Career Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Career Research Paper - Essay Example The conductor is the most important person in an orchestra even when they do not play any instrument at all. The most basic job for a conductor is to indicate to other members of the orchestra the beat of the music they should be playing at. The conductor does this using a long stick called a baton, which assist the conductor make the desired beat as clear as possible. As the song goes on, the conductor’s role is to move the baton towards several imaginary points indicating the beat in the bar the orchestra is currently playing. A conductor communicates with the other musicians verbally during rehearsal while during performance, different movements, gestures, and facial expressions indicate the conductor’s requirements (Wittry 61). The conductors work does not end with indicating the kind of beat the music should be played. The conductor has other roles in the orchestra such as the rehearsal and preparation of the orchestra for performance. The conductor also makes inte rpretative decisions concerning some aspects of the performance that includes whether some passages should be fast, smooth, slow, soft, aggressive, or loud. Further, the conductor in an orchestra knows the best way for all the players to play their instruments efficiently in addition to creating mood, atmosphere, and interpretation, which matches the conductor’s vision of the performed piece. Although in reality the conductor does not play any of the instruments during the performance, the orchestra as a whole is the conductor’s instrument (Mick 9). The compensation and working conditions in symphony orchestra is also attractive due to the potential it has for a stable career in addition to excellent job security, salary and other benefits. Douglas Yeo claims, â€Å"The base scale pay for performers in American cities such as Boston, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia is roughly $2000 a week on the lower scale†. Performers of these orchestras are off ered up to ten weeks paid holiday, sick leave, full dental and medical insurance coverage in addition to entitlement to pension after a thirty-year career. A performer cannot be dismissed before determination by an arbitration panel, which is usually composed of peer members of the orchestra. Just like any other career taking symphony orchestra as an occupation whether as a player or a conductor has its challenges as seen from news about bankruptcy, strikes and lose of conductors (Eatock 273). A good salary and satisfied life in music notwithstanding, many artists in symphony orchestra become cynical and jaded since the profession does not recognize individuals but the whole group as a whole. For one to be satisfied with life in this industry one has to appreciate achievements made as a group and not to seek individual recognition. Yeo particularly singles out mandatory deductions made by unions claiming it can have negative influence that goes past the average 3% per week work dues deducted from a player’s income. Activism in the union is sometimes frustrating where players are denied the chance to make their own decisions by forcing them abide by those made by the union. However, happiness is an individual choice; one can decide whether to focus on the positive or negative aspects of a career in symphony orchestra. The other challenging aspect of a career as a conductor of symphony orchestra is the demanding nature of the work. There is a need for players to be in

Malcolm X Essay Example for Free

Malcolm X Essay 1.What details of the events has each writer selected to focus on? Each writer selected to focus on the person that Malcolm X was overall. I believe that they put so much emphasis on the events that took place up until his assassination to show how important he was. Each person meant what his purpose was in the ballroom that day. Each writer also mentioned how many people were there to show his importance also. One crucial detail was that Malcolm X was shot by a member of his own race. 2.How has each writer organized the details that have been selected? Each writer organized the details as if they were watching a television show. They presented the end result first. Then they explained what led to that outcome. Afterwards they explained the reaction the assassination. I can relate to the way they organized the details. When I witness or find something out, I normally say what happened. For example, â€Å"Amber, the car is broken.† Of course the next question would be, how? 3.How does each writer interpret Malcolm X, his followers, the gunmen, and the significance of the assassination? Each writer perceived Malcolm X to be a leader, respected by many. They showed how relaxed he was when the argument began. His followers were in shock because he showed them how to be calm and control themselves through hard times. The gunmen were perceived as someone Malcolm X had problems with in the past. The assassination was shocking because he was killed by a black man when he focused on the mistreatment of the whites. 4.How has each writer used language to express his or her perspectives and to influence the thinking of the reader? Each writer used language by explaining the emotions of everyone when the assassination occurred. The writers wrote in a way to show how important Malcolm X life was. I think that expressing how you felt on a situation is the best way to connect to writers. Your feelings can help others relate.

Comparing the Family of Kingsolver’s Bean Trees with the Ideal Family

Comparing the Family Presented in Barbara Kingsolver’s The Bean Trees with the Ideal Family of Socrates In The Republic, Socrates idealized the perfect city. One of the aspects that he deliberated on was the raising of children and family structure. The conclusion reached by Socrates is that no parent will know his own offspring or any child his parents (457 d). It was Socrate's belief that the best atmosphere would be created in a communal upbringing of the city's children. In the same sense, he believed that they should take every precaution to insure that no mother knows her own child (460 c). Not even the mother, the traditional child-rearer, would be permitted to know or have a say in the lives of her own children, but in all of the children as a whole. Likewise, Barbara Kingsolver presents many similar ideas of family in her novel, The Bean Trees. While Kingsolver values the communal family, she differs from Socrates in that her primary focus is on the maternal force that drives the family. Socrates' idea of the collective family is evident in Barbara Kingsolver's work, as well. In The Bean Trees, Kingsolver illustrates the many different families that can be present in one's life, and the importance of that communal role. As Maureen Ryan points out, in the different world that [Kingsolver] envisions throughout her fiction, we'd all care for everyone's child (81). In Kingsolver vision, Taylor, Lou Ann, Turtle, and Dwayne Ray can live together as a family, supporting each other physically, spiritually, and mentally. Kingsolver also makes a point to include Taylor befriending Sandy, and how they help each other out by checking up on each other's kids at the mall day-care (67). Sandy is not the only on... ...and, does not acknowledge or consider the good that is to be gained by the eternal bond of mother and child, nor does he consider this bond when speculating on the possibility of his city. Kingsolver creates a much more realistic image of an ideal family - one that is nurturing and loving, while also teaching the child the basic necessities for survival. While his idea of a communal role is emphasized, Socrates idea of how motherhood should be handled is debunked by the powerful presentation by Kingsolver in The Bean Trees. Works Cited Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees. New York : Harper, 1988. Plato. The Republic. Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 2nd ed. Michael L. Morgan. Indianapolis : Hackett Publishing Company, 1996. 32 - 246. Ryan, Maureen. "Barbara Kingsolver's Lowfat Fiction." Journal of American Culture 18.4 (1995) : 77 - 82.

Organizational Behavior Essay -- Organization Group Business

Organizational Behavior, by definition, is the study of human behavior, attitudes, individual differences, and performance in organizational settings. Understanding the internal and external forces within an organization is important to the success of any business. The internal and external forces that are to be understood are restructuring, economy, competition, fiscal policies, organizational mission and globalization and economy. Economic factors for an educational institution are greater than is generally thought. Internal and external economic issues affect continued success and profitability of the organization. Receiving no tax monies, private educational institutions depend solely on students for their income stream. Economic forces affecting educational forces usually work in reverse of the current economic conditions present in the private sector. As the economy worsens on a national level more people consider returning to school. As a general rule enrollment standards during periods of economic slumps tend to increase as schools tighten admission requirements to admit only the most qualified students. Although outside economic forces on private educational institutions are minimal, internal forces on the University of Phoenix prove to be of greater impact on the profitability of the parent organization. Private organizations respond to internal economic forces by limiting expenses due to the fact that limited funds and controllable expenditures are the most easily manipulated items in any budget. Many organizations feel that salaries are the greatest controllable cost for the organization. However, â€Å"Colleges are faced with 3 types of costs: 1. uncontrollable costs, which include utilities, books, supplies, and equipment, 2. controllable costs, which include wages, salaries, and contracted services, and 3. mixed costs, which include employee benefits and employment taxes.† (Bernard & Beaven, 1985, 78) The University of Phoenix feels that reducing staff and therefore reducing salaries is counterproductive. Reducing staff levels inhibits the universities ability to service students and lessens the likelihood that students will complete the educational goals and graduate with the degree they desired. The University of Phoenix and the parent company The Apollo Group approach the subject of economic forces as opportunities. By increasing staff... ...es transcontinental interactions and global networks of activity, which increases the diffusion of ideas, goods, information and people. In conclusion, the internal and external factors of Organizational Behavior thrive in each of our team member’s workplaces. Each of these factors goes hand in hand, and can produce both positive and negative impacts on any organization. Understanding the factors of Restructuring, Economy, Competition, Fiscal Policies, Organizational Mission and Globalization and how they relate to an individual’s specific workplace is necessary to the success of any organization. References Global Transformations. (1999, March). Retrieved July 31, 2005, from http://www.polity.co.uk/global/executiv.htm#whatis Schermerhorn, J.R., Osborn, R.N. & Hunt, J.G. (2005). Change, innovation and stress. Organizational Behavior, 16, pp. 6, 21 & 34. Retrieved July 28, 2005 from UOP Online, 9th Edition, rEsource. Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Schermerhorn, J. R., Hunt, J. G., & Osborn, R. N. (2005). Introducing Organizational Behavior. In Organizational Behavior (p. 25). John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Earth Studies Essay

Sheenagh Pugh gives us a very depressing view of the future in her trilogy of poems known as ‘the Earth Studies’. She gives us these views by writing very descriptive and atmospheric poems subtly conveying her opinion on world pollution. All her poems tell stories at different times of earth’s extinction for example: ‘The Craft I left in was called Esau’ was set just when the survivors left the now extinct earth, And ‘Geography 1’ and ‘Do you think we’ll ever get to see Earth, Sir’ were set when the survivors are in a different place, probably a planet.  In Sheenagh Pugh’s poems, the mood and atmosphere are very important as it helps her convey her opinion to her readers. And also it makes her poems interesting to read. The first poem that I am going to analyse is ‘The Craft I left in was called Esau’ which is the first in ‘the Earth Studies’ trilogy. This poem tells the story of human survivors leaving Earth because they destroyed it. The poems title refers to the parable of Esau, who swapped his inheritance for a bowel of potage. This is suggesting that humans made a bad barging as Esau did.  My first example of Sheenagh Pugh creating good atmosphere from ‘The Craft I left in was called Esau’ is lines 10-11 when she says ‘No bother, No big deal. I can’ t recall feeling sad’ I think this creates good atmosphere because it seems to be said very hollowly, conveying a large sense of falseness among the readers, it is as if the writer is saying something to try and hide emotion, which tells me that the writer really means the opposite. My second example from ‘The Craft I left in was called Esau’ is in line 6-7 when she says ‘People joked nervously; just like a plane flight’. I think this creates a good atmosphere with good use of the simile just like a plane flight because it is something that the readers can relate to. Also the phrase ‘nervously joked’ conveys the general mood of the survivors, who are on the flight, which is uncertainty and fear. My third example is from line 8 which says ‘ they found seats and wondered if their bags would fit’ I think this phrase discreetly shows atmosphere as the survivors are worrying over the most trivial things such as whether their bags fit after they just left their home planet because they misused its resources which caused it to be destroyed. I think that they are doing this to try and blank the past from their minds. The second poem is called ‘Do you think we’ll ever get to see Earth, Sir’. It is about two people talking about visiting Earth on excursion trips. I think this is set in around 20 years after ‘The craft I left in was called Esau’ as it states that the writer used to live on Earth. The poem starts with in a very sad atmosphere, the poem is very sad and pessimistic, an example of this is ‘you won’t see what it once was’. This shows that the writer is still very sad because of earth being destroyed; it conveys the writer’s opinion and sensitivity very well. From line 11 the poem does not create much atmosphere but it does use very beautiful descriptive language to create an overall happy mood. The start of this is ‘But if you see some beautiful thing’ But signals that there is going to be a change to the mood of the poem. It also starts using very uncommon words such as damascened (which means: something is decorated by inlaying or encrusting a pattern) and iridescence (which means: spectrum of luminous or shimmering colours). One of the best examples of description I have ever read in a poem is ‘look at it as if you were made of eyes, as if you were nothing but an eye, lidless and tender. To be probed and scorched by extreme light’. I think that the aforementioned description is an amazing way of personification because it is totally original, A completely different way of describing something. Also the ending is very nicely phrased to make it sound soppy and could bring tears to some peoples eyes. The third poem is called ‘Geography one’ and is about a futuristic geography class where none of the children had ever seen Earth before. This is the last in ‘the Earth Studies trilogy’ and is a very similar the first 2 poems because some of it is very descriptive and is very emotional. In this story the teacher is showing her class slides of a volcanic region called Surtsey, which she briefly saw while she was on Earth. This helps her remember her experiences. Also this poem carries the moral of cherish the moment.  My first example of discretion and mood is from line 6 ‘Now here you see the terrific spray, the water heaved aside as the rock was thrown up’. The first part of this describes the water as a terrific spray, which is usually seen when waves crash against something, i.e. when it hits a boat. Also the waves must have been quite big as it managed to throw up a rock. My second example is from line 22-25 ‘The man here is a warden, guarding his little world from any interference, letting it grow as it was meant to’ I think this phrase shows that the writer appreciates this mans view otherwise she would not have brought him up. I also think that she envies him for having his own little world, which is his and his alone. My last example is from line 28 until the end. ‘I saw it one day in passing; it was a few years old. Just an offshore island, a stony outline softened with lichen. Someone said that’s Surtsey, and I said fancy that, but I hadn’t time to look properly’ Conclusion I think that Sheenagh Pugh is a very effective writer, but I do not think that she is that good a poet because I usually associate poetry with Rhyming words. I personally think that she should think of becoming a proper author and that she should convert her poems into short stories. I think that she is very effective at describing things and adding her own feelings. I think that in her fist poem ‘The craft I left in was called Esau’ that she was very good at creating atmosphere and tension. In the other two poems, she was great at describing images.  I agree with her that we are careless with resources and that someone will have to come up with an answer soon. I think that the second poem ‘Do you think we will ever get to see earth, sir’ was my favourite poem as it had lots of description.

a genius at work essays

a genius at work essays I saw the movie and the book Tuck Everlasting. There were many similarities and some differences between to movie and the book. I will name some. In the movie Jesse falls from a Ferris Wheel. In the book he falls from a tree. In the movie Winnie was talking to a turtle. In the book she was talking to a toad. In both the movie and the book Winnie runs away from home and meets Jesse. She is about to drink the water from the spring but Jesse stopped her. In both the Tucks kidnapped Winnie and took her to their home. They then explained their secret to her. She ate and slept over that night. In both the Man in the yellow suit follows the Tucks, but in the movie he tries to stop them from getting any further than they already were. He shot Miles and he noticed something was peculiar about the Tucks. In the movie Angus (Tuck) put his hand in fire and then placed in it cold water. The burns instantly disappeared and thats how Winnie knew the secret was true. They could live forever. In both Angus and Winnie went into the boat and he told her about the significance of the wheel. In both the movie and the book the Man in the yellow suit took The Tucks horse and rode back into Treegap with it. Then he makes a deal with the Fosters that if he brought Winnie home he would get the wood. They agreed and the search was on for Winnie. In both Jesse asked Winnie if she could drink the spring water when she was 17 so they could be together. In the movie it started to snow the next morning. In the book the Man in the yellow suit knocked on the door to the Tucks house. In the movie he just went inside uninvited. In both the Man in the yellow suit planned to sell the spring water to people who deserved it. In the book Mae hit the Man in the yellow suit in the back of the head with a gun. In the movie Angus shot him in the chest. In the movie Angus went to jail. In the book ...

Jesus And The Kingdom Of God Essays - Prophets Of Islam, Free Essays

Jesus And The Kingdom Of God Essays - Prophets Of Islam, Free Essays Jesus And The Kingdom Of God The Gospel of Thomas is unlike any other scripture written about Jesus. It is a collection of Jesus' secret sayings that only someone who actually knew him, like his twin, would be able to recount. Jesus, in the Gospel of Thomas, is a teacher that points his followers in the direction of the Kingdom of Heaven. He explains that the kingdom is a place with no poverty, where all is revealed and that it is already inside and around them but they must learn how to find it. The Kingdom of Heaven, according to Thomas' Jesus, is within each one of us. This concept of god and the kingdom being a part of everyone is a common theme throughout the Bible (Lk 17:21). In the third saying, Jesus tells his followers that the way to gain access to this Kingdom inside us is to learn about ourselves. The knowledge that we came from the Kingdom (GTh 49), that we are sons of the living father (GTh 3), and that are human bodies and lives are not worth anything (GTh 87) are the keys to the Kingdom. If we do not know ourselves then we will not enter the kingdom and we will be in poverty forever (GTh 3). He also says that once we get back into the Kingdom there is nothing that we will not understand (GTh 6b). The Kingdom of Heaven is like Adam's paradise in Eden. Jesus said that, whoever among you shall become as a child shall know the Kingdom (GTh 46). Eden was a place of innocence and to become like a child would be to become innocent. In saying 37, the disciples ask when he will be revealed to them and he answers when they can be naked without shame and jump on their clothes like children. This is not unlike Adam and Eve innocent, child-like, and undressed in Eden. Jesus explains that the Kingdom of the Father is a treasure that lasts forever. He describes it as a pearl that a merchant found and did all he could do to buy it so that he could cherish it for the rest of his life (GTh 76). Jesus tells another parable in which the Kingdom is a treasure buried in a father's farm and he and his son never find it but the next man that owns the farm finds it (GTh 109). The first two men never found the Kingdom of Heaven because they did not look within their own land or themselves but the third man does a little digging and finds this eternal treasure. He who searches, will findit will open to him (GTh 94). In most stories about the Kingdom of Heaven, there is a sense that it will happen in the future but, in this Gospel, Jesus gives of the impression that the Kingdom is here now. He said, What you look for has come, but you do not know it (GTh 51). He tells us that the kingdom is already here but because we do not have knowledge we just do not see it (GTh 113). He explains that the end is where the beginning is (GTh 18). It is almost as if the future and past are combined and that time is irrelevant. The kingdom will happen for us when we know ourselves. However, there is a contraction because saying 57 gives us the idea that there will be a final judgment day. In this saying, the Kingdom is like a man who plants good seed but another man puts bad seed in with the good seed. The first man does not pull out the weeds until harvest day because he is afraid that he will pick out the good plant on accident. On harvest day, it will be obvious which are which and the weeds will the burned. Jesus' role in the Gospel of Thomas is to lead his followers to the Kingdom. He tells them parables that they must understand and follow in order to get into the Kingdom (GTh 82). He tells them that heaven is inside them (GTh 3) and spread out upon the earth (GTh 113). He also teaches that if we look

Rizal realist and bonifacio the idealist essays

Rizal realist and bonifacio the idealist essays RIZAL THE REALIST AND BONIFACIO THE IDEALIST I believe the writing of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo of Jose Rizal triggered Andres Bonifacio to revolt against the Spaniards. It only served an eye opener for Bonifacio and other heroes to revenge and to fight for the rights against the abuses of the Spanish government. The role of each character exposed the reality of what really was happening during the Spanish time. Though Rizal did not know Bonifacio that much or he was not familiar to Bonifacio but the character of Elias was identified to him. Most people believed that Rizal was the one who planned the revolution and Bonifacio was the one who accomplished it. Rizal never supported the idea of rebellion at that time, but expressed what he felt and observed through writings of the books during that time. He was a dreamer, a poet and a lover. A man who possessed universal knowledge and understanding. A man born with special qualities, with extra-ordinary circumstances, while Bonifacio was just an ordinary man, nurtured in poverty with a very little learning whose only intellectual experience was gained through the reading of the history of the French revolution, Dumas El Conde de Montecristo, Rizals Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. Rizal analyzed so carefully and studied what will be the consequences of whatever action he will do. In his writings he expressed so quite clearly through the characters who voice his thoughts in the Noli and Fili, like Ibbara, Isagani, Padre Florentino and demonstrated that belief, too in his own acts while still alive. The character of Elias and Simoun and also Cabesan Tales, who for economic reasons may be said to have been the model of the Huks in fleeing to the mountains of Luzon, or Capitang Pablo, w ...

Developmental Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Developmental Disorders - Essay Example ired non verbal behavior and movements, diminished interest in playing and interaction with peers, lack of spontaneity and emotional reciprocity, delay or total lack in speech, repetitive use of language, behavior patterns or mannerisms and constant preoccupation with certain objects (Lord et al; Brereton and Tonge). Recent research has revealed that the cognitive ability of children with autism ranges from severely disabled to normal. They have low IQ scores and have difficulty in verbal sequencing. However, they have good immediate memory and visuo-spatial skills. The language, speech tone and modulation of these children are quite unusual and they sound mechanical and devoid of any emotions. They might use abnormal words, talk out of context or simply repeat them. They also have difficulty in understanding spoken language. Autistic children also suffer from social impairments such as disinterest in interpersonal relationships, lack of non-verbal communication with people and inability to play with other children. Doctors believe that these may change as the child grows. The genetics of autism has revealed that susceptibility to the disorder may be due to the presence of at least 3 abnormal genes. However, more research should be carried out to determine the genetic and environmental factors, if any, that may cause the disorder. Neurobiology Neurobiological evidence suggests that the brains of people with autism are underdeveloped with abnormalities observed in the brain-stem structures. Current research also points to the involvement of the cerebral cortex for onset of clinical symptoms (Hughes). The heterogeneity of the disorder has made it difficult to study the neural systems involved and hence a detailed study of the neurobiology of autism would require proper categorization of the people with the disorder in order to find out the various brain regions causing the various impairments (Lord et al). The key clinical features include narrowing of the

Business ethics-the mcdonald's 'beef fries' controversy Essay

Business ethics-the mcdonald's 'beef fries' controversy - Essay Example How a company deals with past public issues, stakeholder issues and community concerns determines the employees’ perception of the importance of citizenship matters. Even though people in the West are basically non-vegetarian, America does have a good strength of vegetarians. Besides, there are many who avoid beef on ethical, religious or health grounds. These were ignored by McDonald’s when they decided to add beef flavoring agent when they started losing customers. According to Robinson (2002), ethics is a set of moral principles held by an individual or a group, encompassing individual behaviour, environmental policy, staff policy, and corporate social responsibility, which has gained importance recently. Demands of the shareholders, stakeholders and investors are forcing industries to maintain a high morality in how companies conduct business. Any deviation can adversely affect the brand image, customer retention, and overall business. McDonald’s initially declined to comment and then issued a ‘conditional apology’. As the people became more violent, the company kept changing their approach. This adversely affected their brand image. McDonald’s follows the ‘Code of Federal Regulations’ which does not require the restaurants to list the ingredients. The French fry suppliers do use a small amount of beef flavoring agent as an ingredient in the raw material. The ingredients in ‘natural flavorsâ€⠄¢ need not be broken down. This was their initial reaction but when there was an upsurge created, they reacted saying that they never claimed that the fries sold in US were vegetarian but this claim of theirs was also subsequently proved wrong. They went on the defensive instead. They were blamed for deceiving million of people who may not want to have beef extract in their fries for religious, health, ethical or other reasons. The Utilitarian and deontological perception on Kant on ethics is

Final assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Final - Assignment Example As the rate of globalization goes high in the United States, the developing countries also look forward to get them same effects of globalization. Thus, the United States of America has to play a major role in facilitating development in the third world countries. United States created two international institutions which aim at developing all the countries in the world. The two institutions are World Trade Organization (WTO) formed in 19951. The main function of the World Trade organization was to settle all the trade disputes among the countries in the world. The second organization is the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which was formed after World War II. The events of the war destroyed most of the countries’ resources, and something had to be done to revolve their economy. The International Monetary Fund provided emergency loans to countries. After the events of World War II, the United States of America plays a major role in shaping the economy of the world. Thus, to ensure that other countries develop, they have to incorporate all the aspects of globalization. They have to advance the living standards and ensure that there is stability in the world’s economy. The policy makers have to come up with policies that promote globalization in all the countries, which is a great challenge2. Consequently, some of the third world countries cannot adapt globalization because of factors such as illiteracy and poverty. The United States has first to work on the two major challenges before introducing globalization in those countries. Thus, they need resources to ensure that they provide all the basic needs required and improve their education sector. Finance is needed to carry out all these activities, making it a great challenge. Globalization has resulted in a faster exchange of ideas among the countries. Criminals use the advanced technology to communicate over a long

Fair Use Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fair Use - Research Paper Example n the fair use specified in section 107 cover areas such as criticisms, research, news reporting, scholarship as well as educational purposes (Torremans 29). The pros and cons of fair use will be discussed in detail below. Section 107 which contains the far use has four specific factors that are used to determine whether any particular use is being fair or not and whether it the individual can be allowed to copyright the work or not. The first factor is to examine the nature of the copyrighted work. This is then followed by the next factor which is determining the amount and substantiality of the portion that will be used as compared to the whole copyrighted work. The purpose and character of the use being needed and determine whether the purpose is commercial use or educational purpose that is non-profit. Lastly is the effect of the use of the copyrighted work in the potential market or its value to the copyrighted work. When fair is employed, the work of the owner is being recognized and even diverted to a large number of people who may not have had a chance to read the work. This is especially true when the fair use is carried out by new reports or for educational purposes in classes as it reaches a large number of people. The other advantage to this is that the minimal excepts from the work may lead to curious people to want to find out more and hence end up purchasing the whole original work and this leads to financial benefits to the copyright owner. There are very many writers who have published their work in similar subjects and their work is not yet widely recognized. Having fair use is a way of the people recognizing the copyrighters work on the subject manner and this is an honor and a way to appreciate the good work of the writer. This is a good reason for even the copyright owners to encourage fair use and completely support it. The fair use advantage is not only to the copyright owner but also to the people using it. This includes the researchers,

Sula essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sula - Essay Example ived of its traditions, wisdoms, and experiences; instead, for Sula, connection with traditional ideals of maternal love pushes her to turn down the maternal family, specifically the ideals of antique belongings. Marie Nigro’s In Search of Self: Frustration and Denial in Toni Morrison’s Sula talks about the conflict created by the psychological and emotional detachment between mothers and daughters of African American descent. Nigro explains that detachment arises when daughters believe that their mothers are unable to endow them with love and sympathy because of economic aspects associated with gender, class, and racial prejudice. Such real hindrances to manifestations of love compel daughters to disobey or go against mothers who believe their efforts are adequate or compatible to affection. Phillip Novak, in his article â€Å"Circles and Circles of Sorrow†: In the Wake of Morrison’s Sula, argues that when such sympathy or love is deprived of, daughters are unable to express sympathy or love to their own daughters. Conflicts burst forth when mothers aspire for the individuality and self-reliance of their daughters but expect recognition of or gratitude for their sacrifices. The influence of the mothers on the life and identity formation of their daughters is one of the leading subjects of Sula. Morrison portrays the impact of class by examining the relationship between mother and daughter belonging to the lower class—the Peaces—and those belonging to the middle class—the Wrights. The relationships between mother and daughter in both families struggle with the difficulties that class and race create. Eva Peace was not able to give the maternal affection that Hannah wants. Due to the impact of class and race, Eva was unable to totally concentrate on her maternal responsibilities, which adversely affected the personal growth and identity formation of Hannah. Consequently, Hannah failed to provide motherly love to her own daughter, perpetuating the

Fair Use Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fair Use - Research Paper Example n the fair use specified in section 107 cover areas such as criticisms, research, news reporting, scholarship as well as educational purposes (Torremans 29). The pros and cons of fair use will be discussed in detail below. Section 107 which contains the far use has four specific factors that are used to determine whether any particular use is being fair or not and whether it the individual can be allowed to copyright the work or not. The first factor is to examine the nature of the copyrighted work. This is then followed by the next factor which is determining the amount and substantiality of the portion that will be used as compared to the whole copyrighted work. The purpose and character of the use being needed and determine whether the purpose is commercial use or educational purpose that is non-profit. Lastly is the effect of the use of the copyrighted work in the potential market or its value to the copyrighted work. When fair is employed, the work of the owner is being recognized and even diverted to a large number of people who may not have had a chance to read the work. This is especially true when the fair use is carried out by new reports or for educational purposes in classes as it reaches a large number of people. The other advantage to this is that the minimal excepts from the work may lead to curious people to want to find out more and hence end up purchasing the whole original work and this leads to financial benefits to the copyright owner. There are very many writers who have published their work in similar subjects and their work is not yet widely recognized. Having fair use is a way of the people recognizing the copyrighters work on the subject manner and this is an honor and a way to appreciate the good work of the writer. This is a good reason for even the copyright owners to encourage fair use and completely support it. The fair use advantage is not only to the copyright owner but also to the people using it. This includes the researchers,

Anzia yezierska struggle for independence in the new world and her Research Paper

Anzia yezierska struggle for independence in the new world and her strategy on being successful - Research Paper Example She struggles to rise out of the poverty of the New York City ghetto, to have cleanliness and space for herself. She also struggles with the desire for secular education, while continuing to respect her father's strict religion. Most importantly, Sara is struggling to be able to make her own choices. She desires independence and free-will and she is willing to work hard to achieve it. The novel's ending is controversial, though Sara does get the happily-ever-after ending the American dream promises to all immigrants. The youngest of nine children in a devoutly Jewish family, Anzia Yezierska was born in the Russian-Polish village Plinsk, near Warsaw, between 1880 and 1885. The exact date of her birth is unknown and Yezierska, herself, was constantly lying about her age to further convolute the biography. Her family immigrated to the United States in the early 1890's, joining an older brother who had moved several years earlier. Yezierska was given the name Harriet Mayer by her new gov ernment, though she went by Hattie at first and then reassumed Anzia in her late twenties. Her family moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a largely Jewish ghetto, where Yezierska would later find inspiration in the crowded, bustling Hester Street for her writing. The crowded tenement her family lived in, as well as all the unfortunate idiosyncrasies of living in such close proximity to your family members and your neighbors is reproduced in Bread Givers as well as her other novels. Yezierska's writing, as well as her struggle for independence, personal space, cleanliness, education and financial security come from this period of her life (Horowitz). Yezierska's father, Baruch, also reproduced in Bread Givers, was a talmudic scholar and valued the study of sacred books over any work that would financially support his family. The task of bread-winning fell on Yezierska's mother and subsequently, their nine children as soon as they were able. Extreme poverty, coupled with the fa ct that their religion does not respect the educational aspirations of women, caused Yezierska to attend elementary school for only two years. She finally moved into the Clara De Hirsch Home for Working Girls, determined to gain her independence. Choosing education as the route away from her parents and their old world beliefs, Yezierska forged a high school diploma and was admitted to Columbia University's Teachers College and given a scholarship. Yezierska was said to have wanted to become a â€Å"domestic science teacher to help better her people,† though she only taught elementary school for five years before turning to fiction as a career. Her determination to acquire an education and carve her own way in her new country is evident in every phase of her life. By placing her desire for education above everything else she was able to earn a living for herself and earn a good reputation in her community. (Horowitz). In the novel, Bread Givers, Sara Smolinsky struggles with many of the same issues as Yezierska. The tenement the Smolinsky family lives in on Hester Street is incredibly crowded and cleanliness is something often strived for, though never fully achieved. They're so poor that when Mother comes home to find ten-year-old Sara peeling potatoes for dinner, with all the weight of the families hardships upon her young shoulders, she reprimands her wastefulness. â€Å"

MCDonalds Essay Example for Free

MCDonalds Essay Strategy and Repositioning the Brand McDonald’s in India Sameer, Sharanbir Kaur Abstract- Despite global slowdown, Indian economy is resurgent and offers fresh opportunities as well as challenges to global players. McDonald‘s still treats the Indian market as one of their young markets although what they have achieved in 15 years here, it would usually take them 25 to 30 years in another market. McDonald‘s philosophy of Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value (QSCV) is the guiding force behind its stellar service to the customers. However there is still a huge potential in the Indian food market that remains untapped in terms of family restaurants, quick service restaurants and breakfast eateries. Coming in the wake of these, their rebranding effort requires much more than a mere change of the logo or signage. There is a need to critically evaluate the right marketing mix. The article is focused upon assessing the marketing efforts in India in terms of positioning of McDonald‘s. Index Terms- Rebranding, Repositioning, Demography, Marketing Mix I. FAST FOOD INDUSTRY IN INDIA T he Indian fast food industry has evolved over time and always has been in line with the needs of people of all ages and segments. There are enterprises which scale from one room outlet to a chain having hundreds of outlets like McDonalds in India. As per new research report ? Indian Fast Food Market Analysis? , India is blessed with one of the fastest growing fast food markets in the world. The Indian fast food market is growing at an annual growth rate of 30-35%. Almost all big fast food brands of the world have succeeded in making their presence felt in the country and most of them posting an appreciable growth. Although the market has witnessed robust growth in the past couple of years, it remains largely under penetrated and concentrated in the metropolitan cities. However, there is large room for growth in tier-II cities, tier-III cities which are mostly untapped. Therefore, the future of Indian fast food industry lies in masses that live in tier-II and tier-III cities. In 2013, the global fast food market is forecasted to have a value of $200 billion, an increase of 29. 3% and a volume of 94. 7 billion transactions, an increase of 10. 4% since 2008. The consumer spending on processed food has increased at an average rate of 7. 6 per cent annually from 2008 to 2010 and this is expected to rise at an average of around 8. 6 per cent until 2012, according to a report by Assocham. Almost all big fast food brands of the world have succeeded in making their presence felt in the country and most of them are posting appreciable growth. It is estimated through the Euromonitor International and Credit Suisse Emerging Consumer Survey, that the average Indian spends just $ 11 as compared to his Chinese counterpart who would ideally spend $ 20 on fast food. Yet , if we see the Indian spending on food in totality , they spend 23 % of their earnings on the same while the Chinese spending is 20 %. So, the inference that can be drawn is that owing to the eating pattern of Indians they prefer to eat at home and would spend on cooking ingredients over fast food. However, this does not spell good news for the industry. It is set to witness the entry of new fast food players that plan to hit the Indian market with a vengeance with international giants like Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks being amongst them. II. THE COMPETITION People prefer fast food because its cheap, easy to prepare, and heavily promoted. India is a developing country with 2 percent of organized and 98 percent of unorganized sector. So most of the fast foods that came into Indian market as India has a high growth in every sector. Major players in fast food in India are: McDonald’s KFC Pizza Hut Dominos Cafe Coffee Day Barista More than 75% of McDonalds restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent locals. McDonald‘s product line in India is almost similar to other burger chains with a dominant Indian flavour. Perhaps, it would be correct to say that their only similarity with their foreign outlets is that they have French Fries and still use buns. Examining the immense Indianzation they have attempted in their menu here it wouldn‘t be surprising to see Indian Chapatis in place of buns. Their current offerings reflect the same. www. ijsrp. org International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 9, September 2012 ISSN 2250-3153 2 Table I : Present Menu for McDonald’s India Menu Ranges Burgers and other Bites Spicy Delights McSpicyPaneer ExtraValue Meals Chicken McNuggets Meal McAloo Tikki Happy Price Menu Breakfast Menu Favourites Sausage McMuffin with egg French Fries McAloo Tikki Happy Meal Meals Source: McDonaldsIndia. com Desserts Big Spicy Paneer Wrap Filet O Fish Meal Maharaja Mac Meal McVeggie /McChicken Meal Chicken McGrill Beverages McSwirl Iced tea/ Cold Coffee Minute Maid Pulpy Orange/ Cappucino/ Tea Soft Serve (Strawberry /Chocolate) Veg Supreme Veg Pizza McPuff Veg McMuffin Sausage McMuffin Pancakes Filet O Fish Chicken Maharaja Mac Chicken McGrill Meal McChicken/ McVeggie McVeggie Meal McFlurry McChicken meal III. BUSINESS MODEL The Business Model of McDonald‘s is a franchise-based model coupled with strong corporate branding. The focus is on the branding of McDonald‘s as a globally accepted service provider with strong customer perception about: www. ijsrp. org International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 9, September 2012 ISSN 2250-3153 3 Happy Employees means Happy Customers McDonald’s Efforts of repositioning its Brand-Recently, McDonalds management has decided to change itsstrategies. They now want to provide not only a place to sit and eat but also an experience that can be enjoyed by their customers. Figure 1: The Service Marketing Triangle Zeithaml and Bitner (1996 ) McDonald‘s realized very early in their business that in order to achieve happiness amongst customers;the possible route is through happy, motivated and committed employees. In accordance with this they played on the customer first strategy. Even in India, their efforts clearly indicated that they were keen to understand the Indian consumer. Hence they adapted themselves to tickle the taste buds of their Indian customers to become a brand that enjoys a very high brandrecall. Therefore they focused on internal as well as external marketing. The level of importance has changed to be in the following order (the most important people arenow at the top). Corporate Branding The marketers are shifting the branding efforts from their product brands to a more holistic corporate branding . The reason for the shift can be traced to the belief that, it is the corporate image that carries a great impact on the buyers who are more aware and more exposed to media coverage on various issues be it environmental responsibility, being corporate social responsibility or be it responsibility towards health of future generation. McDonald‘s describe a corporate branding framework that is based on three elements: Figure 2: McDonald’s Service Pyramid Figure 3: Corporate Branding Source: Hatch and Schultz (2003)), â€Å"Bringing the Corporation into Corporate Branding†, European Journal of Marketing, The recent McDonald‘s rebranding strategy is a part of this thought and vision. McDonald‘s road to success has not always been rosy. They have been at the receiving end of the media‘s onslaught. There was a huge uproar in US after media exposure against McDonald‘s unhealthy menu that was affecting the nation and leading it to a generation suffering from obesity and heart diseases among many more ailments. There were employment issues internally which showed that they did not treat their workers well. Hence they assessed their strategies again and came up with new objectives that strengthened their previous aims and gave a new direction to them as well. www. ijsrp. org International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 9, September 2012 ISSN 2250-3153 4 McDonald’s Marketing Efforts Over the Years – Proactive Rebranding – A Proactive strategy includes a new line of business or market that does not conform to the existing brand identity. When McDonald‘s once referred to itself as Mickey D‘s to target kids in a commercial, it had just coined a new way of catering to an audience separate from its traditional family audience. Objectives of McDonalds Repositioning StrategyMcDonalds, the promise of American fast food anywhere in the world, has had to rethink and reposition its brand offerings in different countries. While some basic elements like Ronald were left in place the menu underwent an overhaul. For example, in India, the menu has no beef dishes since it is not considered religiously correct to eat cow‘s meat: there is the very popular McAlooTikki, a potato-based patty in burger buns; the Big Mac is replaced by the Maharaja Mac, the Big Mac in chicken; there is also the paneer (cottage cheese) McVeggie burger. The Italian McDonalds has a special coffee spot. To celebrate its 20th anniversary in China, McDonalds rebranded under the Make Room for Happiness campaign. They had all you want coffee refills; Wi-Fi and a more modern restaurant design were unveiled. This was done exclusively for China, where McDonalds positioned itself as a place to relax away from the high demands of the average Chinese‘s life. Its Im Lovin It slogan made way for Make Room for Happiness, and McDonalds became the place where the stressed young Chinese can spend quality time rejuvenating after working for long hours. The result was an 18% increase in sales, and an increasing legion of fans that is fueling McDonalds growth in China. McDonald’s Changing Markets Changing Strategies Decades after its launch, the Big Mac is changing colours, literally. The worlds largest fast-food chain is letting go of its familiar red-and-yellow colours for more muted tones as it goes for its biggest and costliest revamp in the country, in line with its global strategy of attracting more adults. For the next generation of consumers McDonald‘s plans to cultivate a very different image from its existing one. After revamping 280 stores in various markets last year, McDonalds is now opting for the Tampa model and will spread that design to upwards of 800 locations this year — roughly triple what it did last year. The company is donning a new look when India is on its way of becoming a global hotspot for food retailers, with chains like Starbucks, Burger King planning to enter the country. Some McRemodel highlights include : †¢Redoing roofs The bright red roofs that have topped McDonalds for several decades are getting the heave, replaced with flatter, more conventional roofs. †¢Muting paint The neon yellows and reds common to the interiors and exteriors are becoming history, replaced with much more subtle oranges, reds, yellows and even greens. †¢Updating chairs Those industrial steel chairs are giving way to wooden chairs, colorful stools and, in some cases, vinylcovered chairs that resemble leather. Some stores will have larger lounge chairs similar to the kind you might expect to find in a coffee shop. †¢Doubling drive-through To ease lines inside and outside stores, many locations are adding second drive-through windows to speed up service. †¢Splashing colour McDonalds hasnt junked its familiar red and yellow colors altogether, but it is making them far less obvious. Instead of filling the restaurants with them, its splashing bright yellow and red here and there for effect. †¢Dividing dining areas The sea of tables and chairs is history in the remodelled stores. The new dining rooms are divided into separate eating zones for larger groups, eat-and-run customers and folks who want to stay and lounge. †¢Adding flat-screens TVs Large, flat-screen TVs — some playing contemporary music — are showing up in many locations, though fewer than half of the remodelled stores will display them. The new design makes the customer feel more comfortable and at leisure to enjoy their surroundings. This offers to McDonald‘s two key opportunities- firstly, to shift to another www. ijsrp. org International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 9, September 2012 ISSN 2250-3153 customer base with high spending power and then to broaden their menu with offerings at a higher price point. Risks Involved When a global organization like McDonalds is going in for rebranding, a lot of financing is involved and the global impact is huge. Though the step taken by the managers of McDonalds is well calculated but speculations are on till the time it doesn‘t fair well in the market and most importantly to the customers. This kind of rebranding in the Indian Food Industry can help change the image of McDonald‘s completely like in the case of Pizza Hut, which has become a part of fine dining segment, which it was not earlier. The Indian consumer is considered to be loyal but still the risks involved are high. 1. A trade-off between what is expected from a company and what a company has to gain from the consumers One can see that one facet raises the scale while the other weighs it down making it a tough task. In order to sustain the balance, it requires big investments which will surely add to the costs incurred in the rebranding. If the rebranding falls flat, it will result in a major profit decline. 2. Store positioning McDonald‘s needs to have the most current information to determine if present outlets are cannibalizing each other‘s business. To achieve this McDonald‘s team willneed comprehensive, demographic data of India along with both theirs and competitors‘ outlets. IV. CONCLUSION The task is mammoth as McDonald‘s tries to keep up in the race for a piece of the great Indian pie . As per Forbes , McDonald‘s India operations contribute 30 % to their sales which is a considerable share. It might become imperative to create a Point of Difference to fight it out in the Indian market as all fast food brands have modelled themselves on local flavours now , the latest being KFC with its ? Streetwise‘ menu. While McDonald‘s does have the edge with its excellent supply chain and distribution network the customer ultimately does become the king with low brand loyalty in this category being the generalisation . The rebranding effort on their part seeks to bring 5 in a new flavour to their brand offering but what remains to be seen is whether they are still able to strike a chord with the customer. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the people who assisted us in this endeavour of ours. First and foremost , we would like to thank Mr. Praveen Gupta, HOD , Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management for his valuable time and support. Also, a special mention to the staff of McDonald‘s Jor Bagh, Delhi who was very patient and helpful during our visits to the outlet for the study. REFERENCES [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Lovelock,Wirtz and Chatterjee ,? Services Marketing ? , in Plastics ,Sixth Edition ,India , Pearson , 2010 , pp. 66-98 , pp. 340-372 Aaker, D. A. (2004b), ? Leveraging the Corporate Brand? , California Management Review, 46 (3), pp. 6-18 Bijoor, H. , ? A Time to Rebuild? , Business India, February 20,2011 pp. 48. Hatch, M. J. and Schultz, ? Bringing the Corporation into Corporate Branding ? , European Journal of Marketing, 2003, 37 (7/8), pp. 1041-1064. Jacquelline, B. and Kline,S ,? From McLibel to McLettuce: Childhood, Spin and Re-branding? ,2007 , Society and Business Review, 2(1)

Women Egypt Arab

Women Egypt Arab The first thing that comes in mind when we mention â€Å"Arab women† is housekeeping and domestic chores. For some time this concept was true. But nowadays, Arab women have proved themselves in many aspects of the society. Still, there are some that believe that a womans place is at home, but for the most part the society have gotten used to seeing women at work. This is not to put down from the value of house wives, they do as much work and are as appreciated as any other woman who holds a high rank in society. In this section of the article we will dedicate it for Egyptian women. History of Womens Liberation Women in Egypt have been battling for their legal right, access to education, and economical rights for centuries. Because Egypt was under the British rule at one point, its women have been exposed to the western ideas, especially those of the upper class. The fight was not only important to those westernized women that have discarded the veil publicly, but also by those who chose to keep the veil but wanted their legal rights. Among those women are Huda Sharawi and Zainab al-Ghazaly. These two women were the first women that adopted the war for womens rights in Egypt. Although there have been associations made by women to discuss and find solutions for womens legal rights in Egypt, Huda Sharawi is still considered the mother feminization in Egypt. She is the founder of the Egyptian Feminist Union in 1923. She campaigned for womens voting rights, equal access to education and change in the Egyptian marriage laws, especially that her own experience with marriage was not a successful o ne. In 1923, Sharawi attended an international womens conference in Rome. After her return she stopped wearing her face veil. Her argument was that the veil is a symbol of womens lower status in Egyptian society. The veil was greatly criticized by western feminists in the conference. But she continued to wear a scarf covering her hair which agrees with Islamic traditions and customs. Zainab al-Ghazali, a disciple of Sharawi, took a different approach. She was the founder of the Muslim Womens Association in 1936. The associations goal was to educate Muslim women to take pride and understand their traditions better. Status of Egyptian Woman Today Egyptian woman today is definitely different from the past. Nowadays women hold critical positions in the society. Where before women were more or less confined to their homes and bearing and raising children, today women are in political, medical, and high social ranks. Women in Egypt are even involved in the military. But women are found also in very odd position. Theres the female truck driver, bus driver, and even taxi drivers. Women are not only allowed to vote, theyre also allowed to run for political positions. They can demand their rights to divorce their husbands if theyre treated badly. They are also responsible for raising their children in the best manner and in accordance to the culture and traditions. So, it is obvious that the status of women have greatly evolved into one that is almost equal to man. Although in some areas, such as Upper Egypt, women are still being oppressed and cannot fully implement their full rights; this problem is on its way to being resolved. Working Women The Egyptian woman is now involved in many fields of the society. Women are great doctors and scientists, politics and great thinkers. It was the first lady Jihan el-Sadat who entered the political field and fought for womens rights to run for political positions. She succeeded to dedicate 30 seats for women in the Peoples counsel. Unfortunately, this legislation was canceled after the death of president el-Sadat. Nowadays, first Lady Suzan Mubarak is a symbol of a great woman involved in politics. Her efforts and the efforts of other women in the Egyptian National Counsel for Women that women are now being involved the upcoming plan national development. There are many known names in political society that are women. Although women have gained status in the political field, but still some in some areas theyre being fought against. As an example, theres a controversy these days about women holding positions as judges. 75% of males working in the judging field, courts in general, refuse to have a woman that has an authority over them at their work. In a survey that questioned 100 member of the field, 51% of the judges refused to have a woman judge among them and 49% accepted but only on the condition that the woman is to do advising work only, not as a judge. What are strange are the excuses these men used to their refusal. One of the judges said that it is not appropriate (forbidden by religion) that he sits alone with a lady judge in the discussion room, especially if the lady is attractive. Another was questioning what should be done in case the woman judge asked for a maternity leave of any other vacation that she legally deserves (as a woman). And from the 75% that refused a woman to be the bo ss of them is the secretariat of the court of Sohag. He said that he would rather work as a microbus driver than work under the rule of a woman. These views still show that most men in the society do not believe a woman can do their job, and even better. This also shows that the society (male society) views women as housekeepers and that their place should be at home. Even after the fact that one woman (Advisor Tahany el-Gabaly) was appointed as a judge in the High Court in 2002. After that no other woman was appointed such a position in almost four years. Commenting on that is one Judge that said that the government was right when they appointed a female judge, and that she was placed in the right place away from being in direct contact with the common citizens, because we are a conservative society. Education for Women It is clear that the percentage of women that are being educated has increased. Yet the overall literacy rate in Egypt is about 50%, it is not surprising to find that most of these educated are men. Girls are allowed to study up until they reach an age where they can get married. But this phenomenon is mostly practiced in the villages of Upper Egypt and poor areas of large cities. Most fathers now are eager to let their girls learn up until they finish higher education. Girls that leave school at an early age are either to work to help with the family income or because their fathers still think with the old ideology that a womans place is at home. Women at Home It is very clear from the previous sections in this article that most Arab men prefer their wives to stay at home and look after the kids. Only a few are happy with their wives working. And usually these wives are torn apart between their jobs and their house work. It is very difficult and frustrating for women to be working, especially in a male dominated society like ours. Beside her day job, she is obligated to clean the house, study for the kids, prepare dinner before her husband returns from his work, and does the entire house work. It is very rare to find a man who helps his wife with the house work or even helping with the kids. It is also very rare to find a man who is willing to leave his job to stay at home with the kids instead of his wife, even if the wifes job pays more than his. These rare husbands are very common in western societies, not in our eastern ones. Conclusion Women are no doubt a very important pillar in the community. Without women there would be no life. Theyre the symbol of delicacy, love, and utmost compassion. God Almighty has put in them very delicate feelings to care for other. He also put in them the strength to take on any difficulties that may face their families. Woman is a word that includes mother, sister, lover and wife, partner for good and for worse, a shoulder to cry on and hand that would stretch out to help. She could be the weakest creature when shes in love and the strongest one when someone threatens her or her family. So please remember that God created Eve to be a helper for Adam, and not his servant. Women in Kuwait Women and politics Kuwait is a small and oil-rich state where women are said to be among the most emancipated in the Gulf region, which is incredibly conservative. Women in Kuwait can travel, drive, and work without their fathers or husbands consent and they even hold some senior government positions. But women in Kuwait have not yet gained the one right that most of them desire: the right to vote. Although the ruler of Kuwait, Sheikh Jaber al-Sabah, issued a royal decree in June of 1999 that stated women should be allowed to vote and run for office in the next election, a measure to put his will into law was defeated, 32 to 30, by legislators in November of 2000. When compared to a place such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwaiti women have it good. In Saudi Arabia, no one has the right to vote and women still dont have the right to drive a car (Muslim Womens League). But this does not appease the Kuwaiti women. For the very first time in Kuwaits history, women of all ages and backgrounds turned out in force during the 29th June landmark parliamentary elections to exercise their newfound right of suffrage. Women finally got to fully participate in the decision making process and have their voices heard in the corridors of political power. Since parliaments decision on 16th May 2005 to amend the electoral law, Kuwaiti women have quickly risen to become a major sought-after constituency. With their participation in the elections, Kuwait has witnessed a true democratic celebration. Thousands of women have embraced the elections with a first timers zeal. Although no female candidate won a seat in the parliament, ballot counts have shown the participation of Kuwaiti women in the elections for the first time to reflect major progress.   Even though only 35% of eligible females voted, the level of their participation was higher than womens participation in many other countries including western ones, the first time they exercise suffrage. In Arab countries, men have traditionally been the providers, women the homemakers. This concept is slowly changing, however, as the attitudes of the outside world permeate Arab society. This process is hastened by the influx of foreign women to Kuwait. For some time, Arab women have worked in teaching and nursing, but theyre increasingly also found in other fields, especially banking, finance and the service sector. The majority of expatriate female workers are employed in the service sector as doctors, lawyers, hotel administrators, in advertising, public relations, nursing, education and as stewardesses for the many national airlines. Women and work More local women are entering the work force in Kuwait and some employers view them as harder-working and more reliable than the average local male worker (and invariably cheaper to employ). Women rising to positions of power and influence tend to come from middle and upper echelon families. Indeed, for a woman to rise to a position of influence at work she needs the support of her family, especially the male members. Most expatriate workers whether western or eastern are male. Their wives often have a restriction in their passport which prohibits them from working. Should the wives wish to work, they must obtain their own sponsorship and work visa, but employers tend to be biased against giving work visas to women. Women are often offered work (illegally) and, while this isnt a major crime, it can result in the company being fined and the woman losing her job. Women are generally safe in the workplace, with little sexual harassment because of the severe punishments for this. The influx of female ‘tourists (i.e. prostitutes) from eastern Europe in recent times, however, has reduced the level of respect that foreign females hitherto enjoyed. Women should also be careful not to be too friendly towards Arab men in the workplace, because this can be misunderstood as flirtatiousness. In fact, the legal liabilities and social discrimination to which women in Kuwait are subject reach beyond political rights. According to Freedom in the World 2003, Freedom Houses annual worldwide survey of political rights and civil liberties, Kuwaiti women are legally disadvantaged in matters of marriage, divorce, and inheritance, must have the permission of a male relative to obtain a passport; and cannot confer citizenship on their children. In addition, and though the proportion is growing, women remain under-represented in the labor force. But there are other reasons, rooted in Kuwaiti culture and history, to believe that suffrage is within view for Kuwaiti women and that the freedom they now enjoy will lead to further gains in the acquisition of civil rights. For starters, although excluded from political life, Kuwaiti women enjoy a relatively high degree of participation in professional life. They hold prominent positions in journalism, at the universities, in private business, in medicine, and in government ministries. They serve on the board of the Kuwait Petroleum Company. They constitute a little more than a third of the Kuwaiti labor force, and their numbers are likely to grow. This is because women are flourishing in academic life in Kuwait. They constitute over 70 percent of the students at Kuwait University, and about half of those studying engineering and medicine. This is a result of two factors. The first, stressed by Kuwait social scientist Haya al-Mughni in Women in Kuwait, the leading book on the subject, is that in the late 1960s the government adopted the policy that women should be integrated into the work force. To this end, women were provided with educational opportunities. In particular, the government made education compulsory for all Kuwaiti children up to the age of 14, and women were admitted to the University of Kuwait. These associations have been the chief vehicle through which Kuwaiti women activists, almost from the moment the countrys constitution was ratified in 1962, have sought their political rights. Prominent among these associations has been the Womens Cultural and Social Society, founded in 1963. The WCSS believes that the struggle for womens suffrage in Kuwait stands on firm constitutional ground: The Kuwaiti constitutions preamble proclaims devotion to democratic rule, and article seven declares that Justice, Liberty and Equality are the pillars of Society. Through conferences, consciousness-raising, and lobbying members of the national assembly and the government, the Society has sought to overturn the election law passed in 1963, which provides the legal basis for excluding women from politics by providing rules and regulations covering only Kuwaiti men. Last year, a lawsuit, which the WCSS supported, challenging the constitutionality of the election law, was dismissed on procedural grounds. According to Rasha Al-Sabah, a member of the ruling family, under minister of higher education, and the highest-ranking woman in the Kuwait government, Kuwaits distinctive culture and history accounts for its openness to freedom. Located at the crossroads between the Arabian Desert and the Arabian Gulf, and blessed with a capacious natural port at the Gulfs northern reaches, Kuwait originated as a trading center and served as a home to a seafaring and shipbuilding population. Kuwaits commercial character also shaped its political development. As an important trading port since the eighteenth century, Kuwait has been in constant contact with the outside world, particularly East Africa and India, and its diversity of beliefs and practices. And while the men were often at sea pearl-diving or trading for weeks or months at a time, women ran households and developed the ability to fend for themselves. And where does the royal family stand on the question of womens suffrage? Here too informed Kuwaitis differ. In 1999, under some pressure as a result of promises he had made to enlarge freedom in Kuwait after the 1990 Iraqi invasion, the emir finally issued an emergency decree, while parliament was dissolved, granting women the right to vote. However, such decrees eventually must be approved by a majority vote when the national assembly reconvenes; when it did, it rejected the measure by a vote of 32 to 30. Some Kuwaiti liberals, such as Mohammed Al-Jassem, contend that this legislative defeat represented a kind of victory for the democratic process, for what the parliament was telling the emir, in Al-Jassems view, was that laws of such import should arise not by emergency decree but from the legislature. Others, such as Fatima Hussain, argue that the defeat of the measure merely reflected a lamentable lack of political will on the part of the government. Only one political group in Kuwait strongly opposes giving women the right to vote and that is the influential minority whose ultimate aim is to make Muslim law not just one source of Kuwaiti law, as the constitution declares, but the sole source of Kuwaiti law. I mentioned the Islamist view — that Islam itself prohibits the participation of women in politics — to the students at GUST, and wondered how such a religion could ever be reconciled with democracy. Shaikha Al-Ali, seven months pregnant and among those who had expressed little concern about lacking the vote, replied with steel in her voice and fire in her eyes that there was no problem because there was no contradiction between womens political participation and her interpretation of Islam. Nobody can say just when women in Kuwait will acquire the right to vote, but where the press is robust and free, where women avidly form voluntary organizations to help others and to advance their own interests, and where the willingness to live between cultures and to submit religious questions to the authority of ones personal judgment becomes second nature, respect for the just claims of equality cant be far behind. Women in Saudi Arabia Introduction Saudi women become the principle problem of Saudi society. Women in Saudi society are different from women in any other Muslim societies where women have political and social rights. Islam set up rules to regulates the relationships between male and female. Some countries as, Saudi Arabia, is considered male societies and have no value for women. In Saudi Arabia, males are considered the backbone of the societies and women do not share in any decisions about their lives. In this society women are forbidden their simplest rights as, discrimination against women is performed and the laws or other measures counteract discrimination are absence. The most important problems are education, working and marriage. Background Saudi-Arabia is considered one of the countries that emphasize religious aspects without its spirit. Women cannot have higher levels of education. If they want to work, they cannot work in high position. They have limited places for work. They cannot share in any important discussion and cannot hold any political positions. Women cannot depend on themselves. They only listen to their familys orders without refusing. In Saudi Arabia, women cannot choose her husband who will share her life forever. Authorities put wrong instructions for womens lives. They hide under Islams slogan, although Islam clarified womens rights in the society as, society is consider a combination between men and women and cannot be formed without one of the both. Education In the past Islam defined the family as a social arrangement regulating the bond among men and women. At the beginning, Saudi Arabia used the right rules of Islam toward women as; women were able to receive education in 1962 and were progressing in various fields. They were at the beginning to take their life like other Countries. The coming of Muslim brothers to Saudi Arabia sixties and seventies, escaping the tyranny of Gamal Abdel Naser and in Eighties , escaping the massacre of Muslim Brothers in Syria and their accession to Saudi citizenship and work in education.(Al-nabulsi). They controlled the education system and prevented the communication among gender. The society depends on the male power and authorities. Muslim Brothers thought that women are created only to be homemakers and bring children. Women were forbidden from their simplest rights that Islam has given to them. There are many countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia where women have social and political rig hts. These countries are like Saudi Arabia in their emphasizing on their Islam, but they applied the true rules of the society. From age to age traditional and customs moved from placed to another place and women prevented from their rights in the life. Women at work Before the spread of Islam, women were treated like animals. Islam raised the importance of women in the society and clarified all their rights to live a good life among male. During early Islam ages, women had the ability to be educated different types of educations and could work in the suitable places. The best example working women, the prophet wife who worked in the business. Saudi Arabia tried to follow the early Islamic ages, but authorities put wrong rules for womens lives. Women cannot complete their education to high levels as found in other countries. They must go to other countries to complete their educations. In their countries, they do not find available jobs for their educations because the society is male dominated which does not care about women. Women face a lot of obstacles at work due to the different traditions and customs in the society. They cannot reach to high political position. According to Samar Fatany, chief broadcaster for Radio Jeddahs English account for fifty-five percent of Saudi graduates but make up just under workforce. Marriage Other problems that face women are marriage. Most women do not have the ability to choose their husband they only listen to their family orders. In this society male does not know the real value of women. According to the family physician Maha Alatta, in the article Saudi women pioneers Divorce and polygamy are particular problems: These two problem are considered the most problems facing women in these societies Male has the ability to marriage four wives, Islam stipulated the polygamy as, a msn must treat all wives fairly and equally. According to the article Saudi women struggle to confront the religious guise of male power Mohammed Saqr clarified that women were better than they arrived of Muslim Brothers as, women could go shopping without covering their face. Muslim Brothers change the lives without using Islam rules as they said. Discussing the Situation There are a lot of conferences that were established to discuss womens problem in Saudi Arabia. According to the article Saudi Arabia: Gross human rights abuse against women. Which clarified the opinion of Prince Turki Bin Mohammed, when he was asked in the conferences of Amnestys campaign against human rights about the problem of women; he kept silent and said that suffering of women for no reasons other than their having been born female. In the same article, other examples of conferences that established for convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). Saudi Arabia has ratified several international labor organization (ILO) conventions. One of the clear evidence about this problem what happened in Nejd, Asir and south region. As Amal al Ahmari said that female artists are forced to sign their work with pseudonym because Saudi society looks down on them. According to the least world view to Saudi women, ninety-five percent of women are consider homemakers and they preferred sons than daughters. There are a lot of example that prove that women have fought for political and civil equality, when Saudi women derived car during the gulf war, they were immediately arrested and those working were dismissed. Conclusion The more pressures put on government in Saudi Arabia, the more conflicts in the society. Due to all these restrictions on women freedom, they leave their country to other countries enjoying all their right in different aspects of the life. No one can deny that a lot of women struggle and lost their life to have their rights without any benefits. Problem of Saudi women remain a complex one where women become the social problem in the country. Women are forbidden their simplest rights. They cannot educate to higher levels or setup in high position or choose their husband. All these problems can be solved in many steps; first the government must put new rules for the society including all rights of women as find in the Quran. Second, women must have the ability to educate, working in political position and have the ability to choose their husband. All other Arabic countries must help them to solve this problem by send professions in these problems. Women in Syria Introduction The role of the Syrian women in their country is intensified nowadays in many aspects of life. This is recognized by many organizations in many Europe countries. The traditions of Syrian women is discussed by women called Asma Al Asaad. The very noble posture of the young, elegantly beautiful Syrian first lady, Asma al-Assad, at the breakfast meeting reminded me of Nizar Kabbanis words. Kabbani, studying at Damascus University, asks, Is it the Syrian woman who gives her beauty to Syria, or is it Syria that gives her an inner beauty, nobility and femininity? As Asma al-Assad was born and raised in London, she is often asked just how much she has integrated into Syrian culture. The first lady said while she was living in London she went to Syria every summer and never found Syria or its culture strange. She described herself as embodying British-We stern culture. She emphasized they have also started in Syria the kind of revolution developing countries are currently experiencing. She was mostly impressed by the fashion show she watched in Istanbul, and said that the striking synthesis of the traditional and modern in the fashion world could be applied to real life. She firmly believed the traditional and modern will unite. Turkey is a very good model for us, Mrs. Assad said, stressing that Turkey with its synthesis is a role model for the region. The greatest obstacles facing women living in freedom and independently are the customs and traditions, she stated in perfect English. Syria does not only lead Turkey by 10.4 percent in the numbe r of women present in Parliament, it also overwhelmingly leads Turkey in women involvement in local politics. However, the woman is identified with her family not as an individual. The concepts of family and honor are binding for women in Arab culture. Though Mrs. Assad said, We keep asking for more, and we want more progress, it is obvious that the women involved in social and political events are all from the upper class. No woman from the middle or lower class can easily break through the invisible barriers. It is known that there were no civil society organizations (CSOs) until three years ago in Syria, where there is tight state control. Mrs. Assad, who heads the first civil society organization that was established by the state, is also the head of the independent CSOs, most of them established under state control. The word feminism in questions asked on feminism, headscarf and honor killings made her laugh slightly. I think this reaction stemmed from the conceptual structure of feminism in the East. Mrs. Assad tried to explain that there is individualism and an individual behind feminism, but the fact that Syrian culture is based on the family embraces the cultural structure with a different understanding. I listened to her without forgetting the 100 cases of honor killings that appeared in newspapers in 2000-2003. As I was listening to the first lady, I thought about the very colorful and diverse ethnic structure of Syria, where 30 percent of the population are Nusayris. Her role in the Family The womans role as a mother, sister, wife and aunt is important, not her individual rights and demands. 396 of the 767 business women in Syria are entrepreneurs who have established their own business. The newly established SYEA is the first association founded by young entrepreneurs. When she said, Syrian women are eager and ambitious, she made a realistic point, in my opinion. Women are in secondary positions in the society, and the customs and traditions crush them under the mask of religion. Religion is a very private and individual matter, she insisted. What is essential is the Holy Quran, not practical religion, and we must look at this, Mrs. Assad said, adding that she also believed in the importance of reaching a consensus with religious scholars. Hence, they have launched an educational project to make religious scholars work for the betterment of women. This is very important, in my opinion, to get women involved through persuasion and education — not by excluding th em The 20th century was that of men, and the 21st century will be that of women, she said as she was shaking hands with the participants. I believe a womans hand should reach out to the Middle East.† Her role at Work Nowadays the role of the Arab Syrian women in agriculture is intensified is as Two IFAD evaluations published in 1999 provide an important perspective on the role of women in agriculture. In Syria, farming usually a household activity, except among the wealthier farm households. Information on labour in agriculture shows that the usual pattern is that women are completely responsible for caring for the livestock and poultry. Grazing is the exception: here men do an estimated 37% of the work. In crop production, women participate at all stages. Womens farm work in Syria usually involves the following activities: ââ€"  planting; ââ€"  seeding, thinning, weeding; ââ€"  harvesting; ââ€"  fruit collection; ââ€"  crop residual collection and pruning; ââ€"  animal feeding (which often requires frequent trips to the fields to collect fresh fodder); and ââ€"  milking and egg collection. However, Syrian women have little role in marketing. In 91 % of households, marketing is a male task. There are obvious implications for control of income generated from the sale of produce or livestock. Rural women in Syria also tend to have little decision-making power within the household on the disposal of family income. A sociological survey of married rural women found that two thirds of them spent an average of six hours working outside the home. The other third spent seven to ten hours. While much of this time is likely to be spent on the above agricultural tasks, some also goes to fuel and water collection, particularly where sources are far from the home. In addition, women spend a considerable amount of time on work within the home, such as baking bread, preparing meals and looking after children and the elderly. Like women everywhere, they try to combine household tasks and productive tasks. Womens labour input is disproportion^ to their control of agricultural resources. An FAO study in Syria found the following pattern of ownership among women: land: only 5% animals: about 7%-8%, but with variation according to the type of livestock and the area of the country (males own about 97% of sheep, 93% of cows, 96% of goats and even 98% of chickens); and Agricultural machinery: 1%. The agrarian reform of the late seventies redistributed land to all farmers, and Sharis law rec

Privacy In The Information Age :: essays research papers

The world is changing rapidly. There used to be a time when we could be confident that no one could learn too much about our personal lives. There used to be a time when information was merely a way of keeping records. That time is gone and with it went a large amount of what we might call our personal privacy. Information about our personal lives has now become one of the most valued resources on the market today. The explosion of the computer and communications industries has created a system that can store vast amounts of data on an individual and transmit that information almost anywhere in a negligible amount of time. More and more people are gaining access to this information and the government has been too slow to react to the changes. As a result, employers, insurance agencies, law enforcement officers, and researchers are all lobbying for legislation that would establish clear rules for the access to this information. Each of these groups stand to gain enormous benefits from legitimizing access to a broad base of personal information. This information will be organized into vast databases that will be maintained by the government, credit report agencies, the health care industry, and employers. The system will come to contain information on virtually every aspect of our lives, the data will be quickly and efficiently transferred around the globe via the arising Global Information Infrastructure, and paper records sitting in file cabinets will become a thing of the past. However, considering current trends, what may be missed the most from the old system are the locks on those old, rusted file cabinets. This new system allows for a lot of access to previously confidential files and we are already seeing the negative effects that this system has produced. For example, employers and insurance companies have begun to discriminate against individuals based on samplings of a person’s or fetus’s DNA. As genetic testing and the human genome proje ct advance, there will be an even greater opportunity for discrimination based on characteristics or conditions that may, or may not, arise in an individual's future. To provide a background to the discussion, this report will establish who has access to what information today.

Psycho-Sexual Reading of The Fall of the House of Usher Essay -- Fall

Psycho-Sexual Reading of The Fall of the House of Usher      Ã‚  Ã‚   The idea that "The Fall of the House of Usher" is in part an investigation into sexual motivation and sexual guilt complexes has often been hinted at but never critically pursued as the dominant theme in the tale. But such a reading is at least prepared for in important essays by D. H. Lawrence and Allen Tate which make the essential recognition that "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a "love" story (1). Lawrence and Tate, however, mistakenly attempt to purge the love concerned of all physical meaning. What they see Usher wanting is possession not of Madeline's body but her very being (Lawrence, p. 86). Theirs is essentially an anti-biological reading of the tale in which the Poe hero tries in self-love "to turn the soul of the heroine into something like a physical object which can be known in direct cognition" (fate, p. 115). But if "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a drama of cognition, its cognitive impact is not circumscribed by "metaphysical speculation on the i dentity of matter and spirit" (2).    In this connection, Patrick F. Quinn's suggestion that Usher is a criminal merits attention (3). He is, in a biological reading of the story, a sexual criminal, and a critic like Richard Wilbur, who suggests that the poetic soul is out to "shake off this temporal, rational, physical world and escape . . . to a realm of unfettered vision," lifts us out of rather than urges us into the depths which humanity in the person of Usher has touched (4). Caroline Gordon and Allen Tate are closer to the truth when they call [column 2:] Usher "a 'Gothic' character taken seriously" and when they view "The Fall of the House of Usher" as "a serious story of moral perv... ...267. (5) Caroline Gordon and Allen Tate, The Ho?`se of Fiction (New York: Scribner's, 1960), p. 53. (6) See Albert Mordell's comment on the tale and Usher in The Erotic Motive in Literature, rev. ed. (New York: Collier Books, 1962), p. 173: "As we learn from psycho-analysis, morbid fear is inhibited sexual desire; it is reaction against the libido." [column 2:] (7) The editors of The Literature of The United States (Chicago: Scott-Foresman, 1949), p. 317, note 17, favor the more familiar explanation which links the doctor with a gang of body-snatchers. Thus Usher chooses to entomb his sister in the vaults of the house rather than in the family graveyard. (8) Darrel Abel, "A Key to The House of Usher," rpt. in Interpretations of American Literature, ed. Charles Feidelson, Jr. and Paul Brodtkorb, Jr. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1959), p. 53.

Compare and Contrast the Reasons Essay

Suppose you are taking a course on 19th-century America, and the instructor hands out the following essay assignment: Compare and contrast the reasons why the North and South fought the Civil War. You turn on the computer and type out the following: The North and South fought the Civil War for many reasons, some of which were the same and some different. This weak thesis restates the question without providing any additional information. You will expand on this new information in the body of the essay, but it is important that the reader know where you are heading. A reader of this weak thesis might think, â€Å"What reasons? How are they the same? How are they different? † Ask yourself these same questions and begin to compare Northern and Southern attitudes (perhaps you first think, â€Å"The South believed slavery was right, and the North thought slavery was wrong†). Now, push your comparison toward an interpretation—why did one side think slavery was right and the other side think it was wrong? You look again at the evidence, and you decide that you are going to argue that the North believed slavery was immoral while the South believed it upheld the Southern way of life. You write: While both sides fought the Civil War over the issue of slavery, the North fought for moral reasons while the South fought to preserve its own institutions. Now you have a working thesis! Included in this working thesis is a reason for the war and some idea of how the two sides disagreed over this reason. As you write the essay, you will probably begin to characterize these differences more precisely, and your working thesis may start to seem too vague. Maybe you decide that both sides fought for moral reasons, and that they just focused on different moral issues. You end up revising the working thesis into a final thesis that really captures the argument in your paper: While both Northerners and Southerners believed they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners defended their own right to self-government. Compare this to the original weak thesis. This final thesis presents a way of interpreting evidence that illuminates the significance of the question. Keep in mind that this is one of many possible interpretations of the Civil War—it is not the one and only right answer to the question. There isn’t one right answer; there are only strong and weak thesis statements and strong and weak uses of evidence. Let’s look at another example. Suppose your literature professor hands out the following assignment in a class on the American novel: Write an analysis of some aspect of Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn. â€Å"This will be easy,† you think. â€Å"I loved Huckleberry Finn! † You grab a pad of paper and write: Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel. Why is this thesis weak? Think about what the reader would expect from the essay that follows: you will most likely provide a general, appreciative summary of Twain’s novel. The question did not ask you to summarize; it asked you to analyze. Your professor is probably not interested in your opinion of the novel; instead, she wants you to think about whyit’s such a great novel—what do Huck’s adventures tell us about life, about America, about coming of age, about race relations, etc.? First, the question asks you to pick an aspect of the novel that you think is important to its structure or meaning—for example, the role of storytelling, the contrasting scenes between the shore and the river, or the relationships between adults and children. Now you write: In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops a contrast between life on the river and life on the shore. Here’s a working thesis with potential: you have highlighted an important aspect of the novel for investigation; however, it’s still not clear what your analysis will reveal. Your reader is intrigued, but is still thinking, â€Å"So what? What’s the point of this contrast? What does it signify? † Perhaps you are not sure yet, either. That’s fine—begin to work on comparing scenes from the book and see what you discover. Free write, make lists, jot down Huck’s actions and reactions. Eventually you will be able to clarify for yourself, and then for the reader, why this contrast matters. After examining the evidence and considering your own insights, you write: Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave â€Å"civilized† society and go back to nature. This final thesis statement presents an interpretation of a literary work based on an analysis of its content. Of course, for the essay itself to be successful, you must now present evidence from the novel that will convince the reader of your interpretation.

Fireweed Case Study Essay

Introduction Fireweed is a short story written by Skye Brannon about a special day in Baluta’s life. Baluta is an uneducated carpenter in U.S.A, and lives with his brother Jato and the brother’s wife Sama. Baluta has had a rough background, he was witness to his father and sisters death, and had to flee to America, from Libya from war and hate. Main Theme There are several themes in the story, such as, culture difference, racism and poverty, but all these, are sub-themes. The overall main theme of this short story must be to cherish the present, and take nothing for granted. The fact that Baluta saw his dad getting killed and his sister raped and killed, is a view into an absurd world of violence and hate, described without many feelings. â€Å"He saw his father, swinging from a tree, on a rope†[1], and â€Å"He saw little Alonso’s ten-year old body, limp, naked in the sun, being passed from one soldier to another, his pants mingling with the dust.†[2] This is a matter of course that he will never take anything for granted, because he has learned that he will never know when it’s going to stop. A more positive sign on the main them, of this short story, is that he is actually having a better life now, in America. And he won’t take that for granted even though, there are a lot of other people with muc h better conditions, like Tiffany. The way the story is structured Fireweed is written with a third person narrator who is omniscient. All the actions are seen from Baluta’s point of view. â€Å"Cold like Kpatawee Falls back home, Baluta thought. Yes, today would be a remembering day† page 9, line 9. In this quote it’s clear that the narrator is omniscient since he knows what Baluta thinks. The story is told in the past tense, except for the quotes which are in present. The short story is simple to read, because of the uncomplicated language that is being used. It also makes it easier to read when something in the text that catches your attention, like the dialogs between the two brothers, Baluta and Jato, because they speak with an African accent. â€Å"†Dese Americans,† Jato said, â€Å"if you tell dem your mandika name, dey look loke you’ve given dem a riddle†Ã¢â‚¬ .[3] The story also contains a few flashbacks which might get a bit confusing. It is not possible to figure out the story before the end, because a lot of important details are revealed that you won’t be able to guess. It keeps the author’s attention, and helps out to keep the story exciting and interesting. A Characterization of Baluta/Joel Baluta/Joel is a person that doesn’t seek conflicts or controversies with other people which you can see on page 9, line 17 â€Å"Baluta felt awful for this, but he had to work to get a car, and needed a car to get to work† and again at page 10 when Tiffany asks Baluta to smash down some dirt which in the theory isn’t his job, but he just says â€Å"Sure, miss† because he is a nice person. â€Å"Could you please smash down that pile of dirt?† Another example of Baluta trying to fit into the new society that he is in, is shown by him changing his name from Baluta to Joel, just so he won’t be a victim of racism. The fact that Baluta fled from Liberia to a country where he has all these opportunities, that U.S.A provides, makes him not take anything for granted, and I think that Skye Brannon took Tiffany into the story on purpose because she is the exact opposite of Baluta, a rich, white, lady. â€Å"†This has got to be fixed.† She looked at Baluta for confirmation. Baluta nodded, but saw nothing wrong. The cabinet was of beautiful hardwood.†[4] This quote helps to characterize both Baluta and Tiffany. The Setting The story is built up around three environments; the first one is in America, where Baluta lives with his brother and the sister in law. They live very poorly, with cold water in the shower and a car in bad condition, which they don’t have enough money to fix. â€Å"When he was several numbers away, he took his foot off the gas. He hoped he could glide to a stop in front of the correct house, otherwise, the Swiss Chevy would let out a loud squeal when he hit the brake.†[5] This quote shows that they have to take a lot of alternative methods in use, to make it through the day, like saving money on the car. The next environment is even poorer, we hear about his life in Libya. â€Å"When they would get back to their hut, a square in the shanty-town quilt shadowed by a mountain, Alonso would always tell Grandma Awa that Baluta had caught some fish.†[6] Even though Baluta lives in the lower economic class in the U.S, it’s still far better than what he would have obtained in Libya. The last environment is at Tiffany’s house, where Baluta has a job to do. She is a rich woman with a big house, big lawn, and apparently also big signs of prejudices against African people. â€Å"When he got out of the car, he noticed a frightened look on her face and that she clutched a phone in her hand†.[7]In this quote it is easy to see that, because she belongs to the upper-class, she feels that poorer people might only be here to steal. This is important because it proves the point of one of the story’s theme, racism.