Essay about Literary Analysis of The Odyssey - 784 Words

The Odyssey is a celebrated epic filled with many different themes, motifs, styles, and characters that could be examined in vast detail, but the theme of hospitality is a reoccurring one throughout the entire narrative. Homer writes about examples of both great hospitality and very inhospitable characters in his epic poem. Hospitality in The Odyssey creates definition of how individuals are either punished or rewarded by the gods. In the time of The Odyssey, not only large tracts of land separate civilizations, but also natural barriers and mythical obstacles. People could not have made the journeys that they made if they were not able to rely on other peoples for food, shelter, protection, and†¦show more content†¦Another example of generous hospitality is when Odysseus landed on the shores of Skheria, land of the Phaiakians. They give him a boat full of supplies and send him sailing home, but Poseidon had not finished teaching Odysseus a lesson. Zeus, not wanting to interfere with his brother, allowed him to destroy the Phaiakians and their boat while allowing Odysseus to live. They were punished because the dared to interfere with the gods punishment of Odysseus. In Book Fourteen, the swineherd shows very generous hospitality to a disguised Odysseus. He gives him food and wine to drink. Although the food he is served is quot; the pork of slaves,quot; the swineherd gives him plenty to quench Odysseus hunger (448). He is pleased with the swineherd at the courteousness that he shows. Odysseus tells him, quot;May Zeus and all the gods give you your hearts desire for taking me in so kindly, friend (447).quot; The swineherd is blessed by the mighty king and will surely be rewarded greatly for his kindness. Grudging Hospitality When hospitality was not freely given, for example, when Kirke turned most of Odysseus men into animals. She gave them drink and when they had lost all sense, she quot;flew after them with her long stick and shut them in a pigsty--bodies, voices, head, and bristles, all swinish now, though minds were still unchangedquot; (393). She even attempted to turn Odysseus into anShow MoreRelatedOdyssey Literary Analysis2667 Words   |  11 PagesThe Author and his Times The author of the Odyssey, to this day, remains unknown. Early Greeks have accredited works such as the Homeric Hyms, The Iliad, and The Odyssey to an individual by the name of Homer. However, there are some scientists that insist these said works were product of a group of people and not one man. This particular group of scientists claims that the subject matter of the writings is too diverse for them to have been the product of just one person. Despite these differingRead MoreLiterary Analysis of the Odyssey Essay783 Words   |  4 PagesBrains over brawn, who will win this battle?Homers tale of Odysseus adventures in â€Å"The Odyssey† show that being intelligent and cunning can be far better than having physical strength. Being physically strong certainly has its advantages, but not in all circumstances. Strength in intelligence shows new meaning of strength. Odysseus is amused with himself when he defeats Polyphemus. His great skills with a bow outweigh the others a bilities. Knowledge of the placement of his bed win his belovedsRead MoreLiterary Analysis : The Odyssey And The Popol Vuh Essay1456 Words   |  6 Pagesin them. These archetypes have been either very noticeable or farther under the surface, the stories, poems and folklore are not all the same by any means but they do have some similarities besides the fact that they are all old. Ranging from The Odyssey to The Popol Vuh. The way of describing which archetype is in the stories is by thinking of an onion, that layer by layer seeing the archetype is more under the surface than the last, so the most significate is a scapegoat that is within all six storiesRead MoreNarrative Means By Julie Beck1184 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to the dictionary, narrative means â€Å"a spoken or written account of connected events; story; the narrated part or parts of a literary work, as distinct from dialogue; the practice or art of telling stories; a representation of a particular situation o r process in such a way as to show or conform to an overarching set of aims or values; a discourse, or an example of it, designed to connect a succession of happenings† (n.d.). Julie Beck, a writer from The Atlantic blog, stated that â€Å"narrativeRead MoreEssay about Analysis of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s Epic Poem Ulysses1191 Words   |  5 PagesTennyson’s poetry, from English folk law characters such as King Arthur that featured in â€Å"Morte D’Arthur and other Idyllis† to the Greek mariner and adventurer Ulysses. The character of Ulysses has featured in many great epic poems, most notably Homer’s â€Å"Odyssey† and â€Å"Iliad† and Dante’s â€Å"The Divine Comedy†. Tennyson although not unique in his characterisation of the Ulysses, he does however provides a different representation of the Greek hero, than his peers and predecessors’. We discover Ulysses afterRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Into the Wild1669 Words   |  7 PagesLiterary Analysis of Into The Wild Imagine spending thirty days alone in a tent or a cabin in the wilderness with no technology, electricity, running water, and any form of communication. Every day you wake up to the sight of the beautiful, tall trees and the various wildlife living in the area. Most of the time, you can hear the many sounds of nature: the majestic songs of birds, the whistling in the wind, and trees rustling. But sometimes all you can hear is nothing but silence. Most of usRead MoreCharles Baudelaire And Victor Hugo976 Words   |  4 Pagesmasses. After the world wars, literature had become a very powerful tool of exclaiming emotional relevance and many attributes of life to the whole world. Literature expanded in a number of vivid field by the end of the 20th century and the thematic analysis of poetry did not align as a sync in Europe. The Structural Sync : Beowulf is the oldest product of English literature; it is an epic poem narrating the adventures of Beowulf who becomes the king of Geates. We witness how the oldest forms of literatureRead MoreThe Epic Of The Ramayana887 Words   |  4 PagesAn ancient literary monument that incorporates a rational perspective and approach towards life helps a person resolve infinite conceivable questions, unlock morals and ethics, and approach enlightenment. The Ramayana, a relic with sacred relevance not only to India, but all of humanity, consolidates the innumerable queries by humans, answers them with morality, principals, and philosophical beliefs. This Indian heroic epic poem, comprises of approximately 24,000 verses, is mostly written using theRead MoreA Critical Appraisal of: Beowulf and Gilgamesh Essay examples1640 Words   |  7 Pageshave major social, cultural, and political impacts on the development of western civilization literature and writing. Before any analysis is made, it is vital that some kind of a foundation be established so that a further, in-depth exploration of the complex nature of both narratives can be accomplished. The epic of Gilgamesh is an important Middle Eastern literary work, written in cuneiform on 12 clay tablets about 2000 BC. This heroic poem is named for its hero, Gilgamesh, a tyrannical BabylonianRead MoreArchetypal Literary Criticism Essay1614 Words   |  7 Pages In Literary Criticism, there is an idea that believes that Archetypes make up literature’s meaning. The concept of Archetypes in literature has been the subject of extensive examination in Literary Criticism. â€Å"Criticism can be broken down into two broad categories: evaluative and interpretive† (Gardner 1287). The criticism is based on Literary Theory, which is composed of ideas that help interpret, and analyze literature. Everything in literature has a meaning, and many different people came

Essay on Kenneth Branaghs Adaptation of Frankenstein for...

Kenneth Branaghs Adaptation of Frankenstein for the Cinema The story of Frankenstein has been set in the Georgian period. The story line can be cut briefly to a crazed scientist (Victor Frankenstein) thinking he can play God. He tries to bring a creation to life and once succeeding he realises the terrible mistake he has made and sets about trying to correct it - by murdering it. The Monster sets out for revenge killing family members one by one, ending with them both dying in ice covered mountains. Kenneth Branagh has re-told this story from Mary Shelleys novel, Frankenstein. Branagh has been very careful when creating this movie, and because of it, the movie has said to be a movie that†¦show more content†¦This is a form of expressionism, of how Branagh has created this movie from the adaptation of a novel and managed to make it very powerful emotionally to the viewer. The class structure of the film plays a big part in the story line, from Victor being at the top of the upper class scale then coming down to the middle class such as the Nanny working for Victors family and then ending right down towards the lower class, the poverty of the working people in the town. Throughout the story Victor and the Monster are both shown to be outsiders. Victor began to get ideas in his head about being able to create a new life, starting to hide himself in his lab for weeks on end studying and experimenting. He begins to lose touch with the outside world and becomes extremely isolated. I think the Monster becomes alienated from the moment it is created. It breaks out of the lab, which is ironic as Victor tries to lock himself in the lab, and roams the disease ridden streets. He is exposed in the town and the townspeople immediately try to rid him from the town by chasing him and using physical violence towards the Monster. The Monster fleas the town, actuall y wanting to exclude himself from the outside world because of the way he looks andShow MoreRelatedA Comparison of Film Techniques of Two Film Versions of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein1861 Words   |  8 PagesA Comparison of Film Techniques of Two Film Versions of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Mary Shelley wrote her novel Frankenstein when she was just a young girl of nineteen. She wrote it in 1816, when she went on holiday with her friend, Byron. Byron was already a famous poet, and it was him who suggested that whilst they were away, they should both write a ghost story. At the time it was just a way of passing time and having fun for Mary Shelley, but little did she know thatRead More Opening Sequences of Frankenstein by James Whale and Kenneth Branagh5160 Words   |  21 PagesOpening Sequences of Frankenstein by James Whale and Kenneth Branagh Frankenstein Compare the opening sequences of Mary Shelleys novel Frankenstein filmed by James Whale (1931) and Kenneth Branagh (1994). Describe and account for the major differences and similarities between the versions. The gothic horror novel, Frankenstein, was written by Mary Shelley during the Industrial Revolution, which was a period of dramatic change. It was a groundbreaking and controversial novelRead MoreMary Shelleys Frankenstein Different Film Techniques Essay1849 Words   |  8 PagesMary Shelleys Frankenstein Different Film Techniques Compare and contrast the way in which the directors of Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1994) and Frankenstein (1931) use different film techniques to build up atmosphere in their opening sequences: The two films I will be addressing in this essay are Kenneth Branaghs and James Whales versions of Frankenstein, a horror novel written by Mary Shelley in 1816, when the author was 19. The incentive for it was

Review of Six Modern Plagues Free Essays

Title: Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them Apollo Casco College of DuPage Abstract This paper is a review of the book â€Å"Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them†. Discussing about the causative agents of each plague and how we increased the severity of each; Mad Cow Disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy), Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Salmonella, Lyme Disease, Hantavirus, and West Nile Virus. Millions of people have died because of these diseases that can easily transfer from person to person or from animal to person, by eating half cooked meat, or simply a mosquito bite. We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Six Modern Plagues or any similar topic only for you Order Now Keywords: mad cow disease, hiv/aids, salmonella, Lyme disease, Hantavirus, west Nile virus Six Modern Plagues and How We Are Causing Them Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, the technical name for mad cow disease, first struck in a cattle farm in England in 1984. The infected cow started acting strangely. As the disease progresses, the cow developed head tremors and became unsteady, then became violent. The veterinarian who is trying to diagnose what is happening with the cows concluded that the disease is attacking the brain. Further study of the brain of the infected animal revealed a sponge like appearance of the brain. It took sixteen (16) years before the authorities in agriculture pointed out what is causing the disease into the cattle. â€Å"Rendering†, recycling of animal parts that usually go to waste was turned into high protein feed for herbivores like the cows, sheep, and goats. This process was stopped on year 2000. Disregarding the dietary boundaries of animals caused bad effects on the animals itself and into humans as well by consuming their meat. Centers for Disease and Prevention alarmed the public in 1981 about the emergence of an agent capable of suppressing the immune response on humans; a new virus. Because the virus attacks the immune system, they named it â€Å"acquired immunodeficiency syndrome†. The AIDS virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was first found on the blood of a person from Congo who is a part of malaria research; the year was 1959, and this is currently the earliest documented case of HIV-1 infection. While working at Pasteur Institute in Paris, two French virologists, Francoise Barre-Sinoussi and Luc Montagnier, identified the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS in 1983 (Abbott, Allison, Geoff Brumfiel, 2008). HIV attacks the immune system by destroying CD4 positive (CD4+) T cells, a type of white blood cell that is vital to fighting off infection. The destruction of these cells leaves people infected with HIV vulnerable to other infections, diseases, and other complications (DOH, 2008). A Pan troglodyte troglodytes is a subspecies of chimpanzee was the primary host of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Transfer of bodily fluids from handling of meats of infected animals gave rise to AIDS. From the persons who prepare the meats to be sold to the market got themselves infected through cuts on their skin with blood of the infected animals. The disease will further widen its network through sex from an infected person. Salmonella typhimurium DT104, is a deadly strain that haunted people and livestock agriculture for three (3) years. Salmonella typhimurium bacteria became resistant to antibiotics because of human actions. Farm owners abused the use of antibiotics. Rather than keeping their animals clean, they find it cheaper to use antibiotics to protect them from infection due to crowded and dirty living conditions in the farm. Antibiotics are added into their diet to make them grow a little faster. Newborn calves are given antibiotics to prevent infection. They are weaned immediately after birth deprived of milk from their mother that is rich and full of antibodies. Through the phenomenon known as natural selection, each generation of the bacteria grows more resistant with the continuous exposure to drugs. Antibiotic Fluoroquinolone worked to treat the bacteria. As most of people know that a bulls-eye rash appears when somebody had a Lyme disease. From the past, the telltale story about the bulls-eye rash was used by physicians as the main diagnostic criteria rendering a negative diagnosis. The truth is, the bulls-eye rash formation only occurs in 9% of cases (Internet, story) Deforestation decreases the population of keystone species, causing the increase of population of deer that carries the tick that causes Lyme disease. Mouse and chipmunks are also carriers of the tick. Because of radical changes people have made to the landscape, the ecological balance tipped on one side. Muscle pain, stiffness of the spine, lost of appetite, agitated, fever, shivering, are the symptoms of the disease. If detected early, a three week course of antibiotic will fix the problem. To the Navajos, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is nothing new. A disease usually fatal infection that causes victims to drown on their own fluids. The disease coincides with the phenomenon known as El Nino. Strong rains make the population of mouse to increase. The mouse’s urine is the source of infection. References Last, F. M. , Last, F. M. , Last, F. M. (YEAR). The article title: And the article subtitle. The Journal Title, vol#, page–page Abbott, Alison, and Geoff Brumfiel. Nobel for AIDS virus discovery, finally. † Nature 455. 7214 (2008): 712+. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Feb. 2012. Document URL http://0-go. galegroup. com. lrc. cod. edu/ps/i. do? id=GALE%7CA188847600v=2. 1u=cod_lrcit=rp=AONEsw=w Department of Health and Human Services. National Institute of Health (2008). National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Retrieved from http://www. niaid. nih. gov/TOPICS/HIVA IDS/UNDERSTANDING/Pages/whatAreHIVAIDS. aspx (Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, 2012) How to cite Review of Six Modern Plagues, Papers

Blakes poem Essay Example For Students

Blakes poem Essay Songs of Innocence and Experience. (1794)by William Blake. Songs of InnocenceIntroductionPiping down the valleys wildPiping songs of pleasant glee,On a cloud I saw a child,And he laughing said to me: Pipe a song about a Lamb:So I piped with merry chear. Piper, pipe that song again So I piped: he wept to hear. Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe,Sing thy songs of happy chear:So I sung the same again,While he wept with joy to hear. Piper, sit thee down and writeIn a book that all may read So he vanishd from my sightAnd I pluckd a hollow reed, And I made a rural penAnd I staind the water clearAnd I wrote my happy songs,Every child may joy to hear. The Shepherd How sweet is the Shepherds sweet lot!From the morn to the evening he strays;He shall follow his sheep all the dayAnd his tongue shall be filled with praise. For he hears the lambs innocent call,And he hears the ewes tender reply. He is watchful while they are in peace,For they know when their Shepherd is nigh. The Ecchoing GreenThe Sun does ariseAnd make happy the skies,The merry bells ringTo welcome the Spring:The skylark and thrushThe birds of the bushSing louder aroundTo the bells chearful sound,While our sports shall be seenOn the Ecchoing Green. Old John with white hairDoes laugh away careSitting under the oakAmong the old folk. They laugh at our play,And soon they all say:Such, such were the joysWhen we all girls ; boys In our youth-time were seenOn the Ecchoing Green Till the little ones wearyNo more can be merry,The sun does descend,And our sports have an end:Round the laps of their mothersMany sisters and brothers,Like birds in their nest,Are ready for rest:And sport no more seenOn the darkening Green. The Lamb Little Lamb, who made thee?Dost thou know who made thee?Gave thee life ; bid thee feedBy the stream ; oer the mead:Gave thee clothing of delight,Softest clothing, woolly, bright:Gave thee such a tender voice,Making all the vales rejoice:Little Lamb, who made thee,Dost thou know who made thee? Little Lamb, Ill tell thee,Little Lamb, Ill tell thee:He is called by thy nameFor he calls himself a Lamb. He is meek he is mild,He became a little child:I a child thou a lamb,We are called by his name:Little Lamb god bless thee,Little Lamb god bless thee! The Little Black BoyMy mother bore me in the southern wild,And I am black, but O! my soul is white;White as an angel is the English child,But I am black, as if bereavd of light. My mother taught me underneath a treeAnd sitting down before the heat of day,She took me on her lap and kissed me,And pointing to the east began to say: Look on the rising sun: there God does liveAnd gives his light, and gives his heat away:And flowers and trees and beasts and men receiveComfort in morning, joy in the noon day. And we are put on earth a little space,That we may learn to bear the beams of love:And these black bodies and this sunburnt faceIs but a cloud, and like a shady grove: For when our souls have learnd the heat to bearThe cloud will vanish; we shall hear his voice,Saying: Come out from the grove, my love care,And round my golden tent like lambs rejoice. Thus did my mother say and kissed me:And thus I say to little English boy;When I from black and he from white cloud free,And round the tent of God like lambs we joy, Ill shade him from the heat, till he can bearTo lean in joy upon our fathers knee:And then Ill stand and stroke his silver hair,And be like him and he will then love me. The Blossom Merry Merry SparrowUnder leaves so green,A happy BlossomSees you swift as arrowSeek your cradle narrowNear my Bosom. .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .postImageUrl , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:hover , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:visited , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:active { border:0!important; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:active , .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34 .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9d3163db9510d4e0e0c18321328f6b34:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Genre of Clowning (Theatre, Drama, Arts) EssayPretty Pretty RobinUnder leaves so green,A happy BlossomHears you sobbing sobbingPretty Pretty RobinNear my Bosom. The Chimney-Sweeper When my mother died I was very young,And my father sold me while yet my tongueCould scarcely cry weep weep! weep weep!So your chimneys I sweep in soot I sleep. Theres little Tom Dacre, who cried when his headThat curled like a lambs back, was shavd, so

Plot Summary Essays - Othello, Iago, Michael Cassio, Emilia

Plot Summary Iago is passed over for a promotion by his commander, Othello, a Moor and a general in the service of Venice, and vows revenge. Othello has just married Desdemona, the daughter of Brabantio, a Venetian Senator, and Iago enlists the aid of Roderigo, a rejected suitor, to tell Desdemona's father about the marriage. Brabantio goes to seize his daughter, but is interrupted by news of a Turkish attack on Cyprus. The Duke and the Senate convene, and after hearing Desdemona and Othello testify to their love for one another, they allow her to accompany him to Cyprus, which he will defend against the Turks. Iago, whom Othello regards as honest and trustworthy, is given charge of Desdemona on the journey. At Cyprus, Iago has Roderigo start a brawl, in which Cassio, Othello's lieutenant, wounds another man. Othello strips Cassio of his command, and Cassio goes to Desdemona to ask her to convince her husband to reinstate him. Iago, meanwhile, sets about convincing Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful to him{with Cassio. Through innuendo and pretended hon- esty, Iago makes Othello almost mad with jealousy, until the Moor names him his lieutenant and makes Iago promise to help him kill Cassio and Des-demona. Desdemona has lost a handkerchief that Othello gave her as a love-token, and Emilia, Iago's wife, _nds it and gives it to her husband. Iago plants the handkerchief in Cassio's house, and then arranges for Othello to see Cassio give it to his mistress, Bianca. Othello is now convinced that Cassio has betrayed him with Desdemona, and that Cassio is aunting his sexual conquest by giving Desdemona's handkerchief to a common whore. Othello begins abusing his wife in front of messengers from Venice, who are amazed to see this change in a man they thought to be noble. That night, Othello tells his wife to wait for him in bed and goes out to walk about the city. Iago has convinced Roderigo that if he kills Cassio, Desdemona will sleep with him, so Roderigo attacks the former lieutenant. Cassio is saved by his mail shirt and wounds Roderigo; Iago ees, stabbing Cassio as he goes. Othello, passing, hears the cries and thinks that Cassio is killed, and so returns to the castle to kill Desdemona. Meanwhile, Iago and the Venetian messengers _nd the wounded men; Iago secretly kills Roderigo and sends Emilia to the castle with news of the brawl. Othello awakens Desdemona, tells her that she must die, and strangles her. Emilia returns and _nds her mistress; Desdemona revives for a moment and then dies, saying as she passes away that Othello is innocent of her death. Her husband, however, proclaims his own guilt, and as the others return, Emilia realizes her husband's plot and exposes it. Iago, furious, stabs her and ees; he is captured, and ordered to be tortured to death. Othello, heart-stricken, makes a _nal speech in which he passes sentence on himself, and then commits suicide. He falls beside Desdemona.

Critical Thinking Essay Essay Example

Critical Thinking Essay Essay Example Critical Thinking Essay Essay Critical Thinking Essay Essay Essay Topic: Critical Thinking Critical thinking essay example As a result of series of unfortunate events, I may have what it takes to survive in a desert. By looking at the conditions present, the land mass is 400 meters away, with fluctuating currents and sometimes tropical storms that hit the shores are severe. This means that there are minimal chances despite the method one ought to employ that may be used to reach the nearest land mass and join my family. To survive in this desert environment, I have to eliminate some of my mates one by one for the environment to continue supporting my life. Since the environment provides arable land and potable water, I will advise the farmer to plant trees to provide us with shelter as the desert do not have an apparent shelter. However, after the trees grow to adequate heights, I recommend that the farmer should make a canoe and take with him the minister as our spokesman to the nearest land mass to ask for help. The idea here is to reduce the number of people who will be dependent on the environment for survival. Since there are tropical severe storms, currents fluctuating and the land mass is 400 miles away, the carpenter and the minister will not have a chance to survive and reach the closest land mass. Due to the severe storms and fluctuating currents the two might drown to death, reducing the number of individuals depending on the environment to survive. Why is critical thinking important With three mates (the doctor, farmer, and hunter) remaining on the deserted Island, I will now exploit their skills and abilities to survive on the island. The arable land will be enough for the farmer to grow more edible vegetation and perishable food to add onto what the environment provides for us. The arable water will also be sufficient for the farmer to irrigate the edible vegetation and perishable food in cases where the temperature remains high for long periods. This will provide us with enough food to support us for more extended periods. The skills of the hunter will be instrumental in getting the game meat. The hunter is the only individual who can hunt wild game animals as food sources. This will also increase the amount of food that the group needs to survive on the island. Besides, I will also be able to learn hunting skills to fend for myself in case the hunter dies from any infection from edible vegetable or wild animals food. The doctor will also be important in the deserted island. He will use his knowledge to treat in cases of any infections. Finally, the unfortunate events give suggestions of how when faced with difficulties in the environment. It is only the fittest animal that survives in such a harsh environment as all the rest might be wiped out by the environmental constraints. A call for help from outside is, therefore, more challenging and dangerous than finding means of survival on the deserted island. The environment will be able to support three people compared to the five people.

Descartes' Method of Doubt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Descartes' Method of Doubt - Essay Example Also in the introductory remarks, Descartes very clearly explains why he believes that leveling all of his beliefs and starting over is the only way to cure science from false and uncertain beliefs. Reason now leads me to think that I should hold back my assent from opinions which are not completely certain and indubitable just as carefully as I do from those which are patently false. So, for the purpose of rejecting all my opinions, it will be enough if I find in each of them at least some reason for doubt (Descartes, 12). He does not want to simply eliminate the beliefs that he knows for certain are false. He wishes to find indubitable knowledge, and the only way to accomplish this is to reject every belief he possibly can--from the obviously false beliefs to the beliefs that have only the most remote and improbable reason for doubt. Descartes then advances to the first category of beliefs he wishes to cast doubt on--beliefs gained from the senses. Descartes points out that most of the beliefs he is most certain of come from the senses, but that he has noticed that the senses sometimes are deceiving, such as â€Å"with respect to objects which are very small or in the distance† (Descartes, 13). ... Descartes does come up with a reason you could doubt this belief though, by proposing a new scenario. The scenario imagines is one where you are caught in a dream. Everyone has had the experience of being in a dream and thinking it is real until waking up, regardless of how fantastical the dream might be. Descartes admits it could certainly be possible that the arms and body he sees do not belong to him, but are part of a dream (Descartes 13). However, he points out that its doubtful that things like arms and hands do not exist altogether, because ideas in dreams are often based on what has been seen in real life. Even if these body parts were made up though, there are certain beliefs that still cannot be doubted, such as the existence of colors, and the fact that all bodies are extended (Descartes, 14). He points out that even more certain while dreaming are truths derived from mathematics, â€Å"for whether I am awake or asleep, two and three added together are five, and a square has no more than four sides† (Descartes, 14). This realization that the most certain empirical truths are merely the existence of bodies and colors, while truths gained through reason such as mathematical truths, leads Descartes to conclude that truths in the sciences are less certain than truths in Mathematics. Descartes then moves to his final level of doubt, by coming up with the most remote and unlikely, but most powerful scenario yet. He asks us to suppose that there is an evil genius that is infinitely powerful and intelligent, who wishes to trick us into thinking even the most certain things are true. Descartes admits that if such a being exists, even the basic truth that two plus three equals five can be called into doubt. This forces him to come up with his final, most essential

International Marketing assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Marketing assignment - Case Study Example Analysts predict that by 2010 the fast food segment will account for half of all food service growth during the first decade of the 21st century. McDonald's has been able to capitalize on this trend and expand globally. Their international operations are very significant to them because a sizeable portion of revenue is generated through franchisees. While the US and Europe each account for 35% of the revenues, France, Germany and the UK collectively account for 60% of the total revenue. In Australia, China and Japan, they have 50% owned-affiliate account under the equity method which account for nearly 50% of the revenues. These six markets are the major markets for the company. More than 70% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by independent local people. At the end of 1006, the company had 31,046 restaurants in 118 countries out of which 18,685 are operated by franchisees, 4195 by affiliates and 8166 are operated by the company. McDonalds, the leading global food retailer, serves 52 million people each day. Since most of its restaurants are franchised, they do not have a director in charge of international operations separately. Instead, they have different heads in charge of specific regions. For instance, they have a President - Europe supported by four different Presidents in charge of Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Divisions. To handle other regions they have President - Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa. 2. They claim to be committed to listening to the customers and to being open and direct about facts surrounding the food, people and the restaurants. McDonald's has frequently been accused of resorting to unfair and unethical business practices. While McDonald's has often been accused on various grounds, the beef-fries controversy in 2001 revealed the negligent and the irresponsible way that is unexpected of a global player of the magnitude of McDonald's. 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 (Mukund, 2002). The French fry suppliers do use a small amount of beef flavoring agent as an ingredient in the raw material. The ingredients in 'natural flavors' 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. In the fast-food outlet sector, the management is faced with the dual challenge of providing high standards of service to the satisfaction of customers both at home and across borders with their own cultural differences. According to Ritzer (1993) the fast food segment is the organizational force representing and extending the process of rationalization and encroaches on individual identity (cited by Keel, 2006). McDonald has been charged with undermining cultural diversity and destroying the viability of local communities (Rifkin, 2001) for example, in India, consumers recently trashed McDonald's restaurants for violating Hindu dietary laws. McDonald did make some adaptation to

The Economic development of Russia 1929-1945 Essay

The Economic development of Russia 1929-1945 - Essay Example 1929-1945 was possibly the greatest transformative period of time in Soviet history; partly due to the occurrence of the Second World War lasting from 1939-1945 and partly due to its leadership. During this period, Stalin combined his hold on power and was allowed to rule with liberty, establishing his â€Å"revolution from above† on the Soviet people1. His rule extended from 1922-1952 and was therefore responsible for majority of the economic transformation at the time. He substituted the New Economic Policy (NEP) instituted by his predecessor with a highly centralised planned (command) economy. This launched a period of collectivization and industrialization that caused rapid transformation of the USSR into an industrial power from an agrarian society. The initial disruption in agriculture unsettled food production and contributed to the disastrous Soviet famine of 1932–1933, which in Ukraine was known as the Holodomor2. Afterwards, in a period that continued from 193 6 to 1939, Stalin established a movement against suspected enemies within his administration - the Great Purge – during which hundreds of thousands were executed. In August 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed by Stalin and Nazi Germany that distributed their power and territory within Eastern Europe, causing the invasion of Poland later in September of that year. Germany later dishonoured the agreement and in June 1941 initiated a substantial invasion of the Soviet Union. In spite of numerous territorial and human losses, Soviet forces succeeded in halting the Nazi incursion following the decisive Battles of Stalingrad and Moscow3. After overwhelming the Germans on the Eastern Front, Berlin was captured in May 1945 by the Red Army, effectively ending the Second World War for the Allies in Europe. Consequently the Soviet Union arose as one of two acknowledged world super-powers, the United States being the other4. This aim of this paper is to analyse the events that occurred

Leadership And Management Theory And Practical Application Management Essay

Leadership And Management Theory And Practical Application Management Essay As the world of business changes, so do the theories in the management and leadership. For example, if just a 5 decades ago, the major focus when running the company, was on the management, today the situation is drastically different (Lawler, 2006). Today, the leadership has taken a greater role in the process of running a company, and the management theory has undergone a tremendous evolution, giving the rise to the human relations movement (Lawler, 2006). While the new management theories have been gaining the popularity, the review below will show that, the scientific management has not lost its importance. The debate over which one is more important for a company, the management or the leadership, has been a controversial topic for decades. According to the theories currently discussed in the academic and professional circles, it seems that the opinions are divided. However, all sides seem to agree that both, leadership and management are important aspects in the process of running a company (Lawler, 2006). More on this topic will be discussed in the later chapters. At this point it has to be noted that, the leadership and management, both have their unique functions, methods of development and application, and most importantly, have their advantages and disadvantages (McGovern, 2002 ). Furthermore, which one is more exercised and applied in a company is highly dependent on the culture, history, tradition, education, and the business philosophy. In order to better understand the importance and roles the leadership and management play, three countries prospective will be discussed below: US, Germany, and China. Theory of leadership and theory of management What is leadership? While the definitions vary, it seems that there is a consensus that, regardless of the leadership theory employed, leaders provide visions, goals, and get people united behind a shared idea, values, and believes. Theories of leadership are multiple; trait theory, functional theory, transactional theory, transformational theory, path-goal theory, and many more (Van Vugt, 2011). However, whatever the theory, there are common aspects that all of them share, and that is, success of a group is a result of two factors: Leadership style. Situational favorability. The leadership style depends on the multiple factors such as: ethnicity, culture, social background, education, experience, and character (Van Vugt, 2011). Regardless of these factors, it seems the leadership approaches have been segregated in to two broad groups: relationship oriented, and task oriented. In the first case, the relationship oriented, the leaders tend to focus on the people, and try to communicate the vision based on the relationship, personalities, and values (Van Vugt, 2011). In the second case, the task oriented, the leaders try to unite people behind a task or a goal they are attempting to accomplish. The situational factors depend on: leader-follower relations, task structure, and the position power. Among them, the most notable ones are the first and the third aspects. First is the relationship a leader has with the followers, and the third one is the amount and the formal of power a leader has, and how he chooses to exercise it in leading an organization (Van Vugt, 2011). What is management? According to a classic definition, management is an act of organizing and planning of the human and material resources in order to accomplish the desired plans and objectives (Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, 2003). Furthermore, management is involved in the organizing, planning, budgeting, directing, and controlling of these resources in order for the goals and objectives to be fulfilled effectively and efficiently. The management theories are numerous, but they all seem to follow the principles provided in the two dominant theories in management, the scientific management theory, and the human relations theory. The scientific management theory, also called Taylorism, is a theory which focuses on analyzing and synthesizing the work flows. The primary goal of the theory is to accomplish the superior economic efficiency, especially when it comes to the labor productivity (Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, 2003). The human relations movement is a theory which views the organizations in the psychological prism rather than the mechanical parts prism. Thus, it focuses on the social relations, motivation, and the employee satisfaction (Kaufman, Beaumont, Helfgott, 2003). Discussion Management and leadership; comparative analysis The argument that leadership is more important than management is, or vise versa, has not been settled. Some argue for one, and the others highlight the importance of the other. However, they all agree that the leaders and managers provide a valuable contribution to the organizations (Lunenburg, 2011). The first one to take a stand on the roles of the leadership and management was Abraham Zaleznik, in 1977 in the Harvard Business Review (Lunenburg, 2011). He argued that, leaders and managers play a vital role in the organization, but their functions, roles, and impacts are different. According to him, leaders promote the change and development of the new approaches, while the managers advocate for the stability and the status quo. Furthermore, leaders are concerned with the peoples understanding and gaining their commitment, while the managers are focused on the responsibilities, exercising authority, and accomplishing the immediate tasks at hand (Lunenburg, 2011). However, in 1990 John Kotter has offered his view on the roles and importance of the leadership and management in the organization (Lunenburg, 2011). As he argued, the roles of the leaders and managers are important in organizations, but they are different, and they are complementary. This was a big change in how the two concepts were viewed in the business as well as the academic circles. As Kotter argued, the role of leadership is to cope with change, while the role of the management is to cope with the complexity. According to Kotter, the leadership process is focused on: developing the vision for the organization, getting people on board through the communications, and motivating people via empowerment and basic need fulfillment (Lunenburg, 2011). Thus, leadership creates change and uncertainty in the organization. On the other hand, management is concerned with: planning and budgeting, organizing and staffing, and controlling and problem solving. Thus, management reduces the uncertainty and provides the stability in the organization (Paauwe, 2004 ). Thus, based on the above discussion and views, it is obvious that, depending on the views on the leadership and management, there are aspects that differentiate the two, and there are areas which may overlap. According to the older views, the overlaps are much more common and large, and according to the latest views on the roles and functions of the leadership and management, the common areas are much smaller (Paauwe, 2004). As it seems, the latest views, ones presented by the Kotter, seem to be more mainstream. In order to see the differences Kotter has advocated for, the following paragraphs will highlight the differences more precisely. Five categories of comparison between the management and the leadership will be used: thinking process, goal setting, employee relations, operations, and governance (Lunenburg, 2011). The five categories in the leadership prism (Lunenburg, 2011): Thinking process; focus is on people, and looks outward. The day to day activities are completely out of the focus and interest. Goal setting; communicates the vision, describes the future; sees a forest in other words. It uses broad strokes, general descriptions, and leaves the details to others. Employee relations; empowers people, develops trust, commitment, and builds collegial relationships. Operations; does the right things, advocates and promotes change, serves subordinates; promotes bottom up approach. Governance; uses influence, trust, respect, and acts decisively. It is less about the authority, and more about the agreement and on-boarding. The five categories in the management prism (Lunenburg, 2011): Thinking process; focuses on the tasks at hand, and focuses inward. It is about the things that need to be done in order to accomplish the vision set out by the leader. Goal setting; executes plans, oversees the processes, focuses on the present day; sees the trees in other words. Employee relations; controls, subordinates, directs, and coordinates. It is much more functioning relationship which is based on the formal foundations. Operations; does the right thing, manages and oversees the implementation of the changes, and serves the superiors in the organizational hierarchy. Governance; uses authority, reduces and prevents conflicts, and acts responsibly. Thus, as the above discussion has shown, Kotter has been right when he argued about the differences and the complementarily. As the category descriptions above have shown, the leadership is about the general visions, while the management is about getting things done. Practical applications of management and leadership As the discussion above has shown, the roles, focus, and the practice of leadership and management have changed over time. While the earlier practice and application have overlapped more, today they are much different. The practice of the leadership and management are different based on the two major factors: the environmental stability and the task complexity. Quadrant 4 Considerable leadership and management required Quadrant 3 Considerable leadership, not much management necessary High Change Quadrant 2 Little leadership but considerable management required Quadrant 1 Little leadership or management required Low Low Complexity High Figure 1: leadership and management and the impact of change and stability (BoÃÅ'ˆrsch, 2007) As you can see from the figure 1 above, there are four distinct scenarios where the leadership and management are playing different roles. The conditions and the degrees of change and complexity are expressed in the four quadrants indicated in the four different colors. As you can see, the horizontal axis represents the degree of the complexity, and the vertical axis represents the degree of change required. Lets discuss the roles of the leadership and management in each of the quadrant, representing the four scenarios organizations may face in the business environment. Quadrant 1; this is the case when there is little leadership or management is required. This environment exists when the change is not required, or the requirement is low, and the complexity of the task is low as well. This was the case before 1900s, when the technology was simple, and the demand was somewhat uniform (Brewster, 2008). Quadrant 2; this is the case when the leadership is not as important, but requires considerable management. This environment is characteristic to the slow growth or stagnant economies, where the leadership doesnt accomplish a lot, and the management is the one responsible for finding the new ways to achieve growth (Krug, 2004). Quadrant 3; this is the case when an organization faces a high turbulence in the environment, and has little complexity in the tasks to be accomplished. This environment is characteristic to the companies undergoing reforms, changing cultures, and transformation. Here the leadership takes charge, and guides the company through the tough times (Carter, Ulrich, Goldsmith, 2005). Quadrant 4; this is the case when both, the management and the leadership is hard at work in order to stabilize the environment, and accomplish the difficult tasks (BoÃÅ'ˆrsch, 2007). This is the case in the highly volatile environments where the tasks are difficult to get done. One example would be a post soviet Russia, where companies faced considerable challenges in terms of the environment, as well as the task complexities. It was caused by the two factors; first it was the political instability. Was Russia going to adopt the capitalist system or was it going to go with the old, soviet system? Second, the lack of clarity on who was in charge, what the regulations were, and how they were applied, was a challenge, and the local managers were in charge of getting things done (Ardichvili, and Kuchinke, 2002). As the matrix above has shown, there are different circumstances, and the requirements for the roles of the leadership and management change accordingly. However, as the debate continues on which one to apply and use more, there are two combinations that might arise. First it is the weak leadership and strong management. In these companies, the focus is on the short term goals, details, reducing and eliminating the risk, and basing everything on the rational decision making process. Furthermore, the management focuses on fitting the people to the jobs, and making sure the compliance is adequate (Carter, Ulrich, Goldsmith, 2005). The consequence of this type of governance is sometimes unintended, but nonetheless, it is catastrophic for the organizations. As a result of the weak leadership, an organization becomes rigid, less innovative, and most importantly, unable to change as the environments changes. Processes become micromanaged, and there is a slow but steady deterioration in the productivity, effectiveness, and motivation (Carter, Ulrich, Goldsmith, 2005). In the case of the strong leadership and weak management, the situation is somewhat different. In this case, there is a strong vision for the future, but there is no short term planning and budgeting. In these types of organizations, there is cult-like culture, where there are no rules, regulations, structures, and specialization. As a result, the organization becomes hard to control, deadlines are not met, the coordination becomes poorer and poorer, and often times the organization collapses due to the lack of the day to day management (Carter, Ulrich, Goldsmith, 2005). Thus, as the practical application of the leadership and management has shown, it is critical to strike a golden balance which will assure the long term vision, flexibility, as well as the planned and well managed procedures which will guide the company to a desired goal. Multi-country prospective: US, Germany, China When looking at the leadership and the management in the multicultural prospective, it is interesting how the approaches differ. Lets look at how the practices are implemented in the three countries. US; as it seems, the American companies are striving for balancing the management and the leaderships roles more than any other countries named below. In addition, American leaders are building their roles based on the charisma, and rely less on the power. In terms of the management, its all about the professionalism (Carter, Ulrich, Goldsmith, 2005). Germany; in the case of Germany, its all about the management, and less about the leadership. The balance can be described as 60/40. Thus, German companies put more emphasis (relatively speaking)on the getting things done, and doing them right (BoÃÅ'ˆrsch, 2007). China; in the case of China, the balance shown in the German case tips further to the managements side. In China, management is responsible for getting things done, but the leadership holds the most power (Qiao, 2006). This is not observed in any of the previous two cases. In the US and Germany, the balance of power, as well as the responsibilities, are much more evenly and adequately allocated. Conclusions As the review has shown, the roles, the views, and the overall approaches to the leadership and management, have changed dramatically over the years. While in the beginning of the 20th century, the roles were somewhat not relevant and less important, as the world economy grew and the competition, as well as the instability increased, the roles of the leaders and the managers have grown in importance (Lawler, 2006). Not only the roles have grown, but the views on which is more important, and in what context, have changed as well. As Kotter indicates, these two professions have different functions, different purposes, different scopes of operations, and are complementary rather than conflicting with one another. The earlier views which stated that leaders where promoting change and uncertainty, and the managers were for the stability for the status quo, have changed (Brewster, 2008). Today leaders dont promote the change, rather they cope with it, and the managers, they deal with the complexities. Thus, the conclusion is, leadership is critical in the changing world. They set the visions, goals, and see the bigger picture. Managers on the other hand, they are the ones who make sure things get done. They are the planners, organizers, and the fixers. In other words, the leaders are architects, and the managers are the builders; and the right balance between them is absolutely necessary in any organization.

Free Essays - Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

Tale of Two Cities The main purpose of this book is to show the contrasts between the peaceful city of London and the city of Paris, tearing itself apart in revolution. This is apparent in the very first line of the book, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...." This is a contrast of the two cities, London, the tranquil home of Mr. Lorry and the Darnays'; and Paris, the center of a bloody revolution. The author shows gentleness in these violent times in the persons of Dr. and Lucie Mannette, both gentle and peaceful. He also characterizes the evil side of the revolution in the apathetic and depraved Misuser and Mademoiselle Defarge, who go about their business while death carts roll-- as do heads-- through the streets of Paris. He does though, depict a ray of light amongst all this evil; the heroic Carton, who gave his life for his friend and a woman he knew he would never have. The biggest contrast of all, is in the person of Misuser Darnay, the gentle English family man, who is also related to the evil Marquis Evremonde. I personally like stories that use historical events as backdrops because it brings these seemingly distant events closer to us. This book definitely offers insight into life in the two cities at the time of the French Revolution. I think it does an excellent job of depicting just how totally involved some people became in the revolution. It shows how people were blinded by the desire for freedom from their former oppressors, so much so, that they attacked anyone and anything that was even remotely related to their past rulers. I think this was effectively done by excellent characterization, using each character to depict a different aspect of society, then contrasting them by making them rivals. I really took away a different view of that time period. Some of the language he used was definitely outdated. The language was exactly what you would expect for a novel of that time period. I was able to follow the story pretty well, although there were a few times, in switching back and forth between cities, that I got a little lost Still on the whole I liked the way the story flowed. Unlike some stories of that time, there wasn't really any profanity or taking of God's name in vain, which is always good to see.