Critique of Stuff Is Not Salvation

Valued Possessions vs. Insignificant Desires Anna Quindlen, a novelist, social critic, and journalist wrote an intriguing essay â€Å"Stuff is Not Salvation† about the addiction of Americans, who splurge on materialistic items that have no real meaning. The ability to obtain credit is one of the main reasons to blame for society’s consumption epidemic. However, Quindlen feels the economic decline due to credit card debt is insignificant compared to the underlying issues of American’s binging problems. Quindlen’s essay gives excellent points regarding the differences in America’s typical shopping habits. Additionally, she mentions how people acquire all this â€Å"stuff† but seem to never realize, â€Å"why did I get this? †(501). Quindlen makes her audience visualize a world where we acquire our needs versus our meaningless desires. Yet, she fails to mention people who could live a life of happiness through the possessions they acquire. In summary, Quindlen supports her point of view with examples of American spending habits in the past decades of depression compared to now. She mentions Black Friday and how people become enthralled by cheap bargains (Quindlen 500-501). In Quindlen’s essay, she refers to an accident in which a worker at Walmart was trampled to death by a mob of shoppers and despite the horrific incident people kept shopping (500). With the U. S. depression, Black Friday brings hopes of more money spent, therefore a rise in the markets. The dream of an uplifted economy became unrealistic as people began to realize they could not afford their desirables, not even at a low cost. Today, Americans have an exorbitant amount of credit debt so they can acquire items that they want, without actually paying for them outright, for example, the Chatty Cathy doll Quindlen wanted in her childhood compared to the orange her dad received that had to be paid for (500-501). According to Quindlen, a family having less means they can appreciate possessions more and what they possess therefore has real meaning (502). Quindlen’s essay gives strong points about America’s addiction to consumption, the economic decline, and the necessities of life. There are plenty of examples that Quindlen gives to make her point across, that American’s spend money unwisely. For instance, in one of the examples, she mentions how every 16 months a person replaces a cell phone because it’s not as new anymore, and how toys are forgotten that eventually end up being junk (501). Quindlen then states the obvious â€Å"stuff does not bring salvation† (501). However, she lacks examples of cases where people’s wants actually provide the happiness they usually expect. Rich people, for example, have an extra sense of security because the worry and stress that belong to the poor is something the rich don’t have and don’t want. Plus, who wouldn’t want to afford desires such as not living pay check to pay check or putting their kid(s) through college? Sometimes not being able to afford these items can bring on depression or verbal abuse into a home. The reader’s would have a better understanding of the essay if she included some of these situations. Overall, Quindlen portrays her idea of happiness not being the materialistic things in life, but by the things that have true meaning. By true meaning, I believe she means items such as photographs that have a significant memory attached to it. She jokingly states, â€Å"Ask people what they would grab if their house were on fire, the way our national house is on fire right now. No one ever says it’s the tricked-up microwave they got at Wal-Mart† (502). She brings her essay together nicely by asserting examples from her childhood, the U. S. depression, and a family that is happy with what little they have. The essay brings belief to the reader that in today’s society many people spend money on things that end up being junk and take for granted the needs they should possess. People make investments that they later come to realize have lost their value because they did not really need it. Even though she made some valuable points in her essay, more than likely America will still make unnecessary expenditures. Therefore, with Quindlen’s idea that â€Å"stuff is not salvation,† there needs to be more examples shown of people who can afford their wants and with that they are still able to obtain happiness (501). She does however prove her point that the items we possess should have more of a priceless value rather than items we could live without. If stuff is not salvation why do so many of us seek more income to possess more items? This question is simple to answer with more research on people that don’t have the worries of the less-fortunate. Again, while we shouldn’t be materialistic, we shouldn’t just settle for less, nor should we be greedy and keep wanting more. Quindlen’s views made me reevaluate my spending habits and hopefully the next time I purchase something I can answer the question â€Å"Why did I get this? †(501). Ultimately, Quindlen’s essay is interesting and worth the read. WORD COUNT: 865 Work Cited Quindlen, Anna. â€Å"Stuff is Not Salvation. † Perspectives on Contemporary Issues: Readings Across the Disciplines. 6th ed. Ed. Katherine Anne Ackley. Boston: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012. 500-02. Print.

Communication Today

Many people have started taking short cuts in our modern world. The human population is doing everything they can to speed through life. One such short cut is the way society communicates. Though out the last several decades the technology that has connected all walks of life has dramatically changed, it went from word of mouth to the written word, to telephones and beyond. Now texting and wall postings are forms of communicating with friends and family all over the world. Many believe that these kinds of networks are destroying our communications as a society. However, these networks allow people to stay in constant connection with many people at once, they are convenient, and safe to use. Social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and many others connect people to all their friends and extended family members all at once in a number of ways. One such way is by statuses update which is when people say what is on their minds or what they might be doing that day. Another is posting pictures of just about anything so that family members who otherwise wouldn’t see them until a get together if at all could see them. People who are no longer near their loved ones benefit the most from these status updates. This constantly updated form of communication is almost as good as being with the loved one. With people all over the world using networking sites they have become more excusable, from being available at local public libraries to the convenience of being at the ready on a personal cell phone or other hand held devices free of charge. The convenience this has added allows people to not only update their statues at any time, but also post pictures of what is going on in their daily lives on the spot no matter where they are from their wireless devices. This enables all the friends and family connected to that persons page to know what is going on in someone's life who they may not get a chance to talk to on a daily bases. Facebook as well as many other sites are very safe to use (if the proper measures are taken) that everyone has started making pages, from kids in middle school all the way up to those kids grandparents. Such sites allows the user to set it up their page anyway they want. They give many choices on who is allowed to view that particular page. The options consist of blocking the page from everyone who is not on the user’s friends list and not being able to be found in a search, to having a completely open page where anyone can see all that the sight as to offer. †¨Most of these sights also have restrictions to where would be users are blocked from using the sites at all, or with other such precautions Everyday people are becoming afraid that our communication between friends and families are breaking down a little more every second. This is simply not true; in fact it is the opposite because of how rapidly technology is changing it allowing us to communicate at any given moment with all our friends and family. With statues updates and wall postings at our finger tips we are more connected at any given moment now than ever before. Sites like Myspace, Facebook, and many other are the main way that people in today’s society communicate do to the face that as a group we are speeding through life at warp speed.

The Four Agreements

The Four Agreements The Four Agreements After reading The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz I realized I’ve been living dreams of other people in my life and not my own. It was decided early on what I should do, what’s possible and what’s not. Starting at birth we are told what to think by our parents, schools, and church. Subconsciously, we have made agreements with them to live our life according to their rules. Don Miguel believes that these agreements are self-limiting and shares four agreements that if we adapt into our lives we will reach true peace and happiness.The book made so much sense to me, but the hard part is to actually commit to living out the four agreements. In short, the four agreements are listed below: Be impeccable with your words. Speak with integrity and say what you mean. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. Avoid gossip and remember words do hurt. Dictionary. com definition of impeccable is â€Å"incapable of sin† and a sin is something you do or believe that goes against you. At this point of my life I try to be nothing but the truth and I’ve learned from past experiences not to gossip about others because I understand the emotional power of words.This agreement states that one should speak with integrity and by being impeccable with yourself will in return reflect in your life and world around you. I pride myself on usually keeping my word. Don’t Take Anything Personally. Get over yourself – it’s not about you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. I remember a time in my life when someone said something about me and it meant more than what I thought and knew new to be true about myself.Over the years I’ve learned that what someone else thinks and/or says about me no longer matters. One day I w oke up and I said to myself â€Å"I’m taking back my power over me. † I guess that day I made an agreement with myself not to let what others think dictate my life. I finally realized that people will talk about you whether you’re doing good or bad. Don’t Make Assumptions. Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstanding, sadness and drama.With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life. We make assumptions because we need explanations (to our questions) to address what’s going on in our own minds. The mind is a powerful thing and our minds have different voices and personality that can create a lot of confusion. When I make assumptions there is always conflict that follows. I know now that through communication we can arrive to resolution. This agreement rings true for me and has caused disappointment and sadness in my life to be at a point in my life that I can ask for what I want.Always Do Your Best. Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret. I don’t always feel as if I did my best—I never have, too. In this agreement I know it mentions that your best is going to change from moment to moment. I would like to experience my best more often. To truly give my best I have to be moved in some kind of spiritual way.That is the only time I feel as if I’m doing something I want versus something I have to do. The more my life is shifting into trying to live more in the moment I’ve realized the more I do my best and the better I become. Three years ago I went into my personal dream(s) and started changing my agreements. I began to embark on a journey of self-healing. It was purely about finally living in peace, openly and fr eely, but first I needed to revisit some old childhood wounds that had been holding me hostage my entire life.I began to pray daily in preparation to deal with the many demons that resides inside me. If I had kept the agreements given to me by my household and neighborhood while growing up, I would be in a mental institution or dead. As a child, I had no choice about what agreements that were instilled in me, but now I can create my own. I feel as if I’m living an impeccable life and am being true to the disciplines of a Toltec Warrior. http://archpsyc. ama-assn. org/cgi/content/abstract/68/1/33

Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Projects - Essay Example This is to ensure that they maximize the benefits accrued from the resources and are able to deliver the best results within the shortest time possible. Proper project management also ensures that the costs of a project are kept at a minimal (KOSTER, 2009: 321). This paper looks at two different project one by the Nokia company and another one by Microsoft Company. This information is the used to give recommendation to the CEO of Branby Solutions PLC as the company plans to expand its projects to the international market arena. Microsoft Windows project that became successful Microsoft company windows project that was launched in the year 1984, was very successful. It was not successful because it as one of its kind, but because it was well managed. Moreover, the company licensed different companies around the world to sell its product. The company therefore benefited from the company existing distribution network without making extra investment. Since the introduction of the first w indow 1.0 in 1985, Microsoft continue to the sole operating window provider having monopolized the industry and continue to produce modified operating systems with the latest one being windows eight. Nokia International Smart-Phone Project Although Nokia has been a leading player in the mobile phone industry, it has failed terribly in the introduction of its Smartphone in the international markets. ... Nokia failed in recognizing the needs of the users as it has always done. Moreover, since it introduced it product after Apple’s Smartphone had become popular in the market; it took a second place (DINSMORE & CABANIS-BREWIN, 2011: 239). Nokia Lumia is also of a lower quality than other Nokia handsets. This is because the camera, which is one of the most admired features in Nokia product quality, is lower than that of its previous models. Discussions Findings Reasons Why Microsoft project succeeded Focus on development of one product. While Microsoft competitors were focusing on a wide range of products and would not renew them until the production of the next product. Microsoft focused on efficiency. Wide distribution network: Microsoft got its global presence by licensing different companies around the globe to sell her products. Innovativeness: Microsoft windows are innovative and focused on meeting the changing needs of the people. Why Nokia Smartphone Project failed Nokia has also invested a lot in advertising the Nokia Lumia instead of investing in the prompting the quality and uniqueness of the product. Its lack of innovativeness and not being on the forefront in satisfying the changing needs of the people failed. There is poor communication between Nokia and its customers and vice versa. It is not able to meet the needs of the client. It should be able to get the feedback from the client to learn their needs and use this information to create products that meet this need. Strategies of Project Management From the examples of Nokia projects that failed and succeeded above, five strategies that can be used to make an international project successful have been

Birthday Story of Private John G. Burnett Assignment

Birthday Story of Private John G. Burnett - Assignment Example In May 1838, federal army troops under the command of General Winfield Scott began arresting the Cherokee and moving them in the stockade until they could be removed west. In this exodus, he even lost his wife, who succumbed to pneumonia after giving out her only blanket to a child (Byers 8). Party politics in a big way contributed to the removal. The U.S. government formally adopted a removal policy, carried out in the 1830a when President Andrew Jackson, from Tennessee, who was a forceful proponent of Indian removal. President Jackson began aggressively to implement a broad policy of extinguishing Indian land titles and relocating the Indian population. Out of altruism, the troops treated the tribe members so unkindly, and the roundup was very cruel. Families were separated; the elderly and the ill were forced out at gunpoint and herded into forts with minimal facilities and food, something which resulted in many deaths of the Cherokees (Byers

Mood disorder part #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mood disorder part #2 - Essay Example An abused child may alternate between periods of irritability and periods of worthlessness and helplessness. What is interesting is that during these phases emotional upheaval those who come in contact with her may be unaware of her dilemma and accuse her of unsociability, violence and as having total disrespect for members of her society. Fundamental signals of depression in children may be a sudden change in academic performance as well as an apparent change in personality. A specific illustration of such a change would be that an energetic and intelligent child may suddenly become lethargic and appear to be disinterested in school work and other activities that formerly brought pleasure. Such a child may in fact begin to disrespect teachers and other classmates but this child would never dare to disrespect the abuser. Foul language, inappropriate behavior such as promiscuity, fighting and stealing may be the order of the day for such a child. It is usually at this juncture that a teacher may become concerned and request the assistance of guidance officers and social workers. Not only are emotional and behavioral signs present in the depressed child but also a mounting number of physical complaints. The child may begin to complain of headaches and stomachaches. This child may even experience difficulty in sleeping patterns. Further, there may be an abrupt increase or a decrease in appetite. Eventually one major incident between an authority figure and the child may lead to the child having and voicing desires of committing suicide. This desire to commit suicide may be expressed quietly to a trusted authority figure or shouted loudly as a threat to another individual in authority. On the other extreme this child may also voice the desire to fatally harm another individual. Clearly, the depressed child would manifest differently to adults who may still have the ability to hide their true feelings at times. The child suffering from depression due

NextEra Energy Inc., Strategic Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

NextEra Energy Inc., Strategic Plan - Essay Example Currently, the chairman and CEO of the NextEra Energy Inc. is James L. Robo, the President and Chief Executive Officer at NextEra Energy Resources is Armando Pimentel, the Executive Vice President and General Counsel at NextEra Energy, Inc. is Charles E. Sieving, the President and Chief Executive Officer at Florida Power & Light Company is Eric Silagy, the Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer at NextEra Energy, Inc. Moray P. Dewhurst and the Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Services at NextEra Energy, Inc. is Deborah H. Caplan. Today, NextEra Energy Inc. is one of the leading providers of affordable, clean and reliable energy. The company has three subsidiaries, the principal subsidiary, FPL, NextEra Energy Resources and FPL Fibernet. By the end of fiscal year 2013 the company’s net income reported $1.9 billion. The NextEra Energy Inc. is a leading clean-energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. The company is holding 191th position in the list of 2014 Fortune 200 companies. The company was founded in 1925 as Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) there was a desperate need of a dependable supply of electricity. The company was founded by Thomas Edison and the General Electric Co., which was later purchased by American Power & Light. On a later date, the company was consolidated by American Power & Light to Florida Power and Light Company (FPL). The unexpected patchwork of ventures included small electric producing plants, ice plants, water, gas, fish, sawmill and road auto organizations, telephone, steam laundry, an ice plant, a limestone quarry, a sponge fishing boat and even 35 mules and wagons (Nexteraenergy.com 2014) . The company started its operations with 76,000 gas and electric customer accounts, 230 mile transmission lines and 1,139 miles of distribution lines. At the time the production capacity of the FPL was 70 megawatts and 8Â ¢ was charged at an average price per kilowatt hour for residential

Fruit and Vegetables in Australian Market Essay

Fruit and Vegetables in Australian Market - Essay Example Agriculture does not play a dominant role in the economy of the country and its share of Gross Domestic Product is only three percent. "Gross farm product (GFP), which is a measure of the value added in production contributed by businesses classified to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) Subdivision 01 (Agriculture). In 1999-2000 GFP was calculated to be $17.6 billion, or just under 3% of gross domestic product." (7113.0- Agriculture, Australia, 1999-2000 2006). Still the country produces a wide variety of crops including fruits and vegetables. Even though Australia is self sufficient in agriculture, the country also imports fruits vegetables and other agricultural commodities mainly due to rising process of domestic produce and increased demand. "The report says that the rising population and demand, low productivity growth and increasing Australian horticultural prices relative to world prices, will place considerable pressure on imports." (A ustralia: Imports Threaten Fruits and Veges 2008). It would be pertinent to find out how the producers from different parts of this vast country are able to market their produce to the local population. The backbone of the fruit and vegetable market in the country is handled by what is known as the Australian Central Markets. There are six central markets in the country and it is responsible for handling a majority of the fresh produce in the country. "The majority of Australia's fresh produce is either traded or transhipped through Australia's central markets." (About the Market). The concept was a recent one that started operations in 2001 with the purpose of streamlining the wholesale market of fruits, vegetables and flowers in the country. According the above mentioned website, the Central Market Association of Australia is the coordinating agency of the six central markets who are members of this nodal agency. The six member association spread representing nearly all of the fru it and vegetable market in the country are The Adelaide Produce Markets Limited, Brisbane Markets Limited, Melbourne Market Authority, Newcastle Market Pty Ltd., Perth Market Authority and Sydney Markets Ltd. The market is not open for business by individuals for domestic use. This study will focus only on the Melbourne Market Authority since it is representative of the whole country. This market comprises of nearly 600 producer and wholesaler outlets and 140 wholesale trading units. The website says that "Over 1800 individual fruit and vegetable buyers representing independent greengrocers, supermarkets, restaurants and food processors source their produce direct from the Market. Many more receive deliveries and consignments from the Markets." Hence this figure also represents the retail market of the country. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables are available for purchase and resale. About 86 varieties of fruits and nearly eighty five varieties of vegetables are available here which is ultimately made available to the individual consumers. It includes apples to bananas, beetroot, breadfruit, Changko Manis, Chive (Onion Chives), Currant (Red Currant), Fig, Gooseberry, Hogg Plum, lemon, Loganberry, Mango, Olive, Pea Shelling, Potato, Strawberry, Turnip, Winged Bean etc. (Market Fresh News 2008). This list is just to show the wide variety of common and exotic fruits and vegeta

Confidence Interval of Proportions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Confidence Interval of Proportions - Assignment Example 1) Have you completed the weekly reading assignment? Yes I have. 2) For the first problem, what is the Margin, and what are the lower and upper confidence limits? The margin of error is 0.0568 and the confidence interval is between .2933 and .4067 or simply (29.33% to 40.67%). 3) For the second problem, what is the Margin, and what are the lower and upper confidence limits? The margin of error is 0.03624 and the confidence interval is between .286 and .3585 or simply (28.6% to 35.85%). 4) For the third problem, what is the required sample size? The required sample size is 545. 5) Does the confidence interval estimate vary from sample to sample? Yes it does. A large sample size improves the precision of the confidence interval (Rumsey, 2005). This is because large sample size results to smaller standard errors meaning that the confidence interval will be narrower and clear-cut .As such, the choice of the sample size influences the confidence interval to use. 6) What percentage of all confidence interval estimates contains the true population parameter? The percentage will depend on the confidence level from the given problem or the significance level (alpha) that the researcher has decided to use.

Types of Literature Essay Example for Free

Types of Literature Essay 1) Novella A novella is the name given to a work that is longer than a short story, but too brief to be listed as a novel. Typically, most novellas can range from anywhere between 50 to 100 pages, though length can vary. Some literary critics characterize the maximum length of a novella to be 100,000 words. Today, the novella is rarely sold as an individual work. More frequently, several novellas are compiled into one book, or a novella will be grouped with a number of short stories by the same author. (Ex. John W. Campbell’s Who goes there? ) 2) Novel A novel is a fictional piece of prose usually written in a narrative style. Novels tell stories, which are typically defined as a series of events described in a sequence. The novel has been a part of human culture for over a thousand years, although its origins are somewhat debated. Regardless of how it began, the novel has risen to prominence and remained one of the most popular and treasured examples of human culture and writing. (Ex.Moby Dick by Herman Melville) 3) Poetry art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts. (Ex. How to change a frog into a Prince by Anna Denise) 4) Drama is a literary composition involving conflict, action crisis and atmosphere designed to be acted by players on a stage before an audience. This definition may be applied to motion picture drama as well as to the traditional stage. (Ex. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare) 5) Short Story are written works that are usually fiction. They are sometimes known as micro fiction or flash fiction, and they are exceptionally short pieces that tell a story in a brief amount of space and time. Most short short stories are shorter than 1500 words, and some are even as short as 500 words. It is exceptionally difficult to tell a complete story in such a short amount of space, so these types of stories can be quite a challenge for writers. Literary magazines and other websites or print publications will often print such stories to fill a small amount of space at press time. (Ex. The Clever Fox)

Driver For Change In Bbc Resources Management Essay

Driver For Change In Bbc Resources Management Essay Evaluate the importance of business processes in delivering outcomes based upon business goals and objectives P1.1 Describe the structure and culture of an organisation and evaluate the inter-relationships between the different processes and functions of an organisation P1.2 Identify the mission, aims and objectives of an organisation and analyse the effect of these on the structure and culture of the organisation. P1.3 Define the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisations objectives and functions and evaluate the output of the process and analyse quality gateways Learning Outcome 2: Develop plans for their areas of responsibility and implement operational plans P2.1 Develop plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility and ensure plans are consistent with legal, regulatory and ethical requirements P2.2 Use objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way. P2.3 Prepare and agree implementation plans which translate strategic targets into practical efficient and effective actions. P2.4 Manage work activities to prevent ineffective and inefficient deviations from the operational plan through effective monitoring and control P2.5 Implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives and goals of the plan in the most effective and efficient way, on time and to budget and to meet organisational standards of quality. Learning Outcome 3: Design and monitor appropriate systems to ensure quality of product and services P3.1 Define the resources, tools and systems required to support the business process. P3.2 Define and implement quality audit systems/practice to manage and monitor quality to standards specified by the organisation and process operated. P3.3 Embed a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring and development of the process. Learning Outcome 4: Manage health and safety in the workplace. P4.1 Carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements and ensure appropriate action is taken. P4.2 Identify health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations and ensure these are correctly and effectively applied P4.3 Systematically review organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and that they comply with the appropriate legislation and regulations P4.4 Ensure practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. Learning Outcome 5: Improve organisational performance. P5.1 Monitor systems and work activities and identifyproblems and opportunities for improvement P5.2 Recommend improvements which align with the organisations objectives and goals and which result in a reduction in the variation between what customers and other stakeholders want and what products, processes and services deliver. P5.3 Identify the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation P5.4 Plan, implement and evaluate changes within an organisation Please go through the case below and attempt tasks in the assignment. DRIVER for change in BBC resources Background. London Operations, part BBC Resources Ltd, provides studio, outside broadcast and post production facilities to customers both within and outside the BBC. It was hemorrhaging money at the rate of over  £ 7 million (c. $ 10 million) a year. It was overstaffed and locked into inefficient, outmoded work practices. Under Producers Choice, it was being increasingly ignored by BBC program makers who were going outside the corporation to obtain better terms for production facilities. Under political pressure, the Corporation was so concerned that it was considering selling off all or part of BBC Resources. The companys management required insight and plans to determine whether Resources Ltd could become competitive, and how it could rapidly implement the changes needed to transform the business from its current loss-making situation . Resources management carried out a program of improvement that began with a review of the London Operations to assess current performance, recomended the necessary steps to achieve profitability and to plan and implement the changes. A rigorous analysis of key drivers and levers for cost and performance was carried out. Core processess were identified and mapped and an approach to improvement was adopted, bringing together changes in people, technology and processes. Delivery and Support processes were appraised and simplified, current rules and assumptions governing these processess were challenged and opportunities for radical re-engineering highlighted. The review suggested ways in which the situation could be completly turned around. Resources management used these finidngs to support its case that the facilities should be kept in public ownership, and began a program of implementation of its recomendations to make the operations viable. The approach The approach taken was based around the DRIVER methodology The review suggested a number of improvements, for example reduced process waste, more efficient staffing, supplier rationalisation, improved seasonal management of facilities and customer billing accuracy. The recomendations were supported by rigorous benchmarking exercise within the industry. The review highlighted the many ways of doing business had simply grown up and turned into traditions. the approach taken showed that it was often valid to take a complete fresh look at the way work could be undertaken. This was all the more important since in some of London Operations, major jobs came round on a regular basis, and if a big saving could be made on Wimbledon coverage for example, that saving would be repeated in future years. The opportunities to improve were clear. reduced staffing, modified work practices and a general focus by the managers on the bottom line. Maintaining the new ways of working. One of the organisations key concern was that, although the proposals might be implemented initially, there would be gradual or indeed not so gradual return to old ways with inefficiencies returning and staffing levels rising again, especially through the employment of outside freelance staff. To combat this, a management structure was created that supported the new processess, defined the necessary role and responsibilities to successfully operate the new processes and develop a framework of balanced performance measures, to ensure that the overall performance of London Operations was visible to senior managers. As improvements and changes were implemented and as the senior management became more aware of commercial pressures it was recongnised that, for these changes to have any durability and long lasting impact on the business, it was vitally important that everyone in the organisation understood the part that they had to play in helping run the business around. Furthermore the management team needed to have a clear understanding of what they were doing, why there were doing it and how they needed to do it. To this end the senior management team indentified the need to understand and further develop the mission and vision for the business. Then to be able to cascade these down through the organisation, focussed around a small number of factors that were deemed critical to the achievement of the mission and vision. Mission and Vision Vision Turning Ideas into Reality Mission We will enrich the BBC creatively and financially by helping customers create the sounds of vision of the future. Relied upon for innovation, efficiency and service working with us will be inspirational and fun. Define the project Review the business baseline Identify Opportunities Verify the Opportunities Evaluate and plan implementation Review and Report (Figure C 1.0) DRIVER Methodology Page 02 of 06 Case Study / Scenario Defining measurable Objectives From the mission statement the key words were identified to form the basis for the development of strategic frame work: CASH , CREATIVITY , INNOVATION , SERVICE , EFFICIENCY Using these key words eight factors critical to the achievement of the mission were identified. 1. Skilled, Motivated and Flexible people. 2. Key talent that is industry recognised. 3. Focussed investment in products and services. 4. Profitable revenue growth. 5. Efficent and effective processess. 6. Effective customer relationships. 7. Strong leadership, clarity of direction and cooperation. 8. Industry recognised customer base. To help the business to remain focussed on the achievement of the eight critical factors a set of guiding principles were defined. (Figure C 2.0) Through a series of senior management workshops, the eight factors were further developed to indentify their key activities and performance measures. These performance indicators were then arranged into a balanced set of measures and appropriate targets for the comming year defined for each Sharing S . We will share in the sucess of our business. . Our sucess will be built on team work and cooperation. . We will develop mutually profitable partnerships with our customers based on trust. . Our sucess will be built on team work and cooperation. Partnerships P Equal Opportunities E . We will promote our role as an Equal Opportunity employer to all communities . We encourage open and regular communication throughout the business. Communication C Customer Customer satisfaction Survey Results. No. of Customer Complaints Resolved. Post Contract Review Results. Commendations Resulting in Awards. Strength of Cutomer Relationship. Market Profile Staff Utilisation Facilities Utilisation Quotation Turn-around Time Invoices Issued within 5 Days Processes Finance Return on Sales Return on Capital Employed Market Share external and internal Variance from Cash Flow Budget Performance to Investment Budget Staff Satisfaction survey Results % of staff Within Appraisal Process Turnover of Key Talent Number of Identified Leaders Within a Leadership development programme. Staff Turnover. Absence Rate People Figure C 3.0 Balanced Scorecard of Measures To assist in the development of these key activities, the senior management team used a CSF planning document. ( Figure C 4.0). One planning sheet is detailed for every measure for each CSF. The CSF itself defines what must be achieved. In the example Resources Must have skilled, motiovated and Flexible People. This is linked to one of the performance measures (KPI) and an appropriate description of what that KPI represents is provided. In addition the current performance is given, where applicable, together with its target. The bottom section of the document identifies how the KPI will be achieved. By doing this the business identifies the lower level of specific actions that should be held to achieve the specific sucess factor. Each of these actions is allocated an owner and a date for completion. CSF 1 We must have skilled, motivated and flexible people. Owner A.N. Other. No. KPI Definition Current Measure Target Due Date 1 June 2001 50% N/A Overall staff rating against satisfaction/motivation index Staff satisfaction survey results No. KPI No. Activity Current Measure Driver Measure Resp 1 1 Compile London Operations specific staff survey which asks staff to identify 3 priority issues that motivate/demotivate the. Ask staff to rate how well the business delivers on these issues. AN Other May Staff Satisfaction 1 2 Identify action plan to address these issues. Identify those issues within Studios, OBs and Post Production control and those outside our direct control AN Other July Staff Satisfaction 1 3 Communicate survey results and intended actions. AN Other August Staff Satisfaction 1 4 Implement communication plan to improve staff understanding about the direction of RES Ltd, recognise peoples value, encourages a sense of identity. AN Other July 1 Agree dates for follow up audit. AN Other August The activities that will take place to address the identified performance gaps. Figure C 4.0 CSF Planning document As the whats are cascaded down the hows, responsibility is likely to be cascaded down to the most appropriate level within the organisation. For example, The KPI is owned by a member of the senior management team, as are the 4 identified actions. However, these 4 actions, if cascaded to the next level of detail, would become the whats that would require their own series of hows to be defined and probably be owned functionally by a department or business unit. Implementation of these process allowed for a link to be created from the highest level of critical sucess factor right down to individual or team obejctives and goals. Furthermore it provides a means of feedback through the chain to the CSFs and enables performance to be monitored and aligned to corporate objectives. Achivemenets The project helped London Operations to dramatically enhance its understanding of the business and its performance and identified opportunities to reduce costs by nearly 20%, while maintaining levels o f customer satisfaction and market share. Furthermore the approach has led to these changes being locked into the future working of the business. Many attitutes have changed and barriers broken down to secure the future of Resources Ltd. The schedule for implementation was less than 18 months and the transformation in operations has made Resources Ltd. an attractive commercial proposition. Satisfaction with the approach towards the project can be measured by a number of yard sticks. BBC managers have acknowledged that the savings proposed are far greater than they had anticipated, even in their optimistic moments. One senior BBC manager commented that as a rule of thumb a restructuting exercise costing  £12 million (c. $ 18 m) would be expected to yield savings of around  £6 Millions (c. $9 m) a year in other words it should pay for itself within 2 years. The  £12 million (c. $18 m) resturctuting for London Operations, however, is set to impact the bottom line by over  £ 13 million (c. $20m) per year. This reflects the innovative and creative way in which the project was progressed. Direct feedback has been very positive. The project team were praised particulalry for their interpersonel skills in working with and involving staff, and for the continiously high levels of communications with management on the progress of the work. Senior management recognised and appreciated the Hardsoft approach that blends a rigorous establishment of the hard facts of the situation with a positive effort to communicate details to staff, involve them in the changes and generally build good relationships. Resources staff viewed these as the most inclusive project they had experienced. managers regarded the project as creative, innovative and practical, acheieving the support of employees and achieving benefits that other approaches had failed to do. Tasks Involved in respect to the Case Study / Scenario and Possible Evidence The case study is of BBC resources Limited, a group company of BBC Limited. BBC Resources is in the business of providing studio services to its customers, including BBC itself. BBC Resources has gone through a bad phase where it made losses, but now it seems to have turned around. Case study captures how the company went around turning its fortunes. With reference to the case study, carry out following tasks: Task 1: Describe the culture and structure of BBC resource before the turn around? How did it re-define its mission and objectives? Are these objectives SMART? What changes were made in the structure and culture? How did it go about identifying the processes which need to be worked upon to achieve its goals/objectives? Task 2: Describe the plan which BBC resources made to achieve its goals? How did it go about implementing the plan? How did it decide to monitor and control the plan? Task 3: What resources and tools did BBC Resources use to support the business processes? How did they monitor the quality of processes? What did they do to embed the quality culture? Task 4: What health and safety regulations are applicable to BBC Resources as per UK laws? What are the likely safety risks BBC resources need to worry about? What would you advise BBC Resources to ensure health and safety of its employees given the nature of the business? Task 5: What systems/processes has BBC Resources put in place to identify problems and opportunities for improvement? What were the outcomes of changes that BBC resources implemented? How do you evaluate the outcomes of what BBC Resources has already done for improvement? What are some of the un-anticipated implications of changes that BBC Resources introduced? What are some of the improvements that you would recommend to BBC resources? Grading Criterias MERIT DESCRIPTORS M1. Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions M1.1 Effective judgements have been made M1.2 Complex problems with more than one variable have been explored M1.3 An effective approach to study and research has been applied M2. Select/ design and apply/ appropriate methods/ techniques M2.1 A range of methods and techniques have been applied M2.2 The selection of methods and techniques/ sources has been justified M2.3 Complex information/ data has been synthesized and processed M3. Present and communicate appropriate findings M3.1 The appropriate structure and approach has been used M3.2 Coherent, logical development of principles/ concepts for the intended audience M3.3 The communication is appropriate for familiar and unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have been used  · Word Process the assignment using font Calibri, size 11 points and convert the same to PDF document before submission.  · Zero percentage (0%) Plagiarism is allowed in your work, however referenced material should be appropriately quoted.  · Use the Harvard Referencing System for referencing and provide complete bibliography.  · Complete the title page and sign the statement of authenticity in your work submission.  · Use Business Report format while creating your case portfolio.  · Do not wait for the last date to submit your work, if you fail to submit in time, no extension would be provided. Important Instructions. Other Notes (if any) Grading Criterias DISTINCTION DESCRIPTORS D1. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusion D1.1 Conclusion have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified D1.2 The validity of results has been evaluated using defined criteria D1.3 Realistic improvement have been proposed against defined characteristics for success D2. Take responsibility for managing and organising activities D2.1 Autonomy/ independence has been demonstrated D2.2 Substantial activities, projects or investigation have been planned, managed and organised D2.3 The important of interdependence has been recognised and achieved D3. Demonstrate convergent/ lateral/ creative thinking D3.1 Ideas have been generated and decisions taken D3.2 Self evaluation has taken place D3.3 Convergent and lateral thinking have been applied

Social Policy Development In Education

Social Policy Development In Education Introduction This essay discusses influences of social policy development in education over the last 30 years. It also discusses the impact of these policies in relation to social exclusion, inequality and poverty. Throughout the post-war period, there have been many attempts to reform the UK education system, often with an explicit intention to raise standards and make it more productive. Notable reforms have included a nationally prescribed curriculum, vigorous attempts to raise participation in post-compulsory schooling and the introduction of tuition fees for higher education. In addition to concerns about widening access and educational inequality, in the 1980s there emerged widespread fears about poor and falling standards in UK education system (Machin and Vignoles, 2006). Specifically, there were concerns that too many individuals were leaving school too early and with little in the way of basic skills. Examination underachievement had also been recognised by education policy-makers as a particular problem (ibid). In the light of these concerns, successive Conservative governments in the 1980s and 1990s increased the pace of reform and introduced so called market mechanisms into the UK education system, in an attempt to force schools to raise standards. The move towards a quasi-market in education, was kick started by a significant piece of legislation the 1988 Education Reform Act which not only introduced the market reforms discussed here, but also the National Curriculum. At the last election, Labour swept to power on the catchphrase education, education, education however, according to (Wood, Jaffrey Troman in Fielding, 2001) there has been widespread disappointment in New Labours education policies, which on the whole have not steered too far wide of those put in place by Margaret Thatcher. David (2003) also agrees with this notion but argues that New Labour continues to develop educational policies on excellence, introducing notions of social exclusion and inclusion and identifying policies specifically to tackle issues of poverty through education. It may therefore be argued that raising education standards for all is important not only to the success of a modern economy but also to the creation of a socially just society. Since the 1990s, New Labours political values have shared many neo-liberalism characteristics especially in moving what has been called a post-welfare society. In implementing many of their education policies, they have continued with an emphasis on moral values, individuality and personal responsibility (Jones, 1996, pp.17-18). However, David (2003, p.356) argues that New Labour redefines such notions on an individual basis rather than on the basis of social groups, such as social class or those economically disadvantaged on the basis of family circumstances. This raises a question about fairness of opportunity in education for some social groups, for example Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups face additional barriers to inclusion relating to their ethnicity and are disproportionately likely to perform poorly and suffer exclusion, including; employment, educational out comes, truancy and school exclusions (SEU, 2004). It may be argued that few of the policy developments in education have had issues of equality of opportunity uppermost or explicitly on the agenda. The driving force behind policy making may therefore have been more to do with value for money and quality assurance but largely due to political influence. In addition, the public sector is more exposed to political direction and scrutiny than the private sector; public policies in education stipulate the conditions under which schools must operate. However, according to Kemmis (1990) many of the changes in educational policies over the past thirty years or so, have been due to the political work of organised social movements exerting considerable pressure for change, with calls for action on poverty, women inequalities, minorities and people with disabilities leading the government to formulate policies and programmes in education which sought to provide equality of educational opportunity. He further notes that these movements were dis satisfied with the role that education plays in the maintenance of the existing social order. Showing that, people are no longer prepared to leave policy making to politicians and bureaucrats. They wish to be involved in the steering of policy processes. For example the feminist movement will not permit issues of gender inequality in education to drop off the policy agenda. Similarly, BME groups want a direct say in the policy making process. Thus the language of educational policy, according to Kemmis (1990), is linked to political compromises between competing but unequal interests. Secondly, Changes in social attitudes towards authority, particularly among young people, have also created new pressures for education. As (Willis 1990 cited in Taylor, Fazal and Rizvi, 1997. P.4) has argued, students brought up on the cultural values of the globalised mass media are unlikely to be comfortable with the requirements of bureaucratically defined regimes of discipline. Such cultural and attitudinal changes have demanded policy shifts in education. Alcock (2008, p.198) states that social policy development is also closely dependent upon the economic structure of the society and upon the economic growth within it. While, Blakemore and Griggs (2007, p.147) state that due to economic pressures, the government abolished free tuition and instead passed the Teaching and Higher Education Act that requires students to pay tuition fees. As a consequence, there has been an increase in the number of English students choosing to attend Scottish and Welsh universities to avoid tuition fees. On the other hand, the youth labour market has led to calls for educational policies designed to ensure greater retention in senior secondary schools and curricula that are more vocationally responsive; leading to the Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) subsidy for 16 to 19 year olds. Evaluation of EMA suggests substantial impact from the subsidy that overall, educational participation post 16 was 4.5 percentage points higher than before (Dearden et a l., 2005). Political, economic and social influences have not however been the only factors responsible for changing policy in education. Technological changes may also have demanded revision to educational policy, and in particular to curriculum priorities and teaching styles. With ever emerging new technologies changing partners of everyday life, then education cannot remain oblivious to these changes. Governments have been quick to invest large amounts of money in the teaching of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in schools and lifelong learning programmes. The introduction of new educational policies should primarily be to address personal and academic development and ultimately provide a more equitable education system for all. However, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2006) stated that the impact of educational services not always able to meet individual needs has over the years disproportionately affected particularly groups of BME young people, which is recognised in the Every Child Matters (ECM) consultation paper, as it asserts that: teenagers from some BME groups face greater challenges than others in growing up (Youth Matters: Green Paper. 2005:13). The impact of poor service delivery to BME young people is compounded by the fact that minority ethnic population is over represented in almost all measures of social exclusion (ODPM, 2003) and their poor socio-economic position is closely associated with low educational attainment. This in turn impacts on their prospects to gain employment which in turn often results in being drawn into a life of crime. African Caribbean young men in particular are over represented at every stage of the criminal justice system (Graham in Sallah and Howson, 2007, p 176). One could argue that in fact the education system has systematically ensured that Black young people do not succeed (Richardson, 2006). This is not surprising as it has also been acknowledged that the British education system has also failed or lowered the aspirations of the poor and or White working class people (Sewell, 1997). This is particularly important in that, poor achievers are most obvious amongst the poor and disadvantaged. For example, high socio-economic groups appear to have better information on, and understanding of school performance, via league tables (West and Pennell, 1999). Whether parents act on this information, choosing for their children to attend the best schools, then there is a clear tension between strategies to raise standards and policies to reduce inequality. Soci o-economic background also relates to school quality and pupil performance via peer groups. For example, attending a school with very few children from lower socio-economic groups is highly beneficial academically speaking (Feinstein, 2003). If parental choice leads to greater socio-economic segregation across schools, such peer group effects may further reinforce social exclusion. The motivation behind the introduction of the market reforms was to raise standards and achievement, rather than issues related to inequality. The evidence on the impact of these reforms on childrens achievement is minimal, however, empirical evidence from the USA (Chubb and Moe, 1990) is supportive of the view that decentralised schooling systems can produce better results, measured in terms of educational outcomes (Hoxby, 2000). Evidence for the UK by Bradley et al (2001) found that schools with the best examination performance grew most quickly and that, increased competition between schools led to improved exam performance. Gibbons, Machin and Silva (2005) report little evidence of a link between choice and achievement, but find a small positive association between competition and school performance. However, they attribute this to school location or pupil sorting. Evaluating the impact of nationally introduced education policies and the impact of continual vocational systems is not easy according to Machin and Vignoles (2006). Perhaps the best way to evaluate new qualifications is to consider their labour market value, since this reflects the demand by employers for this type of qualification and the skills embodied in it. The evidence is that NVQs and indeed GNVQs, have minimal economic value in the labour market (Dearden et al., 2002). In particular, NVQ2 qualifications may actually have a negative impact on individuals wages, in many sectors of work. Higher Education (HE) in the UK is viewed as a success story, with continually rising participation in HE since the late 1960s. However, there have been concerns about who is accessing HE. Evidence by Machin and Vignoles (2006) showed that during the last fifteen years, participation in HE had largely been the preserve of the higher socio-economic groups in the UK. Furthermore, there is evidence that the gap in HE participation between richer and poorer students actually widened, at least in the mid and late 1990s (Blanden and Machin, 2004). Contrary to what many believed before the expansion of higher education, the expansion appears to have actually acted to increase educational inequalities, so that a greater share of HE participants is from well off backgrounds (ibid). It may be argued that although poorer students are more likely to go on to higher education than they were in the past, the likelihood of them doing so relative to their richer peers is actually lower than was the case in earlier decades. Furthermore, tuition fees introduced by labour in 1999 leave poorer students with huge debts to pay on graduation. Conclusion This essay concludes that, educational policies do not emerge in a vacuum but reflect compromises between competing interests expressed by the dominant interests of capitalism in the one hand, and the oppositional interests of various social movements on the other. While it is true that some policies are responses to particular social changes, it is also the case that these changes may themselves be represented in a variety of different ways and accorded contrasting significance. Educational policy initiatives may thus be viewed as responses to the struggle over particular constructions of social political, economic and cultural changes. However, the evidence of positive impact of the reforms on the poor, minorities and the socially excluded is minimal. In this way, it can be concluded that the state is not neutral and politically driven with respect to the changes occurring in education, as its own interest in sponsoring some changes and preventing others is reflected in policy deve lopment.

Lawrence Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development Essay -- Lawrence Kohl

Lawrence Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg laid the groundwork for the current debate within psychology on moral development. He proposed that children form ways of thinking through their experiences which include understandings of moral concepts such as justice, rights, equality and human welfare. Kohlberg followed the development of moral judgment beyond the ages. He determined that the process of attaining moral maturity took longer and was more gradual than other studies have shown. Kohlberg identified six stages of moral grouped into three major levels. Each level represented a fundamental shift in the social-moral perspective of the individual. At the first level, the preconventional level, a person's moral judgments are characterized by a individual perspective. Within this level, a Stage 1 they focused on avoiding breaking rules that are backed by punishment, obedience for its own sake and avoiding the physical consequences of an action to persons and property. At Stage 2 there is the early emergence of moral reciprocity. The Stage 2 focused on the value of an action. Reciprocity is of the form, "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." The Golden Rule becomes, "If someone hits you, you hit them back." At Stage 2 one follows the rules only when it is to someone's immediate interests. What is right is what's fair in the sense of an equal exchange, a deal, an agreement. At Stage 2 there is an understanding that everybody has his own ...

Why Wealth and Status Dont Play a Key Role in Jane and Mr. Rochesters Relationship :: Jane Eyre Wealth Social Status Essays

Why Wealth and Status Don't Play a Key Role in Jane and Mr. Rochester's Relationship "My bride is here because my equal is here, and my likeness. Jane, will you marry me?" When one talks about marriage in the Victorian society, wealth and status is first considered. Love comes last or, more often, it is never considered. In the novel Jane Eyre, the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane is quite different. This is clearly shown when Blanche Ingram changes her mind about marrying Mr. Rochester, preparations for Jane's abortive first marriage, their attraction for each other without the presence of money, and when Jane inherits money and she makes a surprising move. The importance of wealth and status in Victorian marriage is immense. In Victorian England parents made their girls marry men from similar wealth and position. If a woman did marry purely for love and not for wealth she risked a life of poverty, homelessness, and hunger. This factor can also be seen in Jane Eyre, because Jane's mother was married to a poor clergyman against the will of her father. She married purely for love and therefore risked a life of being poor. This was almost a punishment for Jane's mother as she married against her father's will and only married for love. Wealth and status is also important in the novel Jane Eyre, although they are important in different aspects of the novel and important to different people. There are two opposing views. Blanche Ingram, a very spiteful character is going to marry Mr. Rochester because of his wealth but when she is called to the gypsy to find out her future, she "finds out" that he is not as rich as he seems and therefore cancels all plans to marry him. "She (Blanche) considers the Rochester estate eligible to the last degree; though I told her something on that point about an hour ago which made her look wondrous grave".1 However there is another view to the importance of wealth and status. Jane Eyre, the main character says, "Were I a gentleman like him, I would take to my bosom only such a wife as I could love".2 Money and status are not important to her. In her opinion marriage should not be an act of convenience. During the preparations for Jane's abortive first marriage, Mr. Rochester wants to buy Jane expensive items e.g. clothes and jewels. Jane has no intention of buying expensive jewels and clothes, as they are not important to her. She says, "Oh, sir! - never mind jewels! I don't like to hear them spoken of. Jewels for Jane Eyre sound

Beowulf, Faustus and Paradise Lost Essay

In Beowulf, Faustus and Paradise Lost undergo a religious transition, from Paganism to Christianity, Christianity to Reformation and Rebel. These changes aptly reflect the historical shift from a boastful and violent view to a more humble and meritorious perspective. We see a shift in consciousness from the writers point of view, beginning during the Medieval epic poem Beowulf and trace the religious shift in this consciousness between Beowulf and Paradise Lost. It can be seen in these texts, (including Faustus) that although Christianity was very much a powerful model against which society was built in the Middle Ages, it is also contradictory in many ways. William Shakespeare is known for his writings on Denmark for his work in Hamlet and it is seen in Hamlet how pagan believes were rolled together with Christianity. However, Beowulf deals with a more sinister form of the pagan/Christianity shift and that is of occult and demonic existence. The monster called Grendel causes great devastation to the public and inhabitants of Denmark, much to the dismay of King Hrothgar who has continued a long lineage of good and mighty kings. At this stage of literature, there was still a vast amount of emphasis placed on mythology and the belief in demons and monsters. One also has to be aware in this case of the parallels to Christian stories that follow the same lines as Beowulf does. For instance, Beowulf does not come from the same tribe as the king and his tribe are known as Geats. If we look at the subtle nature of this story, we can form a link between David and Goliath or even Saint George and the Dragon. Beowulf lies in wait for the monster to arrive at the court and slays Grendel with his bare hands. The same is true but in varying degrees of the Biblical David and Goliath proverb. St George and the Dragon also has the same connotation in it. Beowulf also struggles with Grendel’s mother who comes to avenge her son’s death. Beowulf slays her too but has to swim to the depths of a lake in order to find her. In this tale there is also a sentimental relationship to the story of King Arthur, a legend that has been intertwined with Christianity over the years. In Arthurian legend, Avalon is situated in the middle of a lake from which a ‘lady’ is reputed to hoist the sword of Excalibur – the sword that rules Camelot. Arthurian legend canonizes the same tale found in Beowulf, only making it appear less savage and pagan. â€Å"A throng of sorrows I have borne from Grendel; but God still works wonder on wonder, the Warden-of-Glory.†(Beowulf, XIV: 920-923). There is clear reference above that God was indeed used and referenced in this poem, but God is also used somewhat as a talisman rather than as an all powerful supernatural being. In the same passage, God is referred to as â€Å"the God of ages† and the â€Å"Mighty Maker† (Beowulf, XIV: 936 & 985). Despite these references to God, there is still a great deal of emphasis placed on the monster who is representative of demonic power. There is a symbolic reference to the mother of Grendel and also to the Queen, whom in Christianity can be seen as Delilah and Mary. Grendel’s mother is the dark side of the female Christian form, the one that is corrupt and subject to failure, while Wealhtheow is the mother figure who bestows upon her minions the strength and capability to fight evil. In typically pagan stories, evil and good are not conceptual, but have to be referred to in terms of something tangible. It is for this reason that the numerous offenses undertaken by Beowulf are always against some horrific being such as a monster or a dragon and are never the inner most battles that are truly fought against evil. In Christianity, evil is possessed by every man and woman and the only way to thwart this inner evil, is to have God on your side. The pagan beliefs and mythology create physical representations of the inner battles that mankind faces. The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus is Christopher Marlowe’s best known work. Unlike Beowulf, Faustus is aware of the dangers of the practice he is getting into because he is forewarned that the occult is not to be trifled with. Dr. Faustus essentially sells his soul to Lucifer in exchange for success as a practitioner of the magical arts. Dr Faustus, despite numerous misgivings at various stages of the pledge, accepts that he has now signed his soul to the devil in a blood pact. Together with Mephastophilis, Lucifer’s own right-hand man, Faustus is richly rewarded and begins a series of assaults on humanity which includes the harassment of the Pope himself. In this play the symbolism of power is a great driving force for man’s downfall. Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat from the tree of knowledge upon which forbidden fruit grew, they ate of the fruit and were afflicted. In this story, Faustus too is warned against delving too deep into the occult, but his quest for knowledge and power is too great. Faustus signs the pact with his own blood which is symbolic of Christ’s blood only that in Faustus’ case the blood threw him into sin, while Christ’s blood cleanses it. There is, in the Quatro of 1616 a dialogue between the Good Angel and the Evil Angel. This is extremely important when considering that there had been a deep conflict between Medieval paganism and Renaissance Christianity.

Candy’s Dog being shot dead Essay

I believe that Candy’s dog being shot dead is one of the most important parts of the novel and should definitely be included in a film version. In this scene Carlson starts moaning about how much Candy’s old dog smells. He then suggests that Candy should shoot him and even offers to do it himself. But it is the things that Carlson says in order to justify himself that are important for the readers because it helps us to see why George decided to do what he did at the end of the book. For example, when Carlson says, â€Å"This old dog, just suffers hisself all the time,† and â€Å"you aint been kind to him, keeping him alive,† when he is trying to convince Candy that it is almost cruel to make him live life any longer. Carlson also describes how Candy could kill the dog in a quick, humane way. He says, â€Å"shoot him right in the back of the head – he’d never know what hit him. † This is particularly important because George kills Lennie in this exact way. It is where he got the idea that ‘mercy killing’ was even an option. Slim is then asked to give his opinion and he agrees with Carlson saying, â€Å"That dog aint no good to himself. † As Slim is the only person on the ranch to have natural authority, and his â€Å"opinions were law. † Candy reluctantly agrees to let Carlson shoot his dog. If this scene was left out we would not understand why George would even consider killing Lennie and we would get the impression that George carried it out in cold blood and did not care. The scene should be set in a dimly lit, dark setting. The darkness would help to emphasize the end of life. Carlson should be talking abruptly and quickly showing that he is not thinking about Candy’s feelings and is unaware of how much the dog means to Candy. Slim in contrast should be taking is time over his speech, showing that he wants this to be as painless as it can be for Candy. He shows that he cares when he instructs Carlson to â€Å"take a shovel,† so that he can bury the dog so Candy wont have to see his dog in the morning. The Fight Scene Another important scene is the fight between Curley and Lennie. In this scene Curley has just accused Slim of being with his wife and in return Slim shouts back at him. Carlson and Candy take advantage of the situation by insulting Curley. Curley feels degraded and wants to take it out on someone. Lennie is there and is the perfect person because Curley being small always feels as though he has something to prove and a ‘real chip on his shoulder’ towards bigger guys. Lennie is smiling at the thought of the dream of living ‘off the fat of the land’ and Curley uses it as an opportunity to pick a fight. He says, â€Å"What the hell you laughin’ at? † and punches Lennies face making his nose bleed. Lennie is described as being ‘too frightened to defend himself. † But under the instruction of George, Lennie grabs Curley’s hand and cannot let go, even with George slapping him round the face telling him to. Lennie feels guilty afterwards and he shows it when he says, â€Å"I didn’t wanta hurt him,† and â€Å"I didn’t mean no harm. † It is this scene that enables us to see the extent of Lennie’s strength and how dangerous it can be when combined with such a simple mind. The scene gives us a clue towards the main plot. Without this scene we would not realise what a true accident Curley’s wife’s death was and the reader would not feel as sorry for Lennie as they do. It would make the ending much less effective.

The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society

Response to â€Å"The Human Cost of an illiterate society† 1/30/2011 In â€Å"The Human cost of an illiterate society,† Jonathan Kozol attempts to convince his reader that illiteracy is extremely harmful to a society, and that it is the ultimate destruction of a human being’s life. He explains with great detail how being ignorant (unknown) at something so universal like being able to read the directions on a medicine label, can lead to a lifetime of hardship and long term agony.Kozol develops his reasoning by contributing meaningful but real world examples on how being illiterate is dangerous and fatal. For example He uses not being able to explain where you are if something fatal was to happen, and not being able to understand the dangers of a cigarettes label with a surgeons warning on it. After giving a plenty load of examples, he then brings the discussion back to his central argument on how being illiterate can be costly. When a person does not understand wh at they have wrongfully done it can be difficult to prosecute or judge that person.If he is not able to read then that person might not be aware that giving a child too much aspirin could result in overdose which can ultimately lead to death. The question that still remains is should that person be held accountable. According to today’s society the answer is still unknown but to protect the people of this society from that illiterate person, the answer is yes that person must be limited. What this ultimately means is that, he must be kept from society so that he won’t cause harm for his on ignorant habits.He will have to be watched, fed, and kept in an environment where he will always be stable. This top of living can cost a lot of money and this is the financial burden that cost a society so much money. In a way this is unfair because it is not this person’s fault that he can’t read, understand, and think critically. Illiterate people will always be in t he dark, and they will always struggle with trying to figure out the differences between what’s wrong and what’s right.

Dance of Life Essay

The painting â€Å"Dance of Life†, created by Edvard Munch in 1900, is a painting that portrays people in different stages of life. It portrays two women who seem sad, a third woman who seems happy, and a bunch of other women dancing with men. The painting implies that life is difficult and that it can be depressing at times, but that it always goes on. The arrangement of the women in a half circle represents the phases of life. The women on the end of the half circle are both standing alone. The woman on the far left stands alone, representing youth, and wears white, representing innocence. The woman on the far right stands alone, representing the loneliness of old age, and she wears black, representing death or loss. The women dancing in the background represent the different phases of life and the enjoyment that can be found in every phase of life. The woman in the center of the painting represents the idea of being out of step with the ‘dance of life’. She wears a red dress, different from all the others. Red represents danger or anger which can be perceived as negative, but by painting her in the center the artist respects her unique position in life and implies that her difference from the rest is a positive quality. The way that others are turned towards her represents how people in society center so much of their lives on attention to others’ decisions. More than half of the painting has a green background representing life and vitality. The top quarter of the painting is a blue body of water that simultaneously represent tranquility. The juxtaposition of these two represents the necessity of having balance in your life. The green, as well as the people dancing, represent the joy to be found in life. Most of life should be joyous, coupled with the tranquility, silence, and reflection represented by the blue and the three girls not dancing. The different colors used in this painting represent all the different aspects in life and how important it is to acknowledge all of them. The artist doesn’t use harsh lines or defined shapes in this painting. All the shapes are smooth and rounded. It really adds to the implication that life flows. The smooth shapes help the painting transition from left to right. The smooth shapes support the half circle shape and it all works together to create a path for the eye to follow. There’s not a large contrast of darkness and light; most of the painting is dark except for one column where the sun is, which casts more light on the girl in white. This gives the idea that there’s more light, more carefree-ness in the youth. The entire painting is two dimensional. Though there are clearly different rows and elements to this painting, the grass, water, and sky all seem to run together in a flat way. This gives the feeling that we are bigger than life; that we are bigger than the problems of the world around us. The painting has three central points of interest; the three women in their different phases of life are set up as the most significant points of the painting. It represents the phases of life and brings to mind the emotions associated with those phases. The young girl in the white dress stands next to flowers which only accentuate the idea of youth and imply that the girl, like the flowers, will still continue to grow. The older woman on the end seems to have a morose, solemn look about her. It implies introspection and reflection on the long life she’s lived. It gives pause to the viewer and causes them to be solemn. One reason the painting conveys its message so well is because of the way the women are set up in contrast to each other. The harmony in the painting is created in the way that the women wear white and the men wear black. It creates a calm background which sets up a better backdrop to set the three women apart. The sun setting over the water creates a smooth backdrop and adds an idea of resignment to the painting; as though it’s okay to accept this ‘dance of life’ as a way of living. Unity is completely achieved in this painting as all of the people have something in common; be it gender, clothing color, or disposition. This is a closed compositional painting and it’s emphasized by the circle closing off at the edges of both paintings. It represents the idea of the circle of life and ensures that every aspect of life is contained in the painting. The lines and structure of this painting seem unintentional. The lines of the grass and the separation between the water and the sky aren’t straight or harsh. They’re smooth and blurred, creating an intentionally casual dynamic. The point of view of the painter is that life is short and that people are happiest in their youth. The older woman seems to have a look of remorse or regret on her face as she stares at the lady in red. The painter seems to be saying that we, as the viewers, should enjoy our youth and live without regrets. It also gives implications about life and the human experience; life is contained in a short circle and passes by quickly. In any phase of life, there are things to be enjoyed and appreciated because life passes by way too quickly. The painter’s view of the world is that there’s good aspects of every part of life. He seems to think that youth is the best part of life and that mistakes are central to life. The way that everyone circles around the woman in red represents that life circles around mistakes and trials but that it’s all surmountable. The painting accurately describes the way that the artist sees the way the life begins and ends; the way that we start as the girl in white—innocent and hopeful and young—and that we end as the lady in black—feeling morose and sad and as though life has slipped away all too suddenly. The way that she looks at the girl in red implies that the painter thinks that in our old age all we have to look back on is the choices we made, the friends we choose to keep, and the happiness that we choose to create. Though this was painted in 1900, it very accurately represents our culture right now. It’s a reminder to seize the day, to live for the moment, to make the most of whatever phase of life you’re in so that you won’t look back at the end of life and regret choices or missed opportunities. This painting causes me to reflect on my life and the decisions that I make. It makes me want to focus more on being happy with the phase of life that I’m in and to appreciate being youthful and carefree. It reinforces the desire to not make decisions that will keep me out of the circle. The painting gives the feeling that life is to be enjoyed, and that no matter what it will keep going.

Management Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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The Relationship Between The Middle And Working Classes Essay

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Software Engneering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Cultural Identity on American Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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

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Outpatient civil commitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Case Study on network solution Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Annotated Bibliography Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

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