Meeting Expectations Can Make or Break Your Class

Expectations are powerful, especially when youre teaching adults. Understanding your students expectations of the course youre teaching is key to your success. Make sure you know what your students expect with this ice breaker game for adults. Ideal Size Up to 20. Divide larger groups. Uses Introductions in the classroom or ​at a meeting, to understand what every participant is expecting to learn from the class or gathering. Time Needed 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the group. Materials Needed A flip chart or white boardmarkers Instructions Write Expectations at the top of a flip chart or white board. When it’s time for students to introduce themselves, explain that expectations are powerful  and that understanding them is key to the success of any class. Tell the group that you would like them to: Introduce themselvesShare their expectations of the classAdd a wild prediction of the best possible outcome should their expectations be met. Ask them to be as specific as possible, and encourage silliness or fun if you want. Example Hi, my name is Deb, and I’m expecting to learn how to handle difficult or challenging people, and my wildest expectation is that if I knew how to do that, nobody would ever get under my skin again. Ever. Debrief State your objectives of the course, review the list of expectations the group made, and explain whether or not, and ​why, if not, their expectations will or wont be covered in the course.

Literary Research Paper The Great Gatsby by F. Scott...

Literary Research Paper: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is known as America’s great novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby is a classic piece of American fiction. It is a novel of triumph and tragedy, noted for the remarkable way Fitzgerald captured a cross-section of American society.†(Cliffsnotes Editor) The novel is set in New York City, more specifically in long island; East Egg and West Egg, during the prohibition era in the 1920’s and was then published in 1925.(Bruccoli Joseph.) Distinguishing similarities exist between Fitzgerald, Carraway and Gatsby, one being; Fitzgerald used Carraway and Gatsby to exquisitely represent his character in the real world. Gatsby the protagonist of the story†¦show more content†¦The era consisted of â€Å"personal and moral corruption of a culture based on the social and moral prerogatives of wealth.† F. Scott Fitzgerald was a novelist who based his works on the Jazz Age and he was also considered one of the best short story writers of the twentieth century. Fitzgerald was born September 24, 1896, and grew up the only son of a working class mother and aristocratic father.(Jonathan Schiff) Due to the contrast between the lifestyles his parents lived, he was skeptical of the American dream, which for him was ostentatious but still somewhat promising.(Ruth Prigozy) Fitzgerald displayed many similarities between himself and Gatsby, both having immensely romantic imaginations.(Shmoop Editor) His short stories are now iconic novels which everyone has either read or heard of. Jay Gatsby, also known as James Gatsby is The Great Gatsby’s protagonist. Jay Gatsby attempted to live out the American Dream but rather than doing so he diedShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1162 Words   |  5 Pages The novel The Great Gatsby, by F. 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Scott Fitzgerald, an American novelist and short-story writer, was an amazing author who u sed his work, just like in the quote aboveRead MoreAnalysis : The Five Eighty Eight And Stone Mattress 1746 Words   |  7 PagesWhen I first started thinking about my research paper I planned on using both short stories from my Compare/Contrast essay that focused on abused women who seek their revenge on their abusers. As someone who knows women who have been abused by men and one even sexually assaulted, I feel very passionately about this topic. I wanted to write about the physiological and emotional changes women faced as a result of their abuse. In my first Compare/Contrast essay I talked about boys growingRead MoreWhat Is The Adaptation Of The Great Gatsby895 Words   |  4 Pagesthis paper is to explain differences between movie adaptations, and the book The Great Gatsby. I will examine major differences such as setting, soundtrack, and wardrobe choices. In addition, I will discuss character developments in both the two movie revisions I have chosen, and the book. Furthermore, I plan to explain oxymorons used throughout the plot of the story, and how they were manipulated in films. This is important because many do not understand the deeper meaning of The Great Gatsby becauseRead MoreJay Gatsby s American Dream2866 Words   |  12 PagesSizemore ENGL 204-1 Dr. Peterman October 15, 2014 Research Paper Draft #3 Jay Gatsby’s American Dream Ever since its publication in April 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel â€Å"The Great Gatsby† has become one of the most criticized, cited, and analytical pieces of fiction in American literature history. It is a great representation of an era known as the Jazz Age when anything and everything was possible, or at least that is what people thought. Fitzgerald provides the reader with an insight of the internalRead MoreTruman Capotes In Cold Blood1591 Words   |  7 PagesBlood, the idealistic dream is critically evaluated. In this paper, I will explain the context of the work, and then I will compare and contrast Dick any Perry (the murderers) with the Clutter family (the murdered) in relation to the theme of the fragility of the American Dream. Capote wrote what he considered to be the first nonfiction novel. Simply defined a nonfiction novel is one in which an event is reported using traditional literary and rhetorical conventions to expose broader truths concerningRead MoreI Don t Consider Myself A Good Writer1273 Words   |  6 Pagesparagraph structured paper, research papers, lab reports, and quite a few other styles and types of academic writing. I didn t think I would take anything away from my WRD 103 course. So my goal? To cruise on through. Then I started to have some fun with some of our work. During my only other writing specific course, I was not given much to work with. The only two papers I had any amount of interest in were about how Nick Carroway of F. Scott Fitzgerald s The Great Gatsby was an unreliable narratorRead MoreThe Disenchanted Research Paper3448 Words   |  14 PagesResearch paper: The Disenchanted F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life and work were in a knot from the start; his profession spanned one of the most tumultuous eras of the century, and from the very start he was the creator and the victim of the new culture of celebrity which accompanied the rise of modern technology. Budd Schulberg masterfully created a character that closely and in many ways represents Fitzgerald in his later years; Manley Halliday is that character. â€Å"His mind’s eye, incurably bifocalRead MoreIntroduction : How ve He Do That?10829 Words   |  44 Pagesenhances the reading and provokes the reader to analyze the text in a more productive way. Once you become a more avid reader you will be privileged to make comparisons, connections, and your own conclusion from the literary work you’re reading with certain aspects of many different literary works you’ve read along the way. Not only does this bring depth into the work for your better understanding of the â€Å"big idea† but also makes it a more enjoyable read. â€Å"Whenever I read a new work, I spin the mentalRead MoreStudy Guide Literary Terms7657 Words   |  31 Pages AP Literary and Rhetorical Terms 1. 2. alliteration- Used for poetic effect, a repetition of the initial sounds of several words in a group. The following line from Robert Frosts poem Acquainted with the Night provides us with an example of alliteration,: I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet. The repetition of the s sound creates a sense of quiet, reinforcing the meaning of the line 3. allegory – Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolic

Beauty Defined Free Essays

What is beauty? How can an abstract concept such as beauty be defined? That question has been pondered for ages. An anonymous person once said â€Å"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder†. Beauty means something different to everyone but there is a general agreed-upon standard of beauty in our society. We will write a custom essay sample on Beauty Defined or any similar topic only for you Order Now As defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, beauty is â€Å"the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit : LOVELINESS †. It has also been defined as â€Å"the phenomenon of the experience of pleasure, through the perception of balance and proportion of stimulus. It involves the cognition of a balanced form and structure that elicits attraction and appeal towards a person, animal, object, scene, music, idea, etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The philosophical discipline of aesthetics aims to understand the nature and meaning of beauty. Two kinds of beauty were distinguished by composer and critic Robert Schumann ; natural beauty and poetic beauty. Natural beauty is found in the examination of nature and poetic beauty in man’s cognizance. According to Schumann, in music or other art forms, both types of beauty exist. A familiar theory holds that beauty is the appearance of things and people that are good. Our society judges the physically attractive as â€Å"good†. The popular quote â€Å"beauty is in the eye of the beholder, â€Å" maintains that beauty is entirely personal. Beauty can be found in nature as well where â€Å"beauty as goodness† holds true. An Alaskan glacier, a ruggedly dry mountain range, or a field of wildflowers can all be said to be beautiful. Most people find beauty in nature, from a newly fallen leaf in autumn, a tadpole metamorphosing to a frog, or a butterfly fluttering in a field. Formal studies done in the United States have discovered that facial symmetry is a key factor in determining the beauty of human appearance. To have facial symmetry suggests that a person has no apparent inherited flaws. Other studies suggest that a specific height and length of cheekbones is a strong indicator of physical beauty. These studies were conducted by scientists who asked volunteers to rate a series of photographs on the basis of beauty. The attributes common to all images rated beautiful were then picked out. Dr. Devendra Singh, of the University of Texas at Austin, discovered the waist-to-hip ratio, which is considered an indication of beauty in women of most cultures. This holds that a woman whose waist circumference is 70% of her hip circumference is considered beautiful and is also an indicator of her fertility. Greek philosophers were the earliest to theorize beauty. Pythagorus saw a strong connection between mathematics and beauty. The Pythagorean School maintained that objects proportioned to the â€Å"golden ratio† seemed more attractive. People whose facial features are symmetric and proportioned are ranked as more attractive than those who are not, according to the golden ratio. The ancient Indians believed that anything that is always new is beautiful. A survey conducted by London Guildhall University of 11,000 people showed that (subjectively) good-looking people earn more. Less attractive people earned, on average, 13% less than more attractive people, while the penalty for overweight was around 5%. The term â€Å"beautiful people† is used to refer to those who closely follow trends in fashion, physical appearance, food, dining, wine, cars, and real estate, often at a considerable financial cost. Such people often mirror in appearance and consumer choices of the characteristics and purchases of rich Hollywood characters. Beauty is truly a subjective concept that is difficult to prove or define. How to cite Beauty Defined, Papers

Critical Thinking In Decision Making Essay Example For Students

Critical Thinking In Decision Making Essay Decision making vs. Critical Thinking The relationship between critical thinking and decision-making is much more different than what most people think. Critical thinking is the process by which one evaluates information on a given problem. The process of reaching logical conclusions, solving problems, analyzing factual information, and taking appropriate actions based on the conclusions is called decision making. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is examining assumptions not simply accepting arguments and conclusions at face value. Critical thinking is looking for hidden values, evaluating evidence and assessing multiple conclusions. An employee calls technical support and states that they are down. By using critical thinking skills coupled with feed back from the user, one can determine that the user cannot print. Decision-making is an action. It is the destination of logical and analytical problem solving which is based in fact. Once the destination is reached, action in taken according to the resolution reached. The user above cannot print. One would suggest that he reinstall the print drivers to resolve the problem. The decision was to reinstall the print drivers. The authors of Whatever It Takes suggest that decision-making material and literature tend to emphasize the product of decision-making but does not emphasize the actual process of decision-making. Critical thinking is the mechanical process by which problems are perceived, alternative solutions weighed, and rational decisions are made (McCall, Kaplan, xv). Decision-making is the product of critical thinking. My occupation as a network technician affords me the opportunity to think critically each day. Critical thinking allows me make decisions based on fact rooted in logic. If a user cannot log into the network, I have to decide where the problem is. The speed by which I do this is critical. Using critical thinking, I can determine where the problem resides. While critical thinking and decision-making are interrelated and rely on one another, they are also independent. Critical thinking does not guarantee that a decision will be made and decisions can be made without processing information logically. There are benefits to being a critical thinker. It allows you to process problem or information in a systematical and logical fashion. It also allows you to come to the best decision available given the current information. The decision-making and critical thinking, functions while one may think, they are the same, they are separate. Critical thinking is the process by which one can make a systematic and logical decision. Works cited Kaplan, Robert E. and Morgan W. McCall, Jr. Whatever It Takes. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, Inc, 1990. .

Market research is the key to success Essay Example

Market research is the key to success Essay Tesco, the gigantic supermarket chain, has decided on conquering the United States market with Fresh and Easy strategy since 2007; however, is undergoing huge losses approximately to 300 million dollars the previous year. Fresh and Easy strategy claimed to target at supplying a rising proportion of shoppers who prefer frequent trips to local convenience stores rather than traditional American weekly drive to hypermarkets. Furthermore, it might contain penetration pricing method and certain promotions in order to increase sales. The strategy is claimed to be faulty as the marketing research that it based upon is less accurate. This essay will critically examine whether market research is the key factor that determines the success of a business in terms of Tescos marketing strategy using Fresh and Easy. Initially, the nature of market research will be analysed, followed by discussions of the probable existence of other factors and eventually a conclusion would be drawn. Marketing strategies are carefully evaluated plans for future marketing activity that balance company objectives, available resources and market opportunities (Marcouse, 2008, p461). Tesco might have use, in Ansoffs terminology, market development or diversification as their marketing strategy when opened up outlets in United States. Market development strategy is about selling existing products to new markets, for instance, new geographical areas. It could be risky unless the company has spotted clear marketing opportunities; whereas diversification strategy is about selling new products to new markets, which is a very risky strategy as the company operates utterly outside its range of knowledge and experience. To undertake marketing effectively, businesses need information. We will write a custom essay sample on Market research is the key to success specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Market research is the key to success specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Market research is the key to success specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Thus market research is needed to gather information about consumers, competitors and distributors within a firms target market and subsequently being analysed and evaluated, which is a way of identifying consumers buying habits and attitudes to current and future products. (Marcouse, 2008, p143) There are two main types of market research, which are field research and desk research. Field research gathers primary data directly from people within the target market. If Tesco conducted field research, it could collect data through various resources. As through retailer research, retailers are likely to know all crucial information as they serve customer directly. It is vital to have observation as a resource due to location is an important factor to Tesco as it has expanded business in a new market. If Tesco done experiments such as test markets and pilot trials of new products before launch, it could measure and evaluate customers reactions to changes in the marketing mix. (Tutor2u, n. d. , p9) It might also have used customer interviews or questionnaires, focus or user groups, surveys or panels as one of the sources in order to have a general consumers overview. There are several advantages associated with field research. Tesco could aim questions directly at research objectives, derive latest information from the marketplace and assess the psychology of the customers. Moreover, the relevant data could be a competitive advantage as other rivals will not have had access to it. As for the drawbacks, it can be costly, time-consuming and at the same time Tesco taking risk of bias questionnaires and interviewer. In additions, the research findings may only be usable if comparable backdata exists (Marcouse, 2008, p144). On the contrary, desk research uses secondary data that already exists. If Tesco carried out desk research, it could collect data via internal and external resources. Internal resources may consisted of company accounts, internal reports and analysis, retail data (e. g. loyalty cards) and stock analysis (Biz/ed, n. d. ); whereas external resources may comprised rivals marketing literature, government-produced data, trade press and the internet (Marcouse, 2008, p143-144). Desk research often obtained a wide range of data without high cost, and usually based on actual sales figures or research on large samples which increase accuracy of the data. A further advantage is allowing Tesco to have a good overview of the market. However, the data may not be updated regularly and not tailor-made to companys need. Similarly, the reports may be expensive to buy on various marketplaces (ibid, p144). Market research data could be numerical or psychological, namely, quantitative or qualitative (Marcouse, 2008, p143). If Tesco used quantitative research, it concerns with gathering hard data on large sample of people and presenting information on statistical basis, such as diagrams that could be used to analyse the information. It usually interrelated with data on the market size, shares and growth. Three key perspectives to be considered by Tesco, that are sampling, writing an unbiased questionnaire that meet the research objectives, and assessing the validity of the results (ibid, p146). If Tesco used qualitative research, they could understand consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions in some depth but not statistics data. It usually conducted by psychologists and takes two main forms which are focus groups and depth interviews. Focus groups conducted with psychologists and a group of consumers; whereas depth interviews only between a psychologist and a consumer, which is better as to avoid risk that group opinions will be swayed by certain influential person (ibid, p145). It is at best if Tesco combined both research types as one because if only one research type being conducted, Tesco would not get a whole picture of consumers behaviour, attitudes and perceptions. Sampling means selecting people as representative of the whole of a population which their view will be taken as representative of all first-time buyers. There are three main sampling techniques that Tesco might have used. If Tesco used random samples, it ensures everyone in the population has an equal chance of being selected. It would be effective, but costly and time-consuming, and may have chosen those not in the right group. If Tesco chosen quota sampling, it selecting interviewees in proportion to the consumer profile within the target market (ibid, p146). It aims at obtaining a sample that represents the overall population (tutor2u, n. d. ). It is relatively cheap, effective and most commonly used. However, it is not random thus enduring some risk of bias. If Tesco opted stratified sampling, it only involved interviewees with key characteristic required for the sample. Within this stratum of population, individuals could be found indiscriminately or by setting quotas based on factors such as region (Marcouse, 2008, p143). Although it still random, it is more focussed, relevant and may be more cost effective. It is important for Tesco to consider the sample size and response rate as these could lead to serious issues such as launch of product flopped. Generally, a sample of 100 respondents is far more meaningful if the results are clear-cut. A sample of 1000 respondents is possible but costly. Survey methods may have influence in response rate and built-in bias rate. Database-driven research, for instance, may be the most accurate and reliable resource as it information bases upon current or ex-customers. Market research helps firms to plan ahead rather than to guess ahead (The Times 100). Large established companies such as Tesco have huge advantages over new smaller companies as their knowledge of consumer attitudes and behaviour constructed from years of market research conducted. However, it may not be the only factor that determines the success of a business. Test marketing, for instance, could provide more accurate data than marketing research, thus allows more accurate sales forecasts and identify a weak link; howsoever, it is far costly, acquire large-scale of production and allows rivals to foreseen. Besides, innovation enables company to distinguish themselves from rivals and even interrupt the product life cycle by extend the product maturity. Furthermore, external factors such as economic and environment could be the main issues. As an example, global recession is claimed by Tim Mason to be one of the factors that caused Tescos losses in US stores (Finch, 2009). Taking everything into consideration, certain conclusion can be drawn. Tesco which has strong home branding and in a very good financial health, that Fresh and Easy strategy would be far more effective and accurate if Tesco conducted both primary and secondary marketing research which combining both qualitative and quantitative research in specific locality of their United State stores. It appears probable that marketing research may be fairly important as one of the factors that determine the success of a business but may not be the only crucial factor.

11 5-Paragraph Essay Topics on Culture of Poverty

11 5-Paragraph Essay Topics on Culture of Poverty If you are in need of some facts to include in your next five paragraph essay on the theory of the culture of poverty, then consider the list of facts below. These are a diverse representation of many aspects of the concept, covering not only information about the author and initial public reception, but the academic criticism it has received since its introduction, its historical influence in political legislation, and its modern revival among welfare reforms. These facts should help you to substantiate your claims in the body paragraphs of your next work: It is still debated among among scholars, sociologists and government policy makers as to whether poverty comes from economic, social, and political conditions or whether it comes from behavior of poor people themselves. One attempt to better answer this question was made by Oscar Lewis, an anthropologist who published a theory in 1959, called the culture of poverty. This social theory is the one which expounds upon the cycle of poverty idea and in spite of being harshly criticized after its publication, has intermittently influenced welfare politics and social support services across the United States. Further scrutiny revealed that this particular theory was flawed. sociologists and anthropologists have determined that this theory suffers from methodological fallacies including a reliance on the assumption that behavior only comes from preferred cultural values. The theory of the culture of poverty has influenced political reports since its publication in 1959. This theory has impacted US public policy for many years and has actually formed the basis for public policy regarding poor people during a significant portion of the 1960s. Upon initial publication it became the backbone of President Lyndon Johnsons welfare reform. The war on poverty put forth by President Lyndon Johnson was strongly influenced by this theory. In 1965 an American senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote a report which was called The Negro Family: the case for National Action. This report stated that poor black people in America were stuck in a web of underachievement. This meant that the core reason black families were breaking down and the traditional male role was in decline was simply a result of deviant family structure. In this conception the family breakdown was the driving reason for black males leading deviant lifestyles. This failure transmitted itself from generation to generation. The report argued that the origins of this deviation of family structure could be tied directly to slavery where the traditional family was not a viable possibility for african americans. The idea of a culture of poverty and cultural dependency was actually the foundation for anti-poverty legislation including the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families legislation which was put into action in the year 1997. This legislation was introduced as part of welfare reform in the year 2005. This program and others rely upon the assumption that dysfunctional behavior is what generates poverty. Modern social programs focus on the need to end the individual dependency on government benefits and instead promote marriage and productive occupation as a social norm. The idea is that if social norms can be cultivated by the environment in which they live, people who are impoverished should be able to change the behaviors and attitudes they passed down from one generation to the next one. With regard to this theory, there is a particular problem with the reliance on the assumption that behavior is derived only from the preferred cultural values of individuals.  This is to say that the evidence of poverty in conjunction with the rate of school dropout rate, drug abuse, crime, and unemployment are the results of the behavior which is preferred by the individuals who live inside of impoverished conditions. This would further mean that the culture of poverty theory presumes that once a set of deviant norms has been developed, like that of drug use or organized crime being viewed as standard or normal, all of the desired behavioral patterns of people living in impoverished situations would then reflect upon this standard behavior and thought. An alternative concept to the theory of the culture of poverty is that individuals will behave in whatever way is least legal, such as participating in underground black market economies or gain not because they truly desire to or because they are following a cultural norm, but rather because they are forced to do so without any other options given the lack of job opportunities or education available in the neighborhoods in which they live. In other words individuals who live in a ghetto might have to turn to illegal methods for getting money such as drug selling, just to survive in their conditions. These ghetto behaviors are adaptive behaviors and not normative. This means that if the individual in question is given sufficient opportunities for education and employment then even those who live in of ghettos would eagerly halt all illegal activities and instead turn to conventional methods of earning. The theory of the culture of poverty has suffered serious academic criticism and remained one of the theories sociologists can explain why poverty still remains in spite of the countering programs. It is argued by some that this particular theory is lacking in a proper analysis of the manner in which structural factors and individual characteristics interact. None the less it remains a basic economic and anthropological theory. Critics of this theory point out multiple flaws in the way that the anthropologists have interpreted information and applied it to the general society. This theory assumes that the culture itself does not change and is fixed, in the way that once a population is created within the culture of poverty no type of intervention and no method to alleviate the poverty will change the attitudes and behaviors held by the population of that culture. These should provide some substantial data for your future 5-paragraph essay on the culture of poverty. Please follow these links to also find our 20 specific topics and 1 sample essay on the matter as well as our guidelines on how to write a 5-paragraph essay. References: Galbraith, John Kenneth.  The Culture of Contentment. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1992. Print. Leacock, Eleanor Burke.  The Culture of Poverty. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1971. Print. Lewis, Gordon K. Culture of Poverty or Poverty of Culture?.  Monthly Review  19.4 (1967): 44. Web. Lewis, Oscar, and Oliver La Farge.  Five Families; Mexican Case Studies in the Culture of Poverty. New York: Basic Books, 1959. Print. Lewis, Oscar.  La Vida. New York: Random House, 1966. Print. Melloni, A. Poverty of The ChurchPoverty of Culture: A Contribution of Giuseppe Dossetti to Vatican II.  Theological Studies  75.3 (2014): 485-501. Web. Mohan, Brij. Poverty of Culture.  Poverty Public Policy  2.1 (2010): 185-186. Web.

Business Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Law - Research Paper Example The best answer for this question is found in the Massachusetts Constitution, which states that all people must have equal dignity, and rights, which means that it does not allow development of second-class citizens. However, the Commonwealth and the Department of Public Health denies civil marriage of same-sex couples. Therefore, the ultimate aim of this context is to outline the case that was held at Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts concerning same-sex marriage (Kiritsy 12). The paper also argues and supports the majority opinion, which represents judicial activism. Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, Suffolk, November 18, 2003 On November 18 2003, there was a case filed by same-sex couples who alleged that they were deprived their rights to acquire a marriage license by the department and Commissioner of Public Health. The couple claimed that the department policy and observation refused to give them the marriage license, which was violation of several stipulations of State Constitution. The case was very complicated and to make judgment was a big dilemma (Vermont Public Radio 43). The superior court department had a cross-motion for judgment and eventually Thomas E. Connolly, J., summarized the case for Department but the plaintiffs appealed. The Supreme Court granted the requests of the parties for direct appellate evaluation and the ultimate opinion by Marshall, C.J, was that: The decree of marriage license were not vulnerable of interpretation therefore, same sex couples qualified to obtain marriage license As a matter of initial reaction, snagging of benefits, protections and compulsion of opposite sexes needed rational foundation and infringed state constitutional equal protection rights. The judgment by the Supreme Court was controversial in a way that some prominent people concurred with it while others differed. Greaney, J., was one of the few people who concurred with it while majority differed. For instance, Spina, J. disagreed with th e judgment and was joined by Cordy, JJ. Sosman also opposed it and was joined by Cordy and Spina while Cordy disputed against the issue of marriage in the case (Foderaro 161). Therefore, since the people who dissented with the judgment represented the judicial activism, it is clear that the activism were the majority in the case. In other words, majority of the people were against the issue of same-sex marriage licensing among them being the Commonwealth and Department of Public Health. In order to understand why majority of opinion represented judicial activism, it is important to understand the aspect of marriage. The Marriage Issue The decree of marriage licensing is both a public records and gatekeeping decree, which lays down minimum requirements for acquiring a marriage license and guides town and city clerks, the department of public health and the registrar to remain and maintain some crucial records of civil marriages. M.G.L.A. c. 207,  §Ã‚ § 19, 20. If the Department of Public Health and Commonwealth were against same-sex marriage and they are the same people who are issued with the qualifications of marriage license, then it means that the judgment was indeed wrong (Katie 111). The judgment was based on the Massachusetts constitution, which supports same-sex marriage, but it

Avatar Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Avatar - Assignment Example Thus the film’s clear and direct message is that of aggressive dominant cultures, just like that of the U.S subjugating another country in pursuit of riches or resources. Thus avatar is all about the imperialistic culture that the US as a country and her citizens are known for. Just the way humans invade Pandora, US also has been involved in the conquest of weaker resource-rich countries in the pretense of offering them protection. In Avatar setting, 2154, humans have accomplished a technologically sophisticated, post-industrial community that is mainly under the dominion of powerful industries and corporations. This future earth of the film is depicted as an over polluted, overpopulated, dystopian global metropolitan shanty destroyed by fraudulent, nature-devastating industrialism. According to the film, the earth’s ecosystem has been completely wretched and there is very small working natural ecosystem, if any, left. This is exactly what is happening globally today wh ereby ecosystems have been completely destroyed by manmade industrial advancement resulting in global warming and other disasters such as tsunamis and devastating hurricanes. The theme of industrialization and pollution can be related to other cultures and countries in that they (countries) are also in constant search for resources so as to feed their growing industrial might. For instance, China has been very aggressive in search of resources in Africa so as to fuel her growing industries as well as factories.

Devise an online lesson Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Devise an online lesson - Assignment Example This will greatly assist them in understanding and sharing of newly introduced concepts The plan will try to satisfy all the course objectives by helping students to expand their knowledge and grasp such key terminologies as pronunciation, nouns, verbs, tenses adverbs, vocabularies and many more others. The plan will also help the students appreciate English as a language and demystify any stereotypic beliefs surrounding it. The quote will depend on the topic of the day. Most quotes will be drawn from great thinkers like Aristotle, Hobbes and Rousseau. The quotes will help the students focus on the topic of the day and motivate them to complete their assignments within the provided time frame. Students will be instructed on which online methods to use during teaching. Some classes like pronunciation will require computer conferencing while others like tackling assignments will require World Wide Web. The three media above have been chosen because they will increase the speed at which students will converse with their instructor. They will also give them an opportunity to interact among themselves thus creating room form lively forums. Online communication is good because it helps the students open up and tell the instructor what they would have otherwise never said in an open classroom (Anderson, 2008). It also saves time and resources as students will not be required to appear physically in class. By so doing, they will be able to engage in other activities like spending time with their families and attending their jobs without any worry. The methods have also been chosen because of their ability to help students from different cultures interact and appreciate one another’s

Business Simulation Exercise In The European Car Industry

Business Simulation Exercise In The European Car Industry The movement of pricing, vis-à  -vis the budgeted pricing is being considered next. It is seen that the budgeted pricing for A-Star was  £12,169.15 while that Plush was  £16,909.69. However over the next three periods, there have been fluctuations in the price movements as envisaged in Table 1 shown in Appendix. Thus over the period there has been an average of 6% increase in prices of A-Star and around 2% in that of Plush. These could be attributed to increases in material prices and labour which shall be taken up shortly. This could also be due to competitors increasing prices which have impacted on this business also. Forecast and Results: Production figures have been estimated at 1% of the 11.25 market share. The total market share and not the market shares as per individual age groups have been taken into account, primarily because city cars are preferred by all age groups and not restricted to any one age group. Round 1: Estimated Sales: This has been estimated by multiplying forecasted production with selling prices per unit; The Depreciation factor has not been considered, since for the first year, it is not necessary to consider cost of manufacturing fixed assets from selling prices. Bank Balance: The Companys financial strength is indicated by its bank balance. However, in this case it needs to be seen that bank balance needs to improve. Unsold stock: The question of any unsold stocks does not arise since all cars that were manufactured were sold out during the year. Gross Margin: No account of inflation has been considered during the first year of operations. Market Share: We have under produced the cars, when compared to other competitors, thus leading to lower market share. Round 2: Estimated Sales: 83% of A-Stars Production and 100% Plushs production has been fully sold out. Bank Balance: Excess of expenditure over incomes has resulted in negative bank balance. Adverse cash balance has necessitated infusion of fresh doze of bank loan. Unsold stock: There were unsold stocks of A-Star forming around 17% of production. It is hoped this would be sold during the next Round Gross Margin: the result for both was 21% but we estimated gross margin 25% for city car and 23% for medium car, so we were an unsold car for city car, which affected our gross margin actual results. Market Share: Market share needs to be improved by gaining better inroads into markets and increasing visibility and sale of cars. It could be through advertising campaigns. Forecast and Results 3: Pricing : We added two new options to care. This is to match options provided by competitors who were doing better business with these add-ons .There have been price increases in finished goods, since, due to the impact of inflation, wage bill has increased from  £425 to  £430. Production : Since there were aspects of unsold stocks, productions of cars were reduced this year although the numbers of workers were the same and the output was the same. However there was greater production. Gross Margins: : the result for city car was 25%and for medium car is 21%, but we estimated gross margin 29% for city car and 24% for medium car, so we were an unsold car for city car, which affected our gross margin actual results. Unsold stocks: Since our prices were relatively higher than that of our competitors, there were unsold stocks. Market share: All cars produced could not be sold because of high pricing. This also resulted in lower market share. Thus, selling prices needed to be brought at par with that of competitors. Sales: We increased the production, and since we produced more, we were able to sell more and gain better sales figures. Post Tax Profits: While production forecasts were lower than actual, the factory producton had not changed. Thus, more production of cars led to more materials and labour costs. Opening stocks were however not considered while calculating post tax profits. We sold lesser number of cars although we produced more, resulting in stocks, and also higher material costs. Results of Round 4: Sales: We redesigned the car options in order to remain in market- and reduced the selling prices of cars. This resulted in increase in the gross margins and medium size cars had a good market. Production: Factory output was at 60% Gross Margins: the result for city car was 15%and for medium car is 15%, but we estimated gross margin 24% for city car and 24% for medium car, so we were an unsold car for city car, which affected our gross margin actual results. Unsold Stocks: Competitors have better brand image, better market share and improved popularity Market Share: Similar to Round 3 Post Tax Profits: Error in calculating interest rates in current account and interest on loans. Summary of Financial Results : From a examination of Table 5 8 appendixed at the end of this study, it is evident that all is not going too smoothly for this auto making company. For one thing, its margins have been decreasing and even the Post Tax Profits are showing losses at the end of Round 4. This is all the more intriguing when one considers that there has been consistent increase in production over the Rounds. Thus, the most sensible thing for the company to do at this stage is to reduce production rationally and concentrate on producing only such products that are money spinners and could earn handsome profits for the company in latter years. There is no use of increasing inventory and carrying costs by producing cars that do not have a ready market, or in expectations of revenues that may not occur. Coming to market share, it may be seen that some aspects of this ratio are market driven and may not be controllable by the company. However, it is necessary that Sound Marketing Strategies need to be made that could address aspects of a sagging bottom line and reducing market share in competitive auto making markets. Non-financial results: Coming to the non-financial aspects, it is evidenced that the number of work force has increased from the initial 391 for A-Star and 475 for Plush, total of 866 employees according to the budgeted estimates. However the strength of the work force in the subsequent rounds is as shown in Table 2 in Appendix From the above, it is quite evident that there has been an excess use of work force as compared to the budgetary figures. Coming to capacity utilization while in the First and Second Round, there has been 100% capacity utilization, during the third round, it is just 65% of total. Regarding promotional activity expenses, it is evidenced that while the budgetary figure of  £60M have been maintained in the First and Second round, in the Third round this has increased to  £80M, an increase of  £20M. Present scenario in the car manufacturing scenario in Europe: It is also seen that, economic recession has severely affected the European car industry and therefore a clearer picture could only emerge if and when the recession fades away and the business economies are realised perhaps after 2010 or so. Over the past five years, there has been a slowdown in economic output across the EU. Weak growth has led to reduced consumer and business confidence. Industrial production, including the production of durable consumer goods, has declined. This has impacted severely on the car industry, given the cars status as the ultimate consumer and fashion item, as well as the importance of engineering and design in the manufacturing process. Average profit margins have declined from around 10% in the 1960s to less than 5% today, and some volume car makers are actually losing money. (EMCC Dossier on the European Automotive Industry, 2004). A business study of this kind needs to also consider economic and non-economic factors like rate of inflation, GDP, industry growth, taxation, availability of spares, etc. in order to be viable and competitive in global car markets. Segmentation and business opportunities in developing countries also needs to be seen as also the need for exploring exports in high growth areas. The non-economic factors like customer trends and preferences, road conditions and liking for the product are also major issues, especially when automakers are vying each other not only in technical competence but also in market sharing and target realization. Under such circumstances, costs, pricing, attitudes and selling stratagems all play crucial roles in determining the business opportunities and its future impact on business, especially in changing and volatile markets. The need for business projections and target setting in areas of production, sales, finance and human relations are crucial in the highly competitive auto making industry. Critical reflection on teachings: The teaching and the analyzing are interrelated they both find the guidance as the useful tool in the analysis and in the final conclusion. The learning can be successful only when the different traits and the complexities are understood properly by the guide and the knowledge can be proven beyond the boundaries. The critical reflection has the major role on the education and it is its major objective. The model of the critical reflection is shown which was put forward by meziro, for the explaining of the critical behaviour exhibited in Table 3 in Appendix The reflection is the analyzing or the forecasting of the future period by the decision making approach with the complicated and the interrelated schema. Learning as an important tool: The learning can be considered as an important tool for the analysis of the different departments in the business game and the various functions of the same. To analyze the proper functioning of the different departments are vital to know whether the business game is a success in the different trait and whether the departments suits the requirement. HR Department: The HR department is the one which deals with the people as the asset of the organization, the people related activities and the contribution by the people to the organization. It is the strategic approach to the goal settings and the functions of the management. In the study of the department is considered the strength of the employees were considered to be less than 1000, during the start up but by the growth of the company and by the innovation the strength of the employees has reached upto 4000.The study of the departments are considered by the employees turnover and the capacity of the production output by the employees in the organization. The loan facility that are acquired for the different operations and for the benefit of the employee. Professionalism of the Human Resource (HR) department is implied to be twofold implications. A professional HR practitioner has a collective professional role to play to enhance the HR occupation. (HR Department Professionalism: A Comparison Between the UK and Other European Countries, 2005). Operations Department: The operations department consists of the operations performed in the car industry, the operation starts from the purchase of the raw materials to the process and to the finished goods to the dispatching of the product is the duty of the operations department that has to be monitored. The different operation technique like the JIT and the six sigma process are done in for the efficiency of the operation department for the competitive advantage. Focused research studies that advance the theory and practice of operations management. OMR is a rigorous, double-blind peer-reviewed journal that is oriented toward fast reviews and publication of high-quality research that makes a clear contribution to the science and practice of operations management in todays global institutions. (Meredith and McMullen, n.d). Marketing department: The marketing department consists of the marketing of the manufactured cars to the customers with good promotion techniques and tactics like the offers to find the increased sales and the revenue. The main idea is to promote the product to the customer but the proper market analysis and the research has to be conducted to make the product a success.The qualitative and the quantitative research are to be conducted to have a thorough analysis for the same for finding out the demand for the product and the forecast about the market. Statistics provide traders with the detailed information needed to make focused decisions; only a complete market analysis can provide the story behind the numbers. (Market Analysis, 2010). Financial department: The financial department consists of the analysis of the financial data and the analysis of the cash flow and the fund flow of the company as the whole, the accounts personnel are to be hired as the financial controller where they have the ultimate control for the finance and the different kind of the financial aspects.The different pricing mechanism to be treated as the payback period to be made short and analysing of the different pricing ratios to be done,The fixed assets should be increased and the company turn over should be increased. The different tools are used for the analysis of the finance aspects. The commonly used ratios are the instant financial analysis, accounting ratios, and financial statement analysis tools, with industry ratios tools and accounting ratios. (My Business Analyst (MBA), 2010). If the game was played once more the performance can be improvised to much extend because the first game can lack the experience and the usage of the certain tools can be used more.The safety aspects can be considered more and the competitor analysis are to be done,The car industry can also go for the hybrid variety of cars in the industry as they are the common variety in demand ,the company also go for the variety of the alternative propulsion vehicle and electric vehicle which can add on the variety to the category of the brand. The completeness in the collection and the analysis may also have some of the inadequacy as a result of the lack of experience in the field. Business game is the practical tool to practice and understand business and its challenges, threats and opportunities. Business games help to identify oneself as the core part of the business and managing the situations. Regardless of the size of business you are in whether a large corporation, a small company, or even a home-based business effective communication skills are essential for success. (Improve your Communication Skills, 2010). The communication is very important in a business; It is the effectiveness in the company which contribute for the overall growth and the prospectus of the company and the smooth functioning of the different departments in the organization irrespective of the functions in the departments, The World of Business Communication: Every businesss aim is to gain profits. Whatever be the type of business you are in; the bottom line is that you must earn something from it. (The world of Business Communication, 2010). It is through the communication that the operations are handled effectively and efficiently. The business game is usually to improve the performance and to boost up the skills of selling, marketing and the operations. Theres a lot of confusion about team building event days. Often it is seen as an exercise to boost morale, to help workers bond better, and as a fun day out at the companys expense. (Rose, 2010). The additions for the improvement in the company are the guidance at the each of the steps for the avoiding of the mistakes and the error correction at the each level. The reference to the previous business game which are a success, The each step of the activities should be conducted in a team. The open discussion should be conducted in order to have various opinions regarding the business and the management and the brainstorming ideas from the team mates. It involves the activities to be conducted and the Free team building activities, exercises and ideas are for building teams and teamwork, corporate employee motivation, personal development, ice-breakers, energizers, and more serious learning and personal development. (Chapman, 2010). (References:The all round 1 and 3 and the graphs for the understanding of the companys performance). Team Performance: A critical evaluation of the performance of the team For every organization there will be a set of team responsible for particular activities within the organization. Team represents a set of people working together towards accomplishing a set of predetermined goals and objectives. Effective, productive teams of all types have a positive impact on bottom line results and organizational success. (Cornelius, 2006, p.1) The important works were allocated to these four members. These team members were Yi Jiang, Adnan Hasan, Shanu Jain and Fawaz Khalid Ansari. All these members have performed in such a way that this enabled the organization to achieve it goals. They altogether took the decisions related to the various operational areas. The functions allocated to each member and their roles being in a team are explained as follows; Yi Jiang  was responsible for look after the marketing department. His duty was to design the marketing research programs and to give instructions and appropriate guidance to his team members. He used to prepare slides for presentation in the team. After conducting marketing research he decides the promotion strategy that has to be implemented for their product to become successful in the market. He was having a clear idea about the European market conditions and based on those ideas he gave appropriate suggestions related to the production quantity and the percentage of market share that has to be captured by the company. He was the person who gave the idea to produce city and medium sized cars. He helped me in the operations department by deciding the quantity of products that has to be produced by the company. The company was having huge stock that was not sold in both the second and the third round. This was a great problem for the company. For solving this problem he provided an excellent idea to redesign the car. This was decided in the fourth round and the result was outstanding. Adnan Hasan was responsible to manage the finance department. He was responsible to handle all the financial operations of the company in all departments specifically the accounts department. Deciding the finance required for each activity is not an easy task and he was much capable person to give all financial instructions to the company. He has helped the operations department by stating the quantity to be produced by the firm and also provided the accurate number of human resources required for the operations department. Shanu Jain was responsible to look after the human resource department within the organization. She is a person who is very talented and highly committed towards the work. She was responsible to conduct the meetings within the organization. She prepared the agenda and the minutes of the meeting conducted between the team members from all the departments. Inorder to smoothen the team work a team charter was created by Shanu Jain Date Attendance Discussion 17-11-2009 100% Decision related to market segment and selected the design and options. 18-11-2009 100% Decision related to pricing of cars. 20-11-2009 100% Estimating the production units and sales value. 22-11-2009 100% Forecasting the profit and the cash flow and designing decision form. NX0441 Managing for Sustainable Competitive Advantage In the second round she found that the productivity of the employees has been reduced and for solving that problem she suggested to increase the wages of the worker. This resulted in an increase in the productivity among the employees and it was found in the following rounds.. The last key member is Fawaz Khalid Ansari and that is me. I was the team leader for the operation department and i was responsible to handle the operations department within the organization since I am a mechanical engineering graduate. I took the decisions related to the quantity of output to be produced by the company. I gave my complete effort to give my best to the team and thereby to the organization. With my available knowledge about the cars and the latest trends in the European market I helped the marketing department to understand the consumer behaviour with respect to the car market. I also helped my team, members to create excellent designs for the cars. I suggested an idea to purchase a single factory and give the maximum from it. As a key team member in the organization I took the decision to produce less at the first stage and this was a great help for the firm, because till round 2 the company was having many stocks that were not sold. All the activities that have to be performed by each team members are prepared in a chart and it is termed as team charter. Every team will have a particular charter and it will be in a written format. The charter typically includes a statement of mission, objectives or statement of work; background; authority, boundary conditions (scope, constraints, resources, and schedule); membership; high-level requirements or specifications, and interface responsibilities. (Project Management Training and Resources: Team Charter, 2009). I realised that the team work increases the level of motivation. This encourages members to work hard for the benefit of the team and the team is motivated because its members get their emotional and intellectual needs met by the team. (Working in Teams, 2010). The most important benefit for all the team members is that they will realise the value of a group work. In a teamwork environment, people understand and believe that thinking, planning, decisions and actions are better when done cooperatively. People recognize, and even assimilate, the belief that none of us is as good as all of us.  (Heathfield, 2010). All the decisions that are taken with respect to each department within the organization have its own significance in achieving the target of the organization. Conclusion: This is a business management game where the team members are asked to select and start a business and they have to sell the product. Various discussions have been held at different levels. It was able to learn a lot of things from this work. The participation of the team members towards a common goal was the major attraction of this game. From this game it was also able to understand how a team is working towards the predetermined goal for achieving the organizational goal. The important objective of the team members was to increase the value of the shareholder. For accomplishing this objective the team has listed out various steps that have to be followed. There is a team leader who is responsible to guide all the performance that is performed by the other team members.

J.B. Priestleys An Inspector Calls :: Priestley Inspector Calls Essays

J.B. Priestley's "An Inspector Calls" The play is set at the turn of the century and is centred on a wealthy family who are successful and prosperous at a time of poverty for many. They are oblivious to this, and given the fact that the play was written many years later the play contains much irony about the future, but not only does it make it question our history but also our future. The inspector is portrayed as being the champion of socialism, he is there to symbolise Priestley’s views. Essentially Priestley uses biased representations of capitalism, and socialism, reflected with Birling, and inspector Goole, to prepare the reader for his conclusive message. Priestley conveys this message of responsibility towards others in many ways throughout the play. He also criticises his views on the society at the time by using each of the other characters as dramatic devices to, symbolically, convey his message. Priestley was writing in 1945, while the play was set in 1912 even before the war. Priestley introduces the play right after the world war hence reminding the readers and viewers of the situations before the war. He compares these social situations of 1912 with 1945. His message contrasts these two periods of time with the help of inspector Goole. During 1912 there were a lot of differentiation between the upper and lower class, and very few belonged in between. He uses the inspector indirectly to point out the serious flaws in society which allowed disadvantaged Eva Smith to exist alongside the privileged Birlings. Due to the war the class society had been nearly wiped out. During 1912 almost every lower class family lived in houses rented from private landlords, very few had their own houses. Arthur Birling is shown in 1912 predicting that there will be no war, â€Å"I say there will be no war†, and this prediction was obviously wrong. This technique was used so that Priestley can again give comparisons between the two time periods. In 1945 Priestley tries to make the unaware percentage of people aware of the cruel society that existed in 1912. He shows that the war mixed people up, it broke down the class and occupational barriers that existed before and that a value was given to all men and women, therefore, in that sense there was equality. In the play the inspector is portrayed as an enigmatic figure, never revealing his true identity. His dramatic power lies in this, where revealing his identity would consequently affect the tension and suspense that is built up as the story progresses. To do this effectively, Priestley leaves several interpretations on the identity of the inspector.

Isolation in the Painted Door by Ross Sinclair Essay

The feelings of isolation and alienation can be frustrating, dangerous and eventually they can even drive a person mad. People have always dealt with such issues differently. Some managed to abandon those feelings and continued with their lives while others succumbed to them as they were unable to overcome and/or control them. Those souls who â€Å"surrendered† often faced destruction or even death as they were unable to cope with changes and the pressures of living a life below their expectations with no one to trust and confide, not even their beloved ones. When people are alone and isolated for a certain amount of time there is a chance that they forget about real life and even become â€Å"bushed†. This is one of the many problems of vast countries such as Canada especially its dry prairies and northern arctic regions can change people. In this essay, I will try to analyze and investigate different circumstances that can lead to emotional states, some of which are prominent themes in Canadian fiction – isolation, alienation, loneliness, loss of identity and madness. Isolation and alienation can occur out of many reasons. It is not only an isolated landscape that may trigger feelings of loneliness, fear or helplessness, but also isolation and alienation from society or even people closest to you. Other definitions may also include spiritual and emotional isolation. In Sinclair Ross’ The Painted Door the protagonist Ann fells alone and isolated for many reasons. Ann is not pleased with her life. She and her husband John live in the middle of nowhere, far away from company and populated settlements. The remote surrounding in which they live creates a feeling of extreme isolation, especially after previously living in a city. After being exposed to this geographical isolation for some time, Ann’s feelings of loneliness eventually intensify to the point where she even feels alienated from her own husband. But at that point she does not realize that her yearning for a better and different life will consequently change her life for worse and will make her feel guilty and miserable for the rest of her life. After having an affair with Steven she realizes that this is not what she really wanted and she also realizes that she has made a big mistake sleeping with him, while her husband was away. Therefore, we cannot consider Steven as the fulfillment of her desires for a better life, but rather as a temporary means to â€Å"cure† her from her isolation and loneliness. As John unexpectedly returns home during a storm, he witnesses the betrayal and leaves Ann never to return again. †¦ the explicit theme is centered on adultery. However, there are other, more subtle, motifs in the story that play a very significant role in its success. The themes essential in making the protagonist’s adultery understandable are the landscape, her isolation, and the feelings of betrayal and guilt that she experiences following the central act of the story. (The Painted Door) Ultimately, Ann’s needs to feel loved and acknowledged, as well as her actions out of desperation and loneliness, lead her to the destruction of her life and, consequently, the life or her husband. The blizzard, which can be seen as a metaphor for passion, as well as the physical and emotional separation from her husband engage her to do things she probably, under â€Å"normal† circumstances, would not consider doing. Therefore, it is in those extreme conditions where we have to search for the driving force behind Ann’s adultery. The answers that would â€Å"justify† her actions and would, as well, give us an insight into her inner loneliness and isolation are all hidden in this seemingly unreal wasteland. In this story we can find: †¦thematic elements considered the bedrock of Canadian writing: a landscape so bleak in winter that it seemed a region alien to life, but a house standing nonetheless standing against that wilderness, a refugee of feeble walls wherein persisted the elements of human meaning and survival. †¦ A woman who wants fine things and a social life, but a slow, taciturn, country-bound husband who only aspires to paying of the mortgage. (Stouck 2005, 93) The Painted Door is not Ross’ only short story dealing with issues such as isolation, alienation and madness. The other prominent example of him using such themes and motifs is The Lamp at Noon where Ross, by establishing a gloomy and intense atmosphere, creates a feeling of uneasiness and fear of the isolated and even manic environment which inevitably affects the story’s protagonists. It â€Å"illustrates how close to madness a person’s dreams of a better life may be juxtaposing the delusions harboured by a husband and a wife about their failing homestead.† (Estehammer 1992) The newlyweds Ellen and Paul moved from the city to a desert landscape during the time of the Great Depression to live as farmers in the Canadian prairie. Unfortunately, dust storms, as well as the soil’s dryness and lack of rain made their existence as happy and successful farmers almost impossible. Nevertheless, Ellen, who came from a rich family, tried to be a model wife by taking care of the household and their baby, but the fact that they were living on an infertile and isolated farm made things worse day by day and contributed to the couple’s constant quarreling. The lack of joy, food and tolerance caused both emotional and physical suffering for Ellen and Paul. It seems as if the shift from city- to rural life hit Ellen particularly hard as she seems to be very frustrated about her present situation and even afraid of what the future might hold for them. She feels as if she was living in a cage or a prison, and deep inside she knew that there is no way out of it. It is obvious that the setting is essential in causing havoc in Ellen’s and Paul’s lives. Therefore, to answer the question of where these feelings of isolation, loneliness and, in the end, even madness originate, we must consider the extreme unfriendly and even claustrophobic environment as a major factor. Other likely reasons would have to be Paul’s stubbornness and his foolish manly pride that made him ignore his wife’s request to change matters by setting up new priorities. For many years she has tried to persuade him to leave the farm but she has failed every time due to his reassuring comments about a better life. Because Paul is unable, or maybe even unwilling, to change, he eventually destroys his marriage and family by further contributing to his wife’s state of depression and, ultimately, insanity. It is only after Ellen’s desperate run into the sandstorm, in which she sees freedom, and their baby’s death when Paul realizes his mistakes but it is already too late. Their child is dead and his wife has lost her mind. Consequently it can be seen that both of Ross’ analyzed stories are, in fact, examples of how not to deal with isolation. By creating and describing both stories’ setting so vividly, Ross succeeds in reinforcing our own understanding of isolation, by taking us in the midst of this unfriendly and devastating environment. He makes us almost feel Ellen’s geographical and emotional isolation which eventually drive her into a state of madness. The Lamp at Noon is â€Å"especially powerful because it resonates with the unique historical conditions of the 1930s, when dust storms scourged the West, hard working farm families lost their land, and some people went mad† (Stouck 2005, 91). The lamp in The Lamp at Noon itself is a symbol of hope but when it dies out in the end all hope seems lost. It can be argued that Ross â€Å"does not simply present the landscape and weather as a cause for psychological disintegration but also deploys it as a metaphor to develop the inner landscape of his characters, the landscape thus serving as the objective correlative of the feelings and the states of m ind of his protagonists† (Pauly 1999, 70). The Old Woman by Joyce Marshall is another prominent example of how isolation can lead into madness. Molly and Todd got married in Molly’s homeland England. Soon afterwards Todd traveled to Canada leaving his Molly behind. She joins him after 3 years because she had to take care of her ill mother. When she arrives in Northern Quebec she realized that Todd has changed since their last meeting. Molly starts her life in the new environment like many women before her, by taking care of the household. Her husband was preoccupied with his job to notice that Molly felt unpleasant in the new environment. Instead of helping her to adapt to the new life, he becomes more and more distant, less talkative and absorbed by the machines in â€Å"his† powerhouse. After a while, Molly finds her calling as a local birth helper but, to her disappointment, her husband is disapproving towards her newly found occupation. He wants her to stay at home all day and to be like the other obedient wives without ever second questioning him in spite of his negligence towards her. In order to cope with her isolation she nevertheless decides that she must occupy herself in some way. She finally feels needed, something Todd does not understand nor desire. In the end it does not matter how Molly feels anyway because her husband has lost his mind after 3 years of living and breathing with the machines at the power house – he has â€Å"fallen in love† with them. In this story the gender roles and immigrant stereotypes have been turned upside-down. Not in the sense of male or female roles and duties but the fact that a local man, instead of a female immigrant, goes mad in the end distinguishes this story from others. There is a sharp delineation between the two possible approaches to the foreign territory. Since the machines have always been between Todd and the land, he has been unable to relate adequately to others. In his limited and confined existence he has, in the end, even gone insane. At the same time his wife discovers a personally satisfying role as a midwife in a French-Canadian community. Her productive approach thus carries her across apparent linguistic and cultural boundaries and across her isolation. (Pauly 1999, 64) In contrast to The Painted Door and The Lamp at Noon, where the female protagonists were the ones whose lives were destroyed by their actions out of isolation, loneliness and their dependency on their husbands, Molly, despite her inconvenient situation, lack of attention from her husband and her fear of loneliness, seemingly succeeds in overcoming the obstacles that were put in her way. By not taking the repressions of her husband any longer and deciding to pursue her own interests, Molly stands as a representative of a new feminist ideology which, however, can’t be compared with today’s notion of feminism as it had to undergo decades of changes and development to improve the roles and lives of women to the stage as we know them today. Unfortunately, women’s roles still differ very much. They strongly depend on the location, culture and religion the women live in. Classic gender roles were also turned upside-down in Isabella Valancy Crawford’s story Extradited. In it we find a â€Å"striking portrait of a petulant and narcissistic woman and her devastating examination of jealousy† (Stephenson and Byron 1993, 12). The protagonists of the story are Samuel â€Å"Sam† O’Dwyer, his wife Bessie, their baby and a man named Joe who was helping them on their farm. Sam and Joe quickly became very good and close friends. While reading the story one could even think that Sam, although twice of Joe’s age, might even hold deeper feelings for him (homoeroticism?). After a while, Bessie is annoyed by Sam’s admiration for Joe and as soon as she finds out that Joe is wanted by the police for a legal offence against his former employer and that there is a 1000$ reward for the one who catches him or turns him in, she immediately grabs the chance she considers to be the one that will ensure them a better life. However, after Joe’s heroically rescue of Sam’s and Bessie’s baby, and him drowning after saving it, Bessie, although informing the police of Joe’s whereabouts, stays without the reward but has inevitably to deal and live with her husband’s scorn as she has to bear the blame for a good man’s death. Bessie probably thought that she was doing the right thing. We would normally expect a man to act rational and women emotional at that time and place. However, in Sam’s and Bessie’s case it is the other way around. It is Sam who acts emotional, by wanting to protect Joe, and Bessie who acts rational, by wanting the reward in order to buy a new farm and within to pave the way for a better life for herself and her family. Therefore, it is the woman, not the man, who is a representative of realism, whereas the man can be seen as a romanticist. This example makes it clear that women were also aspiring beyond the domestic sphere and not on ly victims of their husbands’ arbitrariness. This stands in opposition to the naturalistic ideas of earlier eras where women had to stoically accept their traditional roles, i.e. teacher, maid, housewife, devoted mother, and had to sacrifice their own happiness for their children’s and/or husband’s sake. Women should repress their previous experiences and knowledge after getting married and were mostly appreciated as long as they kept their physical charms. In Canadian short fiction immigration is the process which, in many cases, causes isolation and alienation. It is a long and complex process as starting a life in a new country can be very difficult. The issues of immigration seem to have affected women particularly hard. In order to keep themselves sane and deal with the harsh realities that the early pioneers had to face, women, who mostly spent their time at home, wrote diaries. Susanna Moodie, who was one the most famous chroniclers of the early Canadian immigrant experience, was describing the negative aspects of environmental and social isolation among early immigrants in Roughing it in the Bush. Moodie’s sister Catharine Parr Traill even advised men to consult with their wives before emigrating to Canada as most immigrants were completely unprepared to live in such an unfriendly and unfamiliar environment. Brian, the protagonist of Moodie’s short story Brian the Still Hunter, is also, like Ellen from The Lamp at Noon and Ann from The Painted Door, a victim of isolation. However, the first and foremost reason for Brian’s isolation is alcoholism. As a result his extensive drinking has isolated him from society and even his own family. Alcohol has transformed him into an unpredictable character. This is why society treated him as an outsider. When Brian was drunk, he was not able to speak normally to anyone, not even his wife. Their relationship was put to the test due to ever-changing periods of guilt, shame and anger. He felt emotionally isolated, worthless, and he even attempted to commit suicide. He fails in this intention and matters get even worse for him. Afterwards he quits drinking and chooses physical isolation for himself instead. He is slowly falling into a state of insanity as he loiters about the land with only his dog by his side to keep him company. Many immigrants could not deal with the formidable reality which the Canadian landscape prepared for them and fell into a state of madness. Madness most commonly might have appeared due to some of the following reasons. It either developed as a consequence out of the confrontation between the ideas and lifestyles of the Old and the New World, or out of geographical and environmental differences (dangerous wilderness, plain and/or artic landscape). This new environment was not only dangerous to one’s physical but also psychical health. It was hard not to lose your identity while facing the limits of your capabilities and still keeping your sense of inner (subjective) and outer (objective) reality balanced. †¦while the plains sometimes provoked the outbreaks of insanities, the primary cause is often to be found elsewhere. These causes range from economic frustration, isolation from the people, frustration growing out of an inability to adapt, personal displacement and loss of identity, to guilt and isolation. All these are parts not only of a physical environment but of a mental landscape. Women’s nerves overstretched and they usually became depressed and silent whereas men more often turned to violence in order to act out their rage and frustration. In some cases these states were permanent, in others they were temporary and subsided after a finite period of time. (Pauly 1999, 53) Stories like The Lamp at Noon and The Old Woman can be best described as examples of â€Å"Pioneer Realism† and/or â€Å"Prairie Realism†. Besides Sinclair Ross, other prominent â€Å"Canadian† authors who dealt with the prairie experiences were Martha Ostenso, Laura Salverson and Frederic Philip Grove. In their works, these authors start their stories with a naà ¯ve or, we might even say, romanticized, view of the immigrants’ arrival to Canada. Later on, all become disillusioned by the setting and gradually alienated from their new home. These stories â€Å"generally include a ‘prairie patriarch’. [†¦] he is usually presented as a land-hungry, work-intoxicated tyrant. The farm women are subjugated, culturally and emotionally starved, and filled with a smouldering rebellion. All in all a fertile ground for conflict and all kinds of mental instabilities.† (Pauly 1999, 54) As an immigrant, your well-being will largely depend on your ability to adapt and deal with the given circumstances. Though those two stories are set in different locations, the first in a prairie and the latter in the Canadian North, both still are fictional stories dealing with the issues pioneers experienced when they first arrived and became aware of how dangerous it really was to be out of tune with the land. While some succumbed to the unknown and fled, lost their minds or even died, others luckily found other forms of distraction from the isolation which surrounded them, making their existence bearable. In continuation, other forms of dealing with the harsh realities of everyday life will be analyzed. These are the stories of escapement from the â€Å"sane† into a subjective â€Å"insane† world in order to survive. The protagonists of these stories are all isolated and alienated from other people, not necessarily because of an isolated landscape, but rather because of their dissimilarities. â€Å"[A]lineation is withdrawal from something – becoming strange and foreign to it, being put out or taking One’s self out and thereby becoming a stranger – separated. Since humans feel vulnerable when they are strangers, the emotional essence of alienation is fear and hostility† (Henry 1971, 105). The â€Å"sane† world can therefore be even seen as life-threatening to the â€Å"stranger† because all it wants to achieve is to isolate him even further and to destroy his reality. Ultimately, there are three choices a â€Å"stranger† can make. He can either let the â€Å"sane† world take over and destroy his very essence, he can protect himself by playing along, pretending to be someone else by acting out roles, or he can escape into his own reality where he alone decides what is right and wrong, what the truth is and what only illusion. Louise and Morrison, the protagonists of Margaret Atwood’s short story Polarities, are working colleagues in an unnamed dull city in the northwest. They came to this city because they could not find any other job elsewhere. Morrison finds this dullness rather irritating and the northern city a hard place to live in. Louise however claims that you just have to have â€Å"inner resources† to turn to when matters get tough. After some time, Louise started acting and talking strange. She would find meaning in things other people would not, as Morrison states: â€Å"she’s taken as real what the rest of us pretend is only metaphorical† (Atwood 1993, 69). Morrison more and more started to believe that there is something seriously wrong with Louise, as her strange behavior is not to be ascribed to fatigue or the abuse of substances, a fact another colleague also acknowledges. Morrison and Paul, the other co-worked, eventually agree that it would be best for Louise to be institutionalized. Nevertheless, Louise almost convinces the doctors that she is perfectly fine but she eventually makes a mistake and they decide to keep her hospitalized. After spending some time in the hospital, Louise’s intelligence begins to deteriorate due to the extensive amount of drugs she was forced to take. She almost stopped talking to anyone and it was obvious that she suffered tremendously, especially on the inside. It seems that before she had been taken to the mental hospital she was a little strange but nevertheless managed to get along in everyday life. All that remained now of Louise was an empty shell as she became only a shadow of her former self. Margaret Gibson was another author who wrote about oversensitive people unable to live in a â€Å"normal† society. Due to her mental state, she was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, she could relate to and identify with her writing as few authors before her. Nevertheless, she claimed that her works are not autobiographical. In her collection of short stories entitled The Butterfly Ward, she tried to explore the boundaries of sanity and insanity. Her own experiences as an outsider gave her the opportunity and ability to present a â€Å"stranger’s world† in a unique and exciting way. It is important to recognize at the outset that Gibson’s primary concern in relation to the theme of madness is with the responses to mental illness, rather than with its causes or manifestations. While she clearly does not neglect the latter issues, her writing often focuses upon the ways in which those categorized as mentally ill and those assigning the label respond to the condition. (Pauly 1999, 106) Her short stories The Butterfly Ward, Making it, Ada and Considering Her Condition are great examples of her writing creativity.   In the beginning of The Butterfly Ward we are introduced to Kira, the story’s heroine, who is staying at a hospital and is undergoing various extremely painful and brutal tests and examinations in order to determine what is causing her mental â€Å"condition†. As the story progresses, we get a glimpse of her earlier life. Before being admitted to the hospital, she worked in a home for mentally challenged children. Unfortunately, she had a very ambitious mother who dreamt of a better life for her and her daughter in Russia. Her mother is convinced that Kira’s occupation does not suit her and that she would be better of studying at a university. Kira becomes a victim of her mother’s ambition and pressure under which she, eventually, collapses. She is still aware of her surroundings but nevertheless decides to live her life in her own fantasy world which she considers a better place than the real world where she is being locked up and heavily medicated. The protagonist of Gibson’s story Ada is a girl of the same name as the title and who is, like Kira, residing in a mental hospital. As the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that the patients of this institution are being heavily mistreated and denied any basic human rights. The only visitor Ada has is her mother. Although we might think that her mother would like to help her to get out of the hospital as soon as possible, she does not show any genuine intentions of helping or understanding her daughter in her need. After some time, Ada realized that she cannot expect any help from anyone, and denies her mother, and other family members, visits because they do not understand her. More and more she drives herself into isolation from others and even from her own feelings. Ultimately, her isolation causes her to lose touch with reality entirely –so we might think. When another â€Å"inmate† joins the group at the asylum, the patients are presented as seemingly smarter than their doctors, as they are easily able to manipulate with them as in the case of Alice. However, Ada and her best friend Jenny manage to escape their isolation but must pay a very high price for it. Jenny, who wanted to protect Ada from Alice’s abuses, stands up against Alice and within she awakens Ada from her inner retreat. By later killing Alice, Ada awakens from her mental slumber and ends her child-like existence. Nevertheless, it can be argued that Ada’s retreat in her own world was, in fact, her strategy to survive in a depressive and live-threatening environment such as the mental asylum where normality of patients (their thoughts, emotions, actions) is considered as something abnormal. For Gibson, therefore, abnormality can be seen as the only way to survive in an inhuman and egoistic world. A similar story to Ada is Making It where the protagonists Liza, a schizophrenic, and Robin, a male homosexual transvestite, try to make something of their lives. Both of them try to hide their true nature because if they would not they would be considered as outcasts in a society intolerant of â€Å"crazy† people. Although they desperately want to fight society’s categorizations and prove them wrong, they are, nevertheless, unable to do so. Liza, who becomes pregnant, sees her baby as her own way of â€Å"making it† out of her troubles. Robin, on the other hand, sees his â€Å"salvation† in becoming a famous women impersonator in California’s entertainment industry. They are convinced that motherhood for her and fame for him will make them â€Å"normal† in the eyes of society. In the end of the story the two once again decide to live together like a regular, but in their case platonic, couple. Robin even rejects the men of his dreams in order to be able to help Liza to live a â€Å"normal† life. Unfortunately, happiness stays out of reach for them as they, after Liza’s baby was born dead, once again fall into isolation and feel alienated from society. Although considered abnormal, Robin and Liza’s feelings of belonging, friendship, helpfulness and love for one another are something we would have trouble finding in the â€Å"normal† world. For Gibson, we, the â€Å"sane† readers, are the ones who make existence for people like her protagonists unbearable and force them into isolation and self-destruction. In Considering her Condition, it is a man named Steven who drives his wife Clare into suicide after she gave birth to their baby son. Steven is a very suppressive, bossy and egoistic character. Clare never even wanted children but after Steven persuaded her it becomes clear that he never thought about what is best for her but rather what is best for him. Later in the story we get to know that Steven already has a child but has no contact with her anymore. When Clare was pregnant, Steven became obsessed with the baby and did not care much about his wife anymore. He even denied Clare her right to chose abortion despite the doctor’s advice to terminate the pregnancy. Claire must suffer enormously just to fulfill his desires and wishes. Gibson gives us a picture of how married couples’ lives can be destroyed by polarities and traditional gender-roles. Steven will not let Clare have her own life and she does not have the strength to fight his demands. Her suicide is the only action she can realize out of her own will. Not even her death affects Steven as he never though of her being more than a subordinate wife and the mother of his children. Considering her Condition can be seen as Gibson’s strong critique against a society that denies women their right to choose their own way of living and thinking and breaks their spirits by taking away their desires, pride and self-esteem. The analyzed stories in The Butterfly Ward: †¦focus upon individuals who have become objects of scrutiny to others. These others, †¦ , exercise a great deal of power over those who have failed to adapt to the expectations and demands of normal society. First and foremost among those strategies is simple observation. Whether an individual is labeled paranoid or simply maladjusted, the effect is similar. The individual ends up excluded from normal existence and confined within another territory. The responses of those thus observed, excluded, isolated and confined are various, but all, in some way, reveal attempts to escape this condition. (Pauly 1999, 116) Not only individuals can suffer tremendously under the influence of isolation but also whole communities. In W.D. Valgardson’s story Bloodflowers â€Å"the setting seems to imply that even today, people will tend to resort to primitive rituals when isolated and severely tried by living conditions† (Neijmann 1996, 311). It is the story of a young teacher named Danny who moves to an isolated island, called Black Island, where superstition is still widely spread among the island’s local community. Danny at first just wants to witness an ancient local fertility ritual taking place annually on the island. The ritual consists of sacrificing a man in order to conclude any misfortunes that have happened in the past year and might continue into the next one. Unfortunately for Danny, as misfortunes continue to happen, the locals consider him to be the cause of disturbance and they decide to sacrifice him in order to save themselves from further harm. It seems as if the local people are not having any trouble â€Å"justifying† the murders they have committed with superstition. In this story, where Valgardson makes extensive use of irony, we get to see the serious consequences (misunderstandings) that may occur when different or conflicting cultures cross paths. In Rudy Wiebe’s Where is the Voice Coming From?, the notions of isolation and alienation can be ascribed to the native Canadian inhabitants. The isolation of the indigenous (ethnic) voice and the question of a â€Å"Canadian identity†, by this I mean telling the other side of Canadian history (of the aboriginal inhabitants) too, are issues Wiebe tries to address. Its most prominent themes would have to be the social and cultural injustices and consequently isolation and alienation suffered by the indigenous people after the European settlers have taken over their lands. In conclusion it can be said that people were often driven mad by loneliness and isolation and some even saw death as their only means of escaping it. Others, who also lived in isolation, developed psychotic behaviors which not only made them self-destructive but also a threat to others. Taking into consideration all of the authors and their stories that deal with the themes and motifs of isolation, alienation, loneliness and madness, one cannot fail to observe that isolation has an extremely negative effect upon the development of the individual’s character in Canadian short fiction and probably also Canadian literature in general. Works Cited: Atwood, Margaret. Dancing Girls and Other Stories. New York: Bantam Books, 1993. Esterhammer, Angela. â€Å"†Can’t See Life for Illusions†: The Problematic Realism of Sinclair Ross.† In From the Heart of the Heartland, edited by John Moss, 15-24. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press, 1992. Gibson, Margaret. The Butterfly Ward. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1976. Henry, Jules. Pathways to Madness. New York: Random House, 1971. Marshall, Joyce. â€Å"The Old Woman.† In The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English. Margaret Atwood and Robert Weaver, eds., 92-103. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. Moodie, Susanna. Roughing it in the Bush, Or, Life in Canada. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1998. Neijmann, Daisy L. The Icelandic Voice in Canadian Letters: The Contribution of Icelandic – Canadian Writers to Canadian Literature. Montreal: McGill – Queens Press, 1996. Pauly, Susanne. Madness in English-Canadian Fiction. Ph.D. dissertation. Trier: University of Trier, 1999. Ross, Sinclair. â€Å"The Lamp at Noon.† In The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English. Margaret Atwood and Robert Weaver, eds. 72-81. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. Ross, Sinclar. â€Å"The Painted Door.† In The Faber Book of Contemporary Canadian Short Stories, edited by Michael Ondaatje. London: Faber and Faber, 1990. Stephanson, Glennis and Glennis Byron, eds. â€Å"Introduction†. Nineteenth-Century Stories by Women: An Anthology, 9-22. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1993. Stouck, David. As for Sinclair Ross. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2005. Valancy Crawford, Isabella. â€Å"Extradited.† In The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English. Margaret Atwood and Robert Weaver, eds. 1-11. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. Valgardson, W.D. â€Å"Bloodflowers.† The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English. Margaret Atwood and Robert Weaver, eds., 316-332. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. Wiebe, Rudy. â€Å"Where is the Voice Coming From?† The Oxford Book of Canadian Short Stories in English. Margaret Atwood and Robert Weaver, eds., 270-279. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1986. â€Å"The Painter Door – A Canadian Short Story.† Term papers for students. http://www.essaysample.com/essay/002994.html (accessed August 8, 2008).

Corruption of Power essays

Corruption of Power essays In the words of Winston Churchill, Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. This statement echos a typical yet sometimes unpleasant characteristic of human nature. Time and again throughout history mankind has repeatedly demonstrated an inherent selfishness. This often results in actions falling short of their preceding ideals. With memorable characters and linguistic devices, Orwell weaves a story of human demons in memorable animal characters. Orwell shows the one flaw in human nature, which inevitably keeps us chained. He uses the art of writing and creates a complex story with complex characters. Orwell all to well points out the flaws of communism and that flaw is human nature. Orwell was born in Bengal, India and was educated at Eton in England. The wealth that he saw at Eton caused him to attain a distaste for money. Orwells outright distaste for money soon caused him to become and opponent of capitalism. Being an opponent of capitalism and communism wasnt exactly a good position during Orwells life. Orwell actually despised all governments that he considered hypocritical. At the point in time Orwell wrote animal farm society had a growing respect for communism. Russia had just been instrumental in the defeat of Nazi Germany and been established as a world power. Orwell for a considerable portion of his life served as a British policeman of sorts with the Indian Imperial Police. After watching the oppressive influence of the declining British Empire he developed a more worldly view. (Kearny 87-98) This worldview allowed him to criticize virtually all forms of government. Orwell was a Socialist and hated communism because it was an impure form! of socialism. He hated the thought of leaders living in large luxurious mansions while the workers slaved in the fields. Orwell saw communism as another way for a ruling elite to control the majority of peasants. Having f...