comedy rather than tragedy as it ends in two happy marriages. Much Ado About Nothing is considered to be one of Shakespeare’s best comedies and the play is not only considered a comedy but a romance as well, a romance being a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. We clearly see throughout this play that mystery associated with love through the characters Beatrice and Benedick. This play is classed as a comedy rather than a tragedy as it is about the relationship between two couples and although it almost ends in death it swiftly changes direction into a comedy as the ending is happy and therefore unlikely to be based around cruelty. Critics say ‘the tragic and comic fade into each other by almost insensible gradiations’ and therefore this play can be nothing more than just humorous and not have vindictive humour. Playful humour in one’s eyes can be seen in Act 1 when Beatrice deliberately humiliates or misconstrues the messenger by changing his words and coming back with insults about Benedick ‘I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? ’ Although here Beatrice is throwing insults about Benedick we can read between the lines, we know that she is actually in love with Benedick and she is then in fact the victim of self-deception. This quote refers to Plato’s theory of comedy being cruel as he believed comedy was laughing at people and not with them. The language that the messenger uses in this passage is Petrarchian and Shakespeare deliberately uses the messenger here to seem fake in the words in which he speaks so we see here that Shakespeare makes the messenger mock the language used by Petrarch, ‘He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion. ’ This basically means that he did better than expected considering his age, he may look like a lamb but he behaved like a mighty lion. Petrarch wrote poems about women being perfect, he wrote that they were put on pedestals and admired for their physical aesthetic appeal, his sonnets were admired and imitated throughout Europe during the Renaissance and became a model for lyrical poetry so we now see how the Shakespeare used the messenger to mock the ‘emotional and expressional’ language used by Petrarch, ‘Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart, Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea. ’ This is an example of the language Petrarch used in his poems. Benedick too mocks petrarchian language when quarrelling with Beatrice, ‘I cannot endure my Lady Tongue’. This mocks Petrarch because of Lady Love, being a woman who is a ‘sweetheart’ or beloved woman. We see Beatrice’s inappropriate humour in Act 2 where she uses horns as a reference to penises, ‘with horns on his head’, Shakespeare uses her to break the boundaries between men and women, men and women were not equal in the time period as society was very patriarchal and women were frowned upon if they were to take a dominant approach over men but clearly here Shakespeare is using the comic individual, Beatrice, to almost play a male like role. This is clearly Shakespeare using Beatrice to be subversive as this would have been accepted if a man was to joke about rude things, women were not meant to. In the play Beatrice lives with a man named Leonato, he is not her father and it would have been likely that he would have gave her up to another man for marriage but in the play we see this is not the case which suggests that Leonato doesn’t mind her witticism and lack of female like traits and again shows us that he can only find her humour and behaviour funny and not harmful. Hero, Leonato’s daughter on the other hand conforms to the wishes of her father and Claudio as her lover and this is what would have been expected during the Shakespearian era. As mentioned before her humour is seen as inappropriate but only one character in the play dislikes some of Beatrice’s aphorism and that is Antonio but this is only mentioned once throughout the play, ‘Well, niece, I trust you will be ruled by your father. ’ As he is the only character throughout the play to think this the play can only be considered as comedic and not spiteful or cruel. Shakespeare uses horns as a leit motif in the play to refer to cuckolding and Beatrice often mocks men for their obsession of not becoming a cuckold ‘and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head. ’ The comic individual, Beatrice, is clearly mocking men here and is even mocking a character of such authority, the devil. Beatrice gains power from the male obsession and perpetuates the male paranoia of the unfaithful wife. Although she mocks men for their paranoia her comments are seen as funny and aren’t seen as her going too far with the anxiety of men. Benedick also makes a lot of references to horns throughout the play ‘pluck off the bulls horns and set them in my forehead’. A cuckold being a man who is married to an unfaithful woman. This could be interpreted as an act of cruelty on Beatrice’s behalf because of her enjoyment in mocking men’s obsession but we later find out that her humour has no cruel intention towards men so comedy cannot be cruel through Beatrice. At the time of this play Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne and this may have been a great influence on Shakespeare’s work on the comic individual. Queen Elizabeth was the first woman on the throne and she was much like no other woman as well, Susan Doran quotes ‘Elizabeth I is the best known and most admired English monarch’. Queen Elizabeth I did not fit the typical Petrarchian image and was much like Beatrice’s character, being powerful and having a dominant role over others. In Act 2, scene 1 there is the masked ball. The masque has been a famously Italian tradition since the 15th Century and these balls are very exciting and stimulating because people can pretend to be someone else. No one knows who is who and people say things that they wouldn’t normally say which leads us on to Beatrice’s ‘rude’ remark. Here Beatrice’s humour goes beyond funny, ‘he is the princes jester’. Here Beatrice oversteps the mark and implies that Benedick goes out of his way to hurt others and this is not seen as funny but cruel, so arguably the comic individuals comedy may be seen as having cruel intentions in this part of Shakespeare’s Much Ado rather than just playful humour. At this part in the play disguise is used intentionally to poke at the characters. This is comedy of situation or mistaken identity. Benedick becomes the victim here, critic Denton Snider suggests he is ‘victimized by the mask’ and Beatrice is not deceived and has complete freedom and control over the situation. This may be seen as cruel as it is intentional but mostly the remarks from Beatrice are not meaningful and are just made to wind up the victim of deception, Benedick. Further on we see serious undertones rather than humour which suggests the play may have quite tragic undertones ‘he lent it me awhile, and I gave him use for it. ’ Here Beatrice implies that there is a history between her and Benedick which isn’t seen as funny and is meant to give us other feelings towards the individual. Beatrice and Benedick consistently repeat repartee and are in a constant battle to outdo one another, ‘my dear Lady Disdain- are you yet living? ’ ‘Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? ’ Both are victims of deception and are determined that they hate each other. Both characters however have one view that is similar and that is they will never marry ‘if he send me no husband, for the which blessing I am at him upon my knees. ’ We later on see that both characters have been absent minded and do indeed change their ideology on marriage. This again shows us that Benedick and Beatrice are victims of self-deception as they are deluded, they are both blinded by love. Denton Snider wrote ‘He is, in one form or another, the victim of deception. ’ We see Benedick as the victim of deception at the end of Act 2 where Don Pedro, Claudio and Leonato trick him into believing Beatrice has admitted her love for him but of course she hasn’t done such a thing and it was a devise to set them up, ‘that your niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick’. Although the three characters lied this cannot be seen as cruel and only comedic as nobody is getting harmed and the lie turns out to be good and ends up with the two characters being happy and in love. At this point in the play comedy is created in the form slapstick, which again shows the audience that the device made by the three characters in for comedy purpose only. ‘Your niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick. ’ Here the slapstick is apparent as the victim of deception would be shocked or what he thinks is shocked and would make noise or possibly fall over. Although Shakespeare did not add stage directions it is obvious where slapstick is acted out in the play. An act of ‘cruel’ deception may be seen in Act 2, scene 2 where Don John and Borachio devise a plan to break apart the upcoming marriage between the two lovers, Hero and Claudio. This isn’t something that the audience would have found comedic at the time and can therefore be seen as slightly cruel. This is the only scene in the play that can be considered to be remotely cruel and spiteful but like every other good play or film there is equilibrium, being where there has to be balance between good and bad but resulting in only a happy ending and therefore this play is none more than a romantic comedy and not a tragedy

Angelas Ashes Essays (1290 words) - English-language Films

Angela's Ashes Angela's Ashes Term Paper Both books that I've read, Angela's Ashes and The Color of Water both demonstrated behavior than can be considered dysfunctional. A dysfunctional family is one that fails to meet some or all the basic needs of its members. Sometimes these needs, such as food, shelter or clothing are so basic that people take them for granted. More often, emotional needs, such as the need for love, support and security go unmet. Although a family can be dysfunctional in several ways there are some characteristics that occur more often than others. Drugs, alcoholism, death, abandonment, starvation and anxiety are some examples of dysfunctional characteristics that can be found in both Angela's Ashes and The Color of Water. Just because a family is dysfunctional does not mean it's members do not love each other. Dysfunction usually results from a large amount of problems in the lives of the parents. Parents usually do the best that they can with their children but the truth is that they're human too and can't always manage the difficult task of parenting if they are overwhelmed by their own troubles. It could be that their parenting skills have been impaired by mental or physical illness or simply by ignorance. Also, many parents of dysfunctional families grew up in unhealthy or abusive families themselves and don't know how to break the mold. It may be hard for a person in a dysfunctional family to believe or understand it, but the truth is that poor parenting is rarely intentional. The result of dysfunction vary from the type of dysfunction the family endures. I've heard of people becoming abusive, alcoholics, drug abusers, or runaways. Some people are too weak to cope with the situations in their home, so they flee and start new lives which usually end up becoming dysfunctional again. Dysfunction rubs off on children. Because children are so vulnerable they look at their parents as role models. Children usually end up having no sense of their own reality; therefor no sense of self. The cannot deal properly with their own feelings because they have been taught to deny those feelings. they can't value their needs realistically because their needs have always come second to the needs of the family, which were to stop anything from changing in order to ward off abandonment. In The Color of Water the stepfather dies creating an unhealthy and new environment for the family. As the mother is now forced to raise her twelve children alone, she is forced to take on even more responsibility. Rachel Shilsky never before had a job. She was struggling to make ends meet. Playing games with her children to determine who was going to eat dinner and breakfast that day. The winners would eat and the losers would suffer because the family was living in poverty, not to say that poverty is a dysfunction, but the dysfunction develops as a reaction to the consequences that the family has to face. Many wealthy people can become dysfunctional. Rachel places five children in two beds. Most of the time the kids were so uncomfortable that they chose to rather sleep on the cold cement floor of their Red Hook, Brooklyn housing project. The kids never realized that they were living a different life than other kids until they are sent to school and James, the youngest of twelve chi ldren asks his mother why she doesn't look like the other children's mom's. Not only are they living in different atmospheres enduring situations that most kids didn't have to endure, but their mother was white, the kids were mixed and the people in their neighborhood were all black. Their family were outcasts. James and his siblings learned to deal with the color of their skin, the death of loved ones, the poverty and the fact that they didn't know where they came from. The children often thought about where their mother was from. ? We traded information on Mommy the way people traded baseball cards at trade shows, offering bits and pieces of information fraught with gossip, nonsense, wisdom and sometimes just plain foolishness?. ?What does it matter to you anyway my older brother Richie scoffed when I asked him if

The Benefits of a Standing Desk and Risks of Sitting

The Benefits of a Standing Desk and Risks of Sitting Standing desks offer many benefits for your health and ergonomics. Break free from the chains of sitting at a desk and stand up for yourself and your health. Health Benefits of a Standing Desk The first major benefit of using a standing desk is avoiding all of the negatives that make sitting at a desk bad for you! Sitting for long periods of time causes metabolic issues–you dont produce chemicals necessary for processing sugars and fats, and your circulation suffers. Your skeleton and muscles form a reactive frame for your body which wants to move and respond to outside forces. Additionally, your muscles need to regularly flex to support healthy functions and chemical production. Standing allows your body to adjust and move easily, flexing your muscles continuously. It also keeps your blood circulating well. Movement regulates your blood sugar and keeps your blood pressure lower. And this lets you live longer! Risks of Sitting Sitting increases your chances of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and blood clots or thrombosis. Studies have shown some dramatic effects of sitting for long periods of time. Those who sit a lot are 54 percent more likely to have a heart attack. Men who sit more than six hours a day have a 20 percent higher mortality rate; women have a 40 percent higher mortality rate. If you sit for more than 23 hours a week, you are 64 percent more likely to die from heart disease. In addition, studies have also shown that regular exercise does not counteract the effects of prolonged sitting. The only way to reduce or eliminate the negative impact of prolonged sitting is to not do it. Working at a standing desk will accomplish that for most people. Another benefit of a standing desk is that you burn more calories throughout the day. That will help with weight loss or maintain a healthy weight. Standing while working will burn one-third more calories than sitting will, which could account for an additional 500 calories burned in a day. Standing Can Reduce Pain There is anecdotal and scientific evidence to show that standing while working will alleviate back pain and other repetitive stress injuries. The problem usually comes from not using your back enough. When you sit, you dont hold your upper body with your muscles; rather, you let the chair hold you. This leads significant compression within the chest and abdominal cavities, slouching of the shoulders and rolling of the spine. These are classic causes of repetitive stress injuries and back pain. Working at a standing desk will keep your core and back muscles engaged throughout the day and improve your posture. Mental Benefits of Standing Another benefit of a standing desk is an increase in your focus, alertness, and activity level. When standing, it is easier to release restless energy. Combine that with the good circulation, stable blood sugar, and an active metabolism, and it is easier to focus on the task at hand. Standing while working will burn one-third more calories. Many authors and statesmen throughout the centuries who swear by working at a standing desk have claimed that it helps get the creative juices flowing. It also fights fatigue and improves lethargy. While this may sound like a contradiction, it is not. Standing while working helps fight off the naturally occurring slumps and bouts of fatigue that often happen mid-morning or early afternoon. Those are often related to metabolic drops after meals are processed by the body. Keeping your blood sugar level helps avoid those. Staying active and releasing restless energy also promotes a satisfying tiredness when it is time to sleep. Your mind isnt racing and your body is ready to rest.

Coordination Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Coordination - Coursework Example Moreover, commuters travelling on busy ferries of coastal river will have to buy passes costing up to $100 each month or pay toll, something that has been free. Additionally, drivers who have speeding tickets as well as other defendants will now pay $52 more to Superior Court and $24 more for District Court Costs. Finally, the house plan has also increased file motion fees to $20 for civic suit parties, while they will also be required to pay between $150 and $200 for counter-claim files. Anonymous, observes that the public would also have to face lose of unemployment benefits following the 13% cut in unemployment benefits proposed on April 16. Education will also be more expensive and this could be deteriorated by insufficient teachers because no funds were allocated to hire the required 1,100 teachers. The proposed budget mainly compromises the education sector (Anonymous). However, this is a key sector that the government has to fund. Through proper coordination, state education board should be made responsible for policy setting on the handling of impending school layoffs. There should be a balance between each sector and the public, so as to reduce the challenges. Budget watchdogs should also be employed to examine the efficiency of state programs. Funding of the various sectors should be balanced in relation to their needs and urgency. For example, it is not fair for public education to receive the least tax cuts and have almost everything else losing, while a sector like IT receives so many benefits at the cost of other public benefits like unemployment

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Philosophy - Essay Example refuted widely through Reliabilism and Gettier Cases, both of which have highly contrasting views and opinions on the aspect of knowledge particularly in the context of ‘justified true belief’. This paper attempts to analyze, discuss and evaluate the various arguments put forward by both these branches and assess how the concept of ‘justified true belief’ is refuted by Gettier case, and thereby fails to solve the counter problems posed by the same. There are various branches of reliabilism, all of which are centered on the single notion of ‘justified true belief’ with regard to explanations regarding knowledge. Some of such theories are discussed hereunder, to explain how it helps or fails in providing logical solution to the problems raised by Gettier. Reliabilism is one of the most widely used and debated theories in contemporary epistemology of which process reliabilism is one such aspect which makes the study of processes that lead to and upholds such beliefs, extremely crucial. The basic idea propagated by process reliabilism theories is that: Reliabilism, on the other hand, in general is an approach which stresses on the importance of formation of truth, through a specific method, or a belief-forming process. The concept of reliability pertains to theories of knowledge such as the tracking theory, which lays greater significance on extracting or seeking truth. In a narrow definition of reliabilism it refers to process reliabilism that is used to seek justification for the knowledge held. P (here, it refers to a proposition) knows that the sky is blue, if and only if P is true, one may believe that P is true, and one believes that P is true because P has arrived at that knowledge / belief that the sky is blue, through some reliable process. This theory was refuted by Gettier in the Gettier problem, whereby the concept of ‘knowledge’ as it pertains to ‘justified true belief’ was challenged. The Gettier problem or the Gettier cases

Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun - Research Paper Example He mixes Coast Salish cosmology and Northwest Coast reserved design standards with aspects of European surrealist and scenery painting traditions. Yuxweluptun handles controversial social, political, environmental, and cultural subjects, in these vibrant colors, a lot mysteriously witty painting. He is much more concerned with giving voice to the concerns but feels that the conventional forms of the Northwest Coast are not enough. Yuxweluptun clearly challenges the perception of a revitalization of Northwest Coast art, which he presumes reinvents tradition and by doing so, emphasizes a disgraceful inheritance of prejudice and anguish of the First Nations people of modern discussion. Tweaker For over 20 years Yuxweluptun work have articulated a far-ranging range of socio-political issues including the realities of urban Aboriginal life, ecological squalor, Aboriginal rights and freedoms, colonialism, and the social division produced by deprivation, reliance and mistreatment. Integrati ng a far ranging of techniques borrowed from First Nations and Western customs, he investigates the explosive connection between cultures in divergence. In Tweaker a rebellion of multifaceted and multihued oviods populates the canvas. Yuxweluptun it seems is keen on recreating a torrid activity and mindset of meth users who frequent Vancouver’s infamous Downtown Eastside. These persons who are viewed as members of an aberrant society, have become the victims of ill-treatment both the government and the peddlers who rely and/or on them (Laurence 50-55). Scorched Earth, Clear-cut Logging, Shaman Coming to Fix This is a more sophisticated painting on an analogous theme. A shaman, in the front of the left hand corner, is gloomy faced certainly, and stands on next to a squatting individual.... For over 20 years Yuxweluptun work have articulated a far-ranging range of socio-political issues including the realities of urban Aboriginal life, ecological squalor, Aboriginal rights and freedoms, colonialism, and the social division produced by deprivation, reliance and mistreatment. Integrating a far ranging of techniques borrowed from First Nations and Western customs, he investigates the explosive connection between cultures in divergence. In Tweaker a rebellion of multifaceted and multihued oviods populates the canvas. Yuxweluptun it seems is keen on recreating a torrid activity and mindset of meth users who frequent Vancouver’s infamous Downtown Eastside. These persons who are viewed as members of an aberrant society, have become the victims of ill-treatment both the government and the peddlers who rely and/or on them. This is a more sophisticated painting on an analogous theme. A shaman, in the front of the left hand corner, is gloomy faced certainly, and stands on n ext to a squatting individual. The aspects in the backdrop moan and lie sagging and sapped.

The Epic of Beowulf

The Epic of Beowulf Fighting his enemies alone, when his sword fails he resorts to his fists. When his adversary had no armor, he strips himself of his own armor to even the odds. Some see this as arrogance or overconfidence, but his achievements do not lie. Beowulf is deserving of his title as an epic hero for saving Heorot from Grendel, slaying Grendels mother the she-wolf, and when Beowulf became king he protected his kingdom fifty years. The Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf was written in the 7th century as a poem, was modernized in Richard Wilburs Ceremony and other poems. Elizabeth Thomason explains, Wilburs response to the epic is to change the Anglo-Saxon attitude toward heroes into a world-weary postwar sensibility. While he retains the original setting, he incorporates modern feelings into his lyric retelling.   The story was later translated into a novel by Burton Raffel. Beowulf, is already a renowned warrior for having won wars and felling mighty sea beasts, Richard Wilbur emphasizes Beowulfs confidence, One day the stranger shows up from beyond the sea, boasting that he can kill the monster that no one has been able to touch for years. He would end Grendels blood-filled night-raids on Heorot. When the almighty light disappears behind the mountains, the  night-terror Grendel begins his prowl. Carl Mowery says, the day was swiftly old, and the night put out no smiles. Grendel stalks the city and waits until the towns-folk are sleep then he steadily infiltrates Heorot and picks out his prey, who hell eat now and who to take home for later. Now he discovered-once the afflicter of men, what it meant to feud with the almighty God (809-11) for the one he seized that night was Beowulf the mightiest of warriors. Beowulf fought Grendel with honor and without any weapons or armor he latched onto Grendel holding him in place, it was Grendels first time feeling fear, for he was in Beowulfs hands now. He wanted nothing but to escape, and escape he did missing an arm. When all seemed peaceful, tragedy struck the Danes again. Grendel managed to escape, seriously wounded and his life fading. He ran back home and spent his last moments in misery. At the sight of her lifeless son Grendels mother was struck with anger and a lust for vengeance. She attacked the Danes as they slept and left with a snack for later, but that snack was the kings closest friend. The kings heart was heavy and he mourned his loss, he then asked Beowulf to avenge his friend, and so he did. Beowulf swam into the she-wolfs den and swung his sword to no effect, he was quickly thrown to the ground and when all seemed lost he saw a giants sword mounted on the wall. He took it and Beowulf struck with all [his] strength, caught her in the neck and cut it through, Bones and all. (1565-77) Tyrus Miller states, Having performed his single task, the hero departs, loaded with the gifts granted a warrior and the glory of his deeds. He returns home to Geatland where he became a king; and a great king he was bringing peace and prosperity to his kingdom. Beowulf ruled in Geatland for fifty years, now old and wise when a dragon awakes from its slumber and burns down a village. Old and past hisprime Beowulf intends to face the dragon alone. His subjects do not wish for him to face the beast alone and volunteer to help slay the dragon. So there wouldnt be any needless death he and a few trusted soldiers venture to the dragons lair. At the sight of the beast all the soldiers run off except for Wiglaf who truly admired Beowulf. The dragon ignites the air and Beowulf blocks flame with shield inching closer to the beast. His shield burns to ash and he is engulfed in fire, but he presses on and strikes the dragons head with all his might shattering his blade. The dragon wastes no time and latches into Beowulfs neck. Wiglaf seeing his hero in danger rushes in to help. Stabbing the dragon in the lower neck smothering its flames Beowulf then drew his battle-sharp dagger. (2701-02) Remembering days of glory he quickly cut the beast in half, it fell but so did Beowulf. His neck began to swell, he felt the dragons venom taking effect, and knew his time was short. He told Wiglaf to build a monument after his death and to claim the dragons wealth and disperse it throughout the kingdom. Throughout his life Beowulf had had a multitude of achievements hes won wars, defeated Grendel and his vengeful mother, fell mighty sea beats and many more unmentionables. But Beowulfs last act of heroism was undoubtedly his greatest, slaying a dragon and attaining its treasure for his people, a noble deed for a noble hero. References Mowery, Carl. Beowulf. Poetry for Students, edited by Elizabeth Thomason, vol. 11, Gale, 2001, pp. 1-14. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Miller, Tyrus. Beowulf. Poetry for Students, edited by Elizabeth Thomason, vol. 11,   Gale, 2001, pp. 1-14. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Thomason, Elizabeth. Beowulf. Poetry for Students, vol.11, Gale, 2001, pp. 1-14. Gale Virtual Reference Library.

All the Pretty Horses Essay -- All Pretty Horses Essays

All the Pretty Horses John Grady is not your average cowboy. All the Pretty Horses is not your typical coming-of-age story. This is an honest tale. Cormac McCarthy follows John Grady as he embarks on his journey of self-discovery across the border. Armed with a few pesos in his pocket, a strong horse and a friend at his side, John Grady thinks he’s ready to take on the Wild West of Mexico. At their final steps in America, a stranger, aged thirteen, joins our heroes. This unexpected variable named Blevins challenges John Grady, testing his character and pushing him to uncomfortable limits. The dynamic of their relationship reveals John Grady’s capacity to care for others as he shelters this kid from the hardships of reality and the foolhardiness of youth. The journey into Mexico demonstrates his readiness to be recognized as a man, but when the critical moment arrives, John Grady’s will fails to meet unforeseen demands. His inability to speak at this crucial juncture acts as a mirror f or self-reflection, returning him to the beginning. Coming out of the horizon, Blevins approaches John Grady and his comrade, Rawlins, uninvited. John Grady poses half a dozen pointed questions, deliberately accusing Blevins of lying. His eyes study Blevins, calmly taking in the stranger. He doesn’t ask for an explanation or the details of his trip nor does he offer Blevins companionship. â€Å"Is that your hat? he said† (40), suggesting Blevins isn’t a legitimate cowboy, let alone a man. John Grady subtly establishes himself as the power to be reckoned with, the superior cowboy. His assertion is self-serving, a justification to himself that he is capable of the journey ahead. It’s also a demonstration for Rawlins’ sake, to assure him that they are... ...s, the boundaries of his emotional strength. John Grady could not speak on behalf of Blevins because he is not ready to let go of his youthful innocence. The mantle of responsibility is too heavy to bear. Blevins haunts John Grady’s mind. Beautiful daydreams of Alejandra transform themselves into thoughts of Blevins, but he never voices his guilt—until he returns to America. John Grady’s remorse manifests itself in a dogged determination to return Blevins’ horse to his family in America. Through this tangible form of repentance, John Grady is proving to himself that he’s capable of doing Blevins’ memory a final justice. His dream of Mexico is no longer a possibility, defeated by his conscience. He earnestly recognizes his need to start over and return to America. John Grady may have failed his initial adventure, but he came out of Mexico a stronger person for it. All the Pretty Horses Essay -- All Pretty Horses Essays All the Pretty Horses John Grady is not your average cowboy. All the Pretty Horses is not your typical coming-of-age story. This is an honest tale. Cormac McCarthy follows John Grady as he embarks on his journey of self-discovery across the border. Armed with a few pesos in his pocket, a strong horse and a friend at his side, John Grady thinks he’s ready to take on the Wild West of Mexico. At their final steps in America, a stranger, aged thirteen, joins our heroes. This unexpected variable named Blevins challenges John Grady, testing his character and pushing him to uncomfortable limits. The dynamic of their relationship reveals John Grady’s capacity to care for others as he shelters this kid from the hardships of reality and the foolhardiness of youth. The journey into Mexico demonstrates his readiness to be recognized as a man, but when the critical moment arrives, John Grady’s will fails to meet unforeseen demands. His inability to speak at this crucial juncture acts as a mirror f or self-reflection, returning him to the beginning. Coming out of the horizon, Blevins approaches John Grady and his comrade, Rawlins, uninvited. John Grady poses half a dozen pointed questions, deliberately accusing Blevins of lying. His eyes study Blevins, calmly taking in the stranger. He doesn’t ask for an explanation or the details of his trip nor does he offer Blevins companionship. â€Å"Is that your hat? he said† (40), suggesting Blevins isn’t a legitimate cowboy, let alone a man. John Grady subtly establishes himself as the power to be reckoned with, the superior cowboy. His assertion is self-serving, a justification to himself that he is capable of the journey ahead. It’s also a demonstration for Rawlins’ sake, to assure him that they are... ...s, the boundaries of his emotional strength. John Grady could not speak on behalf of Blevins because he is not ready to let go of his youthful innocence. The mantle of responsibility is too heavy to bear. Blevins haunts John Grady’s mind. Beautiful daydreams of Alejandra transform themselves into thoughts of Blevins, but he never voices his guilt—until he returns to America. John Grady’s remorse manifests itself in a dogged determination to return Blevins’ horse to his family in America. Through this tangible form of repentance, John Grady is proving to himself that he’s capable of doing Blevins’ memory a final justice. His dream of Mexico is no longer a possibility, defeated by his conscience. He earnestly recognizes his need to start over and return to America. John Grady may have failed his initial adventure, but he came out of Mexico a stronger person for it.

Nordstrom Retailing Management Answers

Retailing Management – Case 31 Customer Service and Relationship Management at Nordstrom 1. What steps does Nordstrom take to implement its strategy of providing outstanding customer service? To begin with, Nordstrom employees treat customers like royalty. Customers are even at the top of Nordstrom’s so-called organization chart. All lower levels work towards supporting the salespeople, who in turn work to serve the customers. Salespeople are given personalized business cards to help them build relationships with customers.They are not tied to their respective departments but to the customers, this turns their salesperson a â€Å"personal shopper† of the customers. This opportunity to sell departments enables salespeople to maximize sales and commissions while providing superior customer service. Despite all the efforts in making sure customer satisfaction is met, it starts from the employees. Nordstrom employees are treated almost like the extended family. They are treated like businesspeople and empowered to make independent decisions. Overall, Nordstrom delivers good quality product with good service. 2.How do these activities enable Nordstrom to reduce the gaps between perceived service and customer expectations, as described in Chapter 18? Nordstrom’s policies focus on the concept of the â€Å"Life –time Value of the Customer. † Their service goes above and beyond what other retail stores can offer. Even if little money is made from the first sale, the lifetime value of a customer is calculated, and the positive dollar amount of a loyal customer is staggering. A customer can expect equal level of respect from all departments from each employee. They will also experience a â€Å"personal shopper† who can help them with which product to purchase. . What are the pros and cons of Nordstrom’s approach to developing a competitive advantage through customer service? The number one pro is customer loyalty, be cause of Nordstrom’s above and beyond customer service; customers come back for the good quality products and to the experience of good salesperson. Because of customer loyalty, Nordstrom realizes huge revenue from repeat customers. And another pro is having a great employee; Nordstrom empowers their employees to be individual businesspeople who can make their own decisions within the stores. Because of this, Nordstrom’s hrinkage or loss due to theft and record-keeping errors is under 1. 5% of sales—roughly half the industry average. The only con is the loss money from returns or refunds. Nordstrom’s policy concept of â€Å"Life-time Value of Customers,† sometimes brings them to loss revenue or even negative revenue. Some customers may even abuse the fact of how easy it is to return merchandise even if it was heavily used. But the weight of a positive dollar amount of loyal customer versus loss revenue is heavier. And therefore there isn’t r eally a con to how Nordstrom caters to their customers and as well as employees.

A Rose for Emily Analysis

Gabi Kuhn 4B 11/13/12 1) What is the point of view of the story? The point of view of the story is a third person. The amount of information the reader knows would be somewhat that of a typical townsperson, since we do not find out right away what is really going on inside of the house, or have a deep view into Miss Emily’s feelings. From this point of view, we see things as how they would appear to a townsperson or viewer. 2) What does the title of the story suggest about the townspeople’s feelings toward Miss Emily?Why do they feel this way about her? (Or: What does she represent to them? ) Is there anything ironic about their feelings? The title of the story suggests that the townspeople have some sort of caring feeling towards her, since a rose is usually a symbol of care or love. They feel some sort of respect to her and her family, since they are the last remnant of the traditional south and the only ones who embrace it the most. The townspeople actually have a pi ty for her, because after her father died, the association of her being higher class lowered.Then, it was lowered the most when she started to spend time with Homer Barron because he was from the North and a day laborer, and thought Miss Emily should have been with someone of higher status, as she was brought up. 3) Describe and discuss the symbolism of Miss Emily’s house. The dust all over the interior of Miss Emily’s house symbolizes the traditional south which Miss Emily continues to embrace mentally through her actions and visually through the looks of her house. The traditional south ways are being abandoned, but Emily refuses to go along.The traditional south ways are old, and Emily wants to stay attached to them, so they linger throughout her home in the visual form of old dust. The portrait of her father symbolizes also that Emily does not want to adjust to the new times. He lived his life in the traditional times, and she did not want to believe that he was de ad. The portrait symbolizes his everlasting presence in Emily’s life, even after his death. 4) What is the role of the â€Å"smell† incident in the story. What other problems has Miss Emily caused the local authorities?The role of the smell incident gives suspicion as to what it is in Miss Emily’s house that is causing it. It gives suspicion that it is something like a dead body, because only such things like a dead body can have such a permeating odor able to reach outside. Miss Emily also has not paid the taxes and thinks she is still entitled to the tax waiver that Colonel Sartoris gave to her, even though he is dead. 5) How do the townspeople know what they know about Miss Emily’s life? What is the source of their information? The townspeople know what they do about her house from when the Aldermen visited the inside of her house.They were the ones who saw how dusty and creepy it was inside of the Grierson house. They also get the minister’s wi fe to get in contact with her relatives, who then come and visit. They also know most of the information they know by simply keeping track of her and seeing her do the things she does, such as buy the poison, and buy the wedding gifts. They all find out by gossiping and sharing the things they see, especially the older women. 6) Consider the mixed quality of the townspeople’s reactions to Miss Emily’s â€Å"failures†. 7) What is the significance of Miss Emily’s actions after the death of her father?Miss Emily tried to keep the body of her father with her in her house. This signifies that she did not want to accept the fact that he was dead. She was lonely, and did not want him to go too, like her lover that had recently left her. He was part of the last of the Grierson family and had shaped her whole life, so she did not want to let him go. 8) What role does Homer Barron play in the story? Is there anything ironic about a match between him and Miss Emily? Homer Barron plays the newcomer to town who Miss Emily succeeds with in her ruesome plans for him. The irony in their relationship is that they are from different regions, which did not have a good relationship back then, because of the Civil War. Homer was from the North, and represented the new innovation of the coming future. Miss Emily has remained in the South all her life and wishes to stay practicing her values and not adjust to changes in life. It is also ironic that after all of the upbringing from her father sending away men who were not â€Å"high enough in class† for her, that she would choose Homer as her partner.Her father would have never approved of him. 9) Look closely at the second paragraph in section five. What does this paragraph suggest about the nature of the people’s memories of the past? 10) What is the horrible revelation about Miss Emily that the story ends with? How is this related to the overall meaning of the story? The horrible revelatio n about Miss Emily is that she actually used the rat poison to kill Homer, and even more grotesque, she kept his body frozen in time so that he could stay with her forever.We also find a gray hair from Miss Emily, which means that she laid down next to the body in the bed for her own satisfaction. This is related to the overall meaning of the story because it shows how Miss Emily was determined to live life and have things the way she wanted them, and she didn’t care that the times were changing or that her actions were socially unacceptable. She lived the rest of her life devoted to the traditional ways of the south, and did not want to accept any changes.

Free Essays on An Organization In Conflict

Introduction 1. The Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD) had humble beginnings in 1951 when forward thinking county officials had a vision of a better waste management system for the Monterey Peninsula, ending the era of unconditional garbage dumping that had prevailed. From this time on, a Board of Directors has labored to ensure that the waste from Monterey Peninsula residents is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner that not only satisfies state and federal legal requirements, but ensures that the health of the peninsula is preserved for decades to come . 2. Currently the MRWMD disposes the household, business and industrial waste of more than 170,000 residents . Its purpose is to maximize the diversion of waste from landfill by following three simple steps: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce the amount of landfill by reusing waste products in their original form or by recycling them for other purposes. The MRWMD mission embodies the values that the original county officials had in mind more than 50 years ago: â€Å"Provide the highest quality, cost-efficient, integrated waste management services to the greater Monterey Peninsula, while preserving our environment and protecting public health through the reduction, reuse, recycling and safe disposal of our waste stream† Aim 3. The aim of this paper is to assess whether MRWMD has a culture that supports the organization mission. This will be accomplished by investigating employee values, behaviors, beliefs and assumptions and conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis on the findings. Conduct of analysis 4. In order to properly analyze the beliefs, values, assumptions and behaviors of MWRMD employees - and by doing so identifying the MRWMD culture - it was necessary to conduct detailed interviews with a representation of the workforce. MRWMD currently employs 138 staff, of which 123 are full-time ... Free Essays on An Organization In Conflict Free Essays on An Organization In Conflict Introduction 1. The Monterey Regional Waste Management District (MRWMD) had humble beginnings in 1951 when forward thinking county officials had a vision of a better waste management system for the Monterey Peninsula, ending the era of unconditional garbage dumping that had prevailed. From this time on, a Board of Directors has labored to ensure that the waste from Monterey Peninsula residents is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner that not only satisfies state and federal legal requirements, but ensures that the health of the peninsula is preserved for decades to come . 2. Currently the MRWMD disposes the household, business and industrial waste of more than 170,000 residents . Its purpose is to maximize the diversion of waste from landfill by following three simple steps: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce the amount of landfill by reusing waste products in their original form or by recycling them for other purposes. The MRWMD mission embodies the values that the original county officials had in mind more than 50 years ago: â€Å"Provide the highest quality, cost-efficient, integrated waste management services to the greater Monterey Peninsula, while preserving our environment and protecting public health through the reduction, reuse, recycling and safe disposal of our waste stream† Aim 3. The aim of this paper is to assess whether MRWMD has a culture that supports the organization mission. This will be accomplished by investigating employee values, behaviors, beliefs and assumptions and conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis on the findings. Conduct of analysis 4. In order to properly analyze the beliefs, values, assumptions and behaviors of MWRMD employees - and by doing so identifying the MRWMD culture - it was necessary to conduct detailed interviews with a representation of the workforce. MRWMD currently employs 138 staff, of which 123 are full-time ...

Introduction to international studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Introduction to international studies - Essay Example Main points: Population: The article certainly addresses population, in the sense of human resource, as a key component for industrialization and sustainability unto the future. Demographic elements in the population of a country influence a country’s predisposition to domestic production, political stability, and regional influence. The article argues that a change in the population brought about by a change in the population size composition, and distribution relative to that of neighboring countries has a direct impact on the countrys GDP and international security. The article postulates that for sustainability unto the future, a renewal in the population’s working force (by maintaining proportional composition and distribution) was essential. Culture: The article does not address culture to any meaningful extent. However, it uses one element of culture i.e. religion, adopting a radical approach to it in justifying the threat imposed by high growth rate in Muslim states. Industrialization: The article discusses industrialization as amongst the major changes onto the future as well as an intermediate effect of the change in population demographics. Consequently, industrialization as identified in the article will be a determinant for international trade and influence the flow of capital and human resources as between countries. However, the article fails to establish which sectors of these economies will influence the transition of the developing countries into fully developed states as forecasted. Governance and Politics: The article addresses the issue of governance and politics under primarily two mechanisms: Firstly, it analyses the foreign policy relations of the United States, postulating that the US international influence is continuously receding, even amongst its traditional allies such as the Turkey, Egypt. Secondly, it discusses the issue of politics in relation to the US’ super power status. The article argues that

Business Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Ethics - Research Paper Example The Case of Apple Jonathan Watts (2011) has laid open the lid over the assumed business ethics of such big businesses as Apple Inc., for letting its overseas supply chain damage the environment and degrade the pollution. The leading Chinese environment group has blamed the IT tycoon of not adhering to transparency in its business operations because of which the workers are suffering on health issues and lack of transparency is also causing loss of environment. The statement by the 36 Groups working for the Green Choice Initiative has heightened the controversy over the company’s incapacity in ensuring that work ethics are adhered to in the factories where ipads and iphones are being produced. Environment violations by suppliers of big IT companies are occurring to the dismay of all, the cause of which needs to be confirmed; why workers are being forced to function in such environment that is poor in safety standards. A number of tragedies are occurring at the Chinese factories ; workers are committing suicides and workplace poisonings are taking place from the heavy metal pollution. It is clearly evident that the Chinese labor is paid less and workplace safety and regulatory parameters are not enough relatively to the West (Watts, 2011). Although Apple’s supplier code of conduct vouches adherance to globally identified standards to further the cause of business ethics but accountability can not be determined by the third parties as companies like Apple do not share facts on the name of corporate confidentiality. Political confidentiality and red tape in government transactions has further deteriorated the working conditions due to non-transparency used as a cover. Apple is one of the 29 companies least interested to share relevant information about its suppliers. There are a number of companies working for Apple’s supply chain, involved in waste discharge violations. A dozen employees died unnatural deaths in Foxconn electronics in Shenzhen, a supplier of computer parts for Apple and other big IT companies operating through outsourced locations (Watts, 2011). Moren (2010) states that Apple is employing tactics such as issuing the progress report on supplier responsibility, coinciding it intelligently with the shareholders meeting. So that the company management could not be attacked aggressively by shareholders on the social responsibility issue, the report on supplier responsibility was issued just 2 days before the meeting. Apple like other American companies has been exploiting the lenient labor laws in third world countries, which can affect its reputation, as in 2006 the company’s image was tarnished with the news that workforce at Foxconn’s Langhua was working 15-hours a day and was forced to live in unhygienic conditions, as published by a British newspaper. The company level inquiry found evidence of the same and from thereon suppliers’ yearly auditing was strategized to check suppliersâ₠¬â„¢ adherence to code of conduct. The audit conducted in 2009 outlines the reforms and precautionary steps taken by the company. In the near past, in 2009 Apple initiated training programs for assembly-line workers on various educational programs such as Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) among others, protection programs such as reducing recruitment fee, educating workers on their rights and audit programs on component making suppliers and nonproduction suppliers to the final assembly production