Alfred Wallace

The scientific understanding of life has been shaped with the guidance of intellectual breakthroughs in history. One of these breakthroughs Is Alfred Russell Wallace (1823-1913), a British naturalist born in Monotheistic, England who gained a reputation of greatness upon exploration of Malay Archipelago. Unlike other great Intellects Like Charles Darwin, Wallace had dropped his formal schooling at the age of fourteen to start providing for his family as a carpenter.Later In life Wallace acquires a job at the Collegiate school of Leister teaching, and it is here that he tests Henry Walter Bates, a naturalist who sparks Wallach's interest in nature. Alfred Russell Wallace is known to have advocate the the theory of intelligent evolution and co-discover natural selection alongside Charles Dawn. This theory suggests that evolution is purely built for utility and only occurs when changes are necessary for survival and purposeful. Wallace writes a letter to Darwin stating his theory, and c learly impacts him to write â€Å"Origin of Species†.Wallace becomes a spiritualist In 1860 and began to believe In theology. Wallach's new beliefs lead him to reject scientific explanations of human Intelligence and Instead believe that teleology was the cause of evolution. The theory of intelligent evolution was widely accepted alongside Drawing's by the science community up until Wallach's belief of spirituality developed. Although the theories of Darwin and Wallace are very similar, and were even viewed as the same in Darning's eyes, the difference between the two is that Darwin wasn't afraid to publish his and Wallace was.Public opinion of unorthodox theories of evolution at the time were very harsh and close-minded, but publication of these risky theories gave the public an opportunity to open up to modern thinking. The Intelligent mind of Alfred Wallace had been opened up to naturalism through the readings of numerous Influential works. Controversial academic publishin g Like â€Å"Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation† and â€Å"Constitution of Man† by George Combo suggested to the public that the environment around man is responsible for hang.More readings such as Charles Lye's Principles of Geology helped Wallace realize that mankind had the potential to change, thus sparking his curiosity and drive to understanding. Alfred Wallace By radicand breakthroughs in history. One of these breakthroughs is Alfred Russell Wallace reputation of greatness upon exploration of Malay Archipelago. Unlike other great intellects like Charles Darwin, Wallace had dropped his formal schooling at the age of fourteen to start providing for his family as a carpenter.Later in life Wallace acquires a Job at the Collegiate school of Leister teaching, and it is here that he spiritualist in 1860 and began to believe in theology. Wallach's new beliefs lead him to reject scientific explanations of human intelligence and instead believe that The intellige nt mind of Alfred Wallace had been opened up to naturalism through the readings of numerous influential works. Controversial academic publishing like Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation† and â€Å"Constitution of Man† by George

How Is Romeo Presented in the First Two Acts of Romeo and Juliet

In the first two acts of Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is presented as a young, love struck man. He is a dreamer and a fantasist. The audience feels sympathetic towards him because love is taking him nowhere. In Act 1, we first meet Romeo as he is sobbing about his love for a young lady, who we later find out to be Rosaline. The first line he speaks, â€Å"Is the day so young?†, suggests that he is bored and waiting for something to happen as he is so shocked about how early it is in the day. To emphasise this, he goes on to say, â€Å"Ay me, sad hours seem so long†. Benvolio asks Romeo why he is sad and he explains that he is sad because he has no love and his line, â€Å"Out of here favour where I am in loves† shows that the person he loves does not love him. This is how the audience first learns of Romeo’s love struck ness. To show even more how love struck and sad Romeo is, he admits it to himself when he says, â€Å"This is not Romeo, he is some other where.† Benvolio asks him to â€Å"examine other beauties† to cure his love sickness. But Romeo says that if his eyes see anything more beautiful than Rosaline, then â€Å"turn tears to fires†. This shows that Romeo is very single-minded on Rosaline and believes that no one could be more beautiful than her. On the way to the Capulet’s party, Romeo is presented as upset and a spoil sport. He explains that he has a â€Å"soul of lead† which â€Å"stakes [him] to the ground [he] cannot move†. This shows that he is very serious about his love for Rosaline and feels his sadness as a heavy weight on him, not allowing him to have fun, but to grieve. Reluctantly, Romeo agrees to go to the party in the hope that he will find Rosaline. At the Capulet’s party, Romeo finds another girl, Juliet, and is entranced by her beauty. He asks himself, â€Å"Did my heart love till now?†. This line suggests that he completely falls in love with Juliet and asks himself whether he did love Rosaline or whether he had just got it into his head. This shows that Romeo was very single-minded and a sudden link is made between him and Juliet. However, as Romeo is so absorbed by Juliet he looses his disguise. When Tybalt, a keen Capulet, finds out about this and becomes very angry, describing Romeo as a â€Å"villain Montague† because he has gate crashed the Capulet’s party. This shows that Tybalt is an enthusiastic Capulet and believes Romeo is of the opposite being. But Capulet himself is in a very jolly mood and he describes Romeo as a â€Å"portly gentlemen† and a â€Å"well-governed youth†, showing that Capulet’s beliefs of Romeo is that he is a dignified and well behaved young man. Romeo is also described as a handsome and gentle young man. This is shown in Act 2, as the Nurse described Romeo as â€Å"his face be better than any man’s† and â€Å"gentle as a lamb†. This shows that there are different views of Romeo from different characters but, in general, Romeo is presented as a young, handsome and brave young man who is a distant part of his feud-orientated family. As soon as Romeo falls in love with Juliet a sudden link is made between them. The way they speak is very poetic and in verse, as if they know exactly what to say next. Also, Romeo is presented as religious when he compares his lips to â€Å"two blushing pilgrims†. Romeo is presented as a quite sensible young man and, unlike Benvolio and Mercutio, he doesn’t joke about and mess around. He also doesn’t seem to be part of the dispute between the Capulet’s and Montague’s, showing how keen his is on love. On the other hand, as soon as Romeo and Juliet fall in love they become trapped in their own world and don’t mention much about their families being enemies. Romeo sometimes risks his life and many consequences in order to see Juliet, showing how much he truly loves her. Romeo is also presented as a risky and completely taken in man. At the end of Act 2, Romeo agrees to marry Juliet, but neither the Capulet’s nor Montague’s no about it. This is very risky for Romeo and Juliet and Romeo seems to dismiss the consequences because he is so taken in by Juliet. To make things even more secretive, Romeo arranges for a rope ladder to be sent to the excited Nurse, so that Romeo can climb into Juliet’s room to get married. In conclusion, Acts 1 and 2 of Romeo and Juliet presents Romeo as, at first, a fantasists and love struck man. By the end of Act 2, he is seen as a very entranced and risky man, showing his devotion of love towards Juliet.

African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962 Essay Example for Free (#1950)

African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962 Essay ? Explain how far the views in Source B differ from those in Source A in relation to President Eisenhower and the desegregation of education. Both sources illustrate Eisenhower’s negative opinion on desegregation in schools. Both criticise and portray Eisenhower’s intolerance of black people as Source states Eisenhower’s comment that white people ‘ are concerned about is that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school alongside some big overgrown Negroes’ . Eisenhower’s ‘sympathises’; the south as he originates there himself, the intolerance could be considered to be part of the South’s culture and behaviour to be intolerant of the black people, it is arguable that this effected Eisenhower’s political judgement . The fact that Eisenhower came from military background after spending 44 years of his life in service, would have influenced his decisions and opinions on desegregation as military camps were segregated and Eisenhower would have been use to this system. He once again agues from the South’s point of view in Source B, ‘I don’t believe you can change the hearts of men with laws and decisions’ this once again supports the point I made before. Evidence of his intolerance was regretting appointing Earl Warren as chief of justice ‘the biggest damn fool mistake I ever made’ he obviously was very against the decision and never wanted desegregation. The similarities continue as both sources shows the reluctance of helping the black people through desegregation. Source A comments that he didn’t show a clear support for the Supreme Court decision to desegregate schools, ‘his silence encouraged massive resistance’. His political and personal opinions were colliding with each other making his actions limited. Source B shows proof of his reluctance also as it stated three years later he finally protects the little rock 9 with a federal army in 1957. This was the first time Eisenhower showed support of segregation however; it was a ‘weak act’ from Eisenhower. It could be possible that he felt that it was his study as the president not himself supporting civil rights for the black people. However, the sources do differ in the fact that source B states a more positive view on Eisenhower even thought it was considered ‘weak’. As already stated Eisenhower While in presidency did not actively support desegregation and had reservations about the Brown decision, he understood his constitutional responsibility to uphold the federal authority and the law. Eisenhower ordered federal troops to guard and Little Rock and protect black students as they walked to school. He therefore became the first president since Reconstruction to use federal troops to protect the rights of African Americans. As Source A’s tone is very negative as it quotes intolerant views on the African Americans, it insinuates that Eisenhower is very against African Americans being part of a ‘white society’ this contrast with the little rock 9 as he aids the black people into the school, after his comments it would been unlikely to help the black people but he does. To conclude: source A and B are very similar as they both voice the intolerance and his lack of support Eisenhower gave to the African-Americans. I agree with the source as from my own knowledge he was very against civil rights because of his Sothern influence. His views on desegregation was transparent from his actions and that’s what source and B illustrate (12 Marks) (B) Use Source A, B and C and your own knowledge. How important was the Supreme Court in the development of African-American civil rights in the years 1950 to 1962? The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the US, consisting of nine justices and taking judicial precedence over all other courts in the nation. The Supreme Court would have benefited every African- American with their decisions of passing and lifting laws if they succeeded in winning their cases. It allowed them to have legal rights with in the country and legally be equal to the white people. However, the self-esteem of the African Americans was low due to the intolerance of the white people therefore figures such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and support of political figures such as Kennedy allowed them to be brave and a sense of pride in gaining equality. Therefore, the Supreme Court could be considered less important than other figures and factors that occurred between 1950 and 1962. Source A and B discuss the Brown vs. Topeka’s Board of Education verdict in 1954. The Supreme Court passed the law of desegregated schools by the chief of Justice Earl Warren. He was criticised for his decision such as President Eisenhower, who had shared his annoyance with Warren by stating that is was the ‘biggest damn fool mistake he ever made’. The silence of Eisenhower’s support on desegregation caused massive resistance along with the indirect deadline for when desegregation is to commence. Hence, Brown 2 in 1955 was the attempt to get a clearer deadline than before. However, disappointingly the verdict was ‘with all deliberate speed’ it was still vague and prolonged the wait for desegregation. The Supremes’ role in this particular situation helped civil rights as it declared more equality within America however turned to a hindrance as it become a battle of when it will happen. The decision also caused further problems for the African- Americans as Little Rock complied with the high court’s laws and decided to desegregate there all white school. The NAACP submitted nine students originally to join the school and gradually bring more in and settled them slowly. However, it wasn’t that simply as the 9 students went to enter their school they was verbally abused and tormented by the white southerners, Eisenhower had to submit federal assistance to help them into school , this is stated in source B as it had taken 3 years to show any support from Eisenhower and the south to finally accept desegregation . Eisenhower’s federal involvement was then became the first president since Reconstruction to use federal troops to protect the rights of African Americans. However, since Brown vs. education Source C states that McLaurin vs. Oklahoma rules that universities too have to follow the desegregation law and that you ‘could not provide different treatment to a student solely because of his/her race’. This proves that the Supreme Court was furthering African American rights through all levels of education making them equal and educated. This is another influence the Supreme Court had over monumental changes for the African Americans and the society around them. However, it is arguable that the Supreme Court only assisted the figures and events that immensely changed civil rights for the African Americans. Events such as the Montgomery Bus boycott in 1956 were a political and social protest. after the arrest of Rosa parks African Americans were ready to take action and regain some equality and raise the issue of how wrong it is to make a ‘tired, old lady’ to move, even if it wasn’t entirely true. The boycott was led by the group the MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) Saturday 3rd December the black community supported each other as a lot of people avoided the busses and had to take rides with other people in the community, even though it was difficult the supporters of the cause enthusiastically agreed to continue the boycott until there was justice. The success of the black people boycotting led to economic stress were the issue of segregation would be over. The fact that one event, encourage African Americans to stand for their rights influenced and uncovered the most influential figures in civil right history and gained justice from their efforts. This is repeated again the 1960 in the Greensboro sit-in’s when African Americans refuse to move to from their seats in the Woolworths store. Their numbers increased in support and was watched by the world; even Eisenhower voiced his opinions on the matter. These nonviolent protests allowed black people to become a part of changing their future and not relying on court cases and individuals to get them there. Arguably even though they gained great success the black people didn’t have any legal hold on desegregating the bus system, thus the Browder vs. Gayle case. The Supreme Court upheld the district court’s decision in making bus’s desegregated. Without the confirmation from the Supreme Court all the black people’s efforts would have resulted to nothing without the confirmation of the Supreme Court. Rosa parks is seen in our modern day history as an inspirational civil rights leader. Her story influenced thousands of African Americans to boycott buses and gain equality. However, her image of being a ‘hard working, old, fragile women’ who wanted to rest her feet after a long day isn’t true at all. She had been an active protester and NAACP member for years and probably planned this protest to gain publicity and change. Due to her protest Martin Luther King was noticed as a civil rights figure, he had been watched from all over the world and from then on seen as the leading civil rights leader. His efforts in the SCLC created in 1957 after the Montgomery bus boycott, helped the southern African Americans who suffered from great intolerance . However, once again their efforts amounted to achieving the legalisation of equality, without the Supreme Court all their efforts went to nothing. To conclude: even though Martin Luther King is seen as the saviour of the African Americans in gaining equality and is still admired in our modern day society, it is the supreme court that allowed them legally to be treated as equals and live the lives they should live. However, without the efforts and protests the Supreme Court would never have considered to pass or all the African Americans to have the equality they gained through their efforts. Therefore, the other factors that influenced African Americans development on civil rights were more important than the Supreme Court. (2A) Explain why school were not immediately desegregated after the verdict in the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education case of 1954 * Â  Earl Warren passed desegregation in 1954 in the Brown vs. Topeka Board of education. This was to end segregation. The NAACP appointed Thurgood to take the case and won with Earl Warren’s confirmation However, Warren didn’t set the deadline when schools should be desegregated. This prolonged desegregation and led to the court case Brown 2 in 1955 to gain directness on when desegregation will commence .However the verdict remained vague commenting that desegregation should happen with ‘all deliberate speed’ allowing desegregation, once again to be prevented from racial diversity in schools. This suggests that the Supreme Court was reluctant to desegregate schools fully due to Eisenhower’s silence and the South’s reluctance to do so. Other than the Cooper vs. Aaron case, the southern manifesto is proof of their reluctance as this was a legal document signed by 99 politicians to counter the decision on Brown vs. Education, because of the legality and not just the opinions of the south. This then makes the manifesto more than reluctance but a serious legal matter. Their claim matched the opinions of the south commenting that ‘segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The southern manifesto stated that ‘It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races’, ‘It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding’ to make their argument fair and agreeable they used the idea that desegregation will bring violence and issues to the communities when there is no need. Even though some areas (especially in the north where it was more tolerant) accepted desegregation quickly. However, a lot of the south continued segregation as they didn’t agree with the Brown vs. Board of Education, thus the southern manifesto. The build-up of tension of intolerance was at little rock. Little rock school in Arkansas decided to comply with the high court’s ruling. The NAACP submitted 9 students to the previously all white school. They was verbally abused and tormented as they entered the school, President Eisenhower had to send federal troops to protect the 9 children. This suggests that ‘fear’ that was presented in the southern manifesto was proven to be true allowing anxiety for other schools and black people to comply with desegregation. President Eisenhower originated from the south and voiced intolerance himself about the decisions of Brown vs. board of education. It was commented that his silence encouraged massive resistance to applying the new law forcefully through the country as he did not agree with the verdict. It was also claimed that he voiced annoyance about appointing Earl Warren stating that it was ‘The biggest damn fool mistake I ever made’ this is evidence of his intolerance because he disapproved of Warren’s decision. Being a military man himself he was use to the segregation system and probably agreed with the idea of ‘separate but equal’. This suggests why the Supreme Court had given vague answers of when the deadline should be on desegregation because the president wasn’t happy with the decision. To conclude: there were many factors to why desegregation wasn’t immediate however; the most important factor that contributed to preventing desegregation was the south. The fear, the legal documentation created by the south, the behaviour and the powerful leaders from the south made the desegregation difficult and tense. The South’s intolerance caused the most issues, as the north complied with high court’s decision quickly as there was less intolerance. Â  * (2B) ‘The work of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) was the most important reason for the desegregation of schools in the years 1950 to 1960’ * Explain why you agree or disagree with this view * The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Their mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. They are the earliest organisation to aid African- Americans into equality. They have had many successes in desegregating schools and their efforts have gone far however, it is arguable that other organisations, figures and events that were more influential to desegregation in schools than the NAACP. * The NAACP had succeeded in other cases for the rights of black people however; it was the Brown vs. Board of Education that is considered NAACP’s victorious achievement. But, without the work of Thurgood marshal that was appointed by the NAACP the outcome might have been different. Other than being the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court he had won 29 out of the 32 he had faced. He was a very intelligent and stood for his rights after winning previous cases for the NAACP himself and a team of NAACP attorneys won Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Other than the NAACP winning the case Thurgood who was part of the NAACP team, was an inspiration to the African Americans. However, the decision didn’t lead to an immediate change as there was no clear deadline. The NAACP and Marshall forgot to argue its urgency for change therefore, Brown 2 the case that was to get the urgency it needed however, the decision was vague as it stated ‘with deliberate speed’. The NAACP did succeed in the decision of desegregation but it had no action. NAACP helped all African American’s in need such as the Little Rock 9 in 1957. The NAACP submitted 9 students to attend the previously all white school Little Rock, this was an achievement as a lot of the south wasn’t and would not comply with the high court’s orders. However, this turned into a disadvantage as The 9 students was verbally abused, tormented and prevented to enter their new school. The NAACP however, did help them try and enter or submit them in different and safer schools. It wasn’t just Little Rock students that they helped enter schools but many. * It is arguable that other factors effected the desegregation of schools such as the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had to pass the laws to gain legal equality, therefore the Brown vs. Education case without the Chief of Justice Earl Warren reaching the decision that segregation is unconstitutional. Desegregation would never have gone through. They pass the McLaurin vs. Oklahoma state regents, this was to desegregate universities. However, other cases were inspired by the efforts of the NAACP, and the outcome they reached in the Brown vs. board of Education Verdict. * However, it was the ordinary people that changed their future by joining protests and helping each other. Such as Linda Brown, if it wasn’t for Linda’s cause the case to bring desegregation to schools. Linda Brown was the Daughter to Oliver Brown, because of his annoyance that his daughter had to walk 6 blocks because of the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling ‘separate but equal’ under the Jim Crow laws. Her long walks to school led to one of the most monumental events that happened for African Americans. However, Linda Brown was part one of the thirteen families that was recruited to Topeka (the area they lived in), the NAACP took the case for Brown and pursued his plan to desegregate schools. * To conclude: The NAACP efforts in desegregating schools were more important than the other factors that influenced desegregations. Without The NAACP providing lawyers such as Marshall and helping brown win his case, Oliver brown wouldn’t of won the case. I believe that the NAACP’s involvement in the desegregation of schools was the main reason and that’s why I agree with the statement. African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962. (2016, Nov 19).

Literature Survey on Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Literature Survey on Implementation - Essay Example This volume intends to survey the means and insights in sending a wake-up call that moved the general observation and that goes beyond simple examination. On realization of a widening gap between the conception and implementation of policies, Mazmanian, Daniel, Paul (125) initiated a wave of critics in response to the noted political irresponsibility. In his book, Bardarch (55) imprints a deep message that sort to effect more congruence within the public policy processes to consequently ensure that the legislated actions and policies intentions were carried out in actual sense and in reality. They wrote their books based on the relevance basing their sentiments to the ongoing discussions and debates about the credibility of the government to challenge the true democratic reorganization (Mazmanian, Daniel, Paul, 124). The work is very relevant and extends a helping hand to assist in the much-needed debate concerning the administrative underpinning of the governance, which came at a time of the fall of the unresponsive, and unaccountable government had yet not found any lasting solution for public management. One cannot fail to note the compelling effect and clarity of vision they all bring to the issue. In their book, Pressman, Jeffrey, and Aaron (70) presents a picture the general society would not admire. The book is not optimistic at all; as the theme course along the concept of â€Å"declare it done and it will be done† method of central control that is mostly satisfied in just having a good policy or a great legislation without giving much regard to the means by which is will get executed. Denhardt (22) employs powerful stands and perspectives to develop and create a ground to consider critically the issue of implementation. As of today, he takes the task of redefining the study of the structure of administration in relation to public policy. He offers a detailed and refined examination of the vital elements about both the potential for success and

What if anything, can the study of family law gain from an Essay

What if anything, can the study of family law gain from an understanding of theoretical approaches towards the relationship between law and families - Essay Example or alternative non-marriage arrangements as well as frequent divorce are making the once-solidly-defined English nuclear family resemble something else entirely, something else that is thus-far undefined, vague and nebulous. In this changing atmosphere, family law will be of increasing importance in managing conflict, creating harmony and resolving issues before they arise, creating amicable arrangements when disasters do occur, and organizing society. Major theoretical approaches like feminist theory, the public-private divide and functionalist theory deserve analysis, but the most salient for modern circumstances is feminist theory, at least insofar as it recognizes gender differences and difficulties. The changing nature of the British family deserves special comment and analysis. â€Å"Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. Most managers are now women too. And for every two men who get a college degree this year, three women will do the same. For years, women’s progress has been cast as a struggle for equality. But what if equality isn’t the end point? What if modern, postindustrial society is simply better suited to women?† (Rosin, 2010). Rosins question is obviously somewhat hyperbolic, but there is an underlying fear and anxiety there. Girls are being preferred over boys for in vitro fertilisation in America, and similar phenomena are occurring in Britain. The delocation and loss of jobs caused by the recent economic meltdown have only exacerbated this phenomenon. â€Å"He writes on the board: $85,000. â€Å"This is her salary.† Then: $12,000. â€Å"This is your salary. Who’s the d amn man? Who’s the man now?† A murmur rises. â€Å"That’s right. She’s the man† (Rosin, 2010). This basic conflict between men and women in terms of new gender norms will cause major issues for family law. Add in the other factors such as cohabitation, gay marriage and civil unions, other changing sexual orientation

Marketing Plan Outline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing Plan Outline - Assignment Example Market Summary: This section provides the credibility of entering the chosen market of Bakersfield. Currently people are more reliant on dry cleaning services for being busy and over equipped with the work-life balance. This factor provides the company to enter the market with newer and better facilities, like home deliveries. SWOT Analysis: reveals that currently the company has the resources and abilities to enter this market. There are no strict rules and regulations surrounding this area of business. People are welcoming new and better services with limited time available to them for dropping and picking up their clothes and other items. The strength, hence, lies in delivering the services at their door step, suing technologies to make it easier for them to avail the services and providing better results than others. Competition: Wash N Dry and Today Dry cleaners are the closest competitors with many recurring and satisfied customers. However, the service differentiation of provi ding home delivery facility is an obvious benefit for the clients. Moreover, the use of technology would enhance the credibility and save clients time to visit the shop. Products/Services: The strategy to capture the working population and save their time will be attractive to the Bakersfield market. Majority of the population is from a working class. Extended hours of work in different shift of employees would be helpful in creating flexibility for the clients to get their laundries done at their ease. Moreover, home delivery would save them time and travelling costs which is an add-on to the high quality services the company offers. Keys to Success: This section provides the key for the success of our business. The main idea proposed is to close the gap between client expectation and actual service delivered. Hence, the idea is to create value for the customer and communicate that value properly. Critical Issues: The critical issues to be considered are discussed in three main poi nts including The Pre-opening marketing of the service, the cost-benefit analysis of home Delivery and The formulation of Promotional Strategy that supports business aims. 2.1 Market Summary The target market of Bakersfield, California is attractive for the dry cleaning businesses. The employment rates among both men and women are high, leaving minimal time for them to perform household tasks. In order to get their laundry done, they opt for the service providers easily and cheaply available. The busy population does not get enough time to visit the self-service dry-cleaning and laundry shops, hence, drop-off businesses like Today Cleaners are introduced. The service provides time-savings to the customers which is highly appreciated and accepted. Figure 1: (Britt, 2006) The population growth rate is about 40.6% since 2000 which is considerably higher than other areas of the US. Approximately 3.5 million people are living in Bakersfield (USA.com). The median household income in Baker sfield shows an increasing trend of approximately 35% which shows their better living standards than before. The employment rate is about 88.5% in June 2013, as reported by U.S. Bureau of Labor

The role and representation of men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The role and representation of men - Essay Example man as weak and vulnerable, yet often such film makes a point of portraying this as a tragedy, an injustice in which man is stripped of his natural power. In stark contrast; the female role is often a vulnerable one – she is the beautiful daughter or the caring wife – she is the home-maker who cooks the meals and cleans the house; she is the child-bearer. Such stereotypical portrayals of the sexes are indeed extremely common, and have roots in the age-old status roles which men and women took centuries ago. This essay will focus on the role of the male in film; it will assess which forms the male role has taken in film and for which message it was intended to portray. Film media plays an immense role in portraying the stereotypical roles of men and women on the screen. As has already been stated, the male role is often connected with masculinity, and all that comes with this label; namely independence, financial success, violence, aggression and physical attractiveness. Men suffering problems are portrayed as ‘drinking’ them away or using methods of violence to ease the anger associated with the problem. A ‘real’ man is portrayed as muscular, harsh, well-endowed and often is a womaniser because of these qualities. It is almost as if these qualities give the male a reason, or a right to such womanising activities. The French male role is often the suave, less masculine in terms of violence, yet more beautiful and poetic. Entre nous depicts and accentuates the difference between the ideal and the typical male role. It portrays the ability of the female characters in constructing a network of friendship and mutual support, in which they are able to establish and maintain a form of independence from their husbands. In this film, the male role depicts that of the caring husband, the admirer of his wife and daughters, the provider of the family, yet in a less masculine sense. By depicting the women in this manner, the film manages to accentuate

Population Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Population Growth - Essay Example The global population growth is deemed to reach 9.7 billion by the year 2050 and subsequently 11.2 billion by the year 2100 which will pose unsustainability challenges to the mother earth. The main projection is perceived to be caused by Africa’s population which is rising at exponential rates. The rapid population growth has the effect of damaging the Earth’s natural-capital as well as increasing carbon-dioxide buildup in the ecosystem. Hence, population-control approaches are more effective than the traditional birth-control limitation, since they have long-term and radical impacts on environmental protection and reproductive health control. According to historians, the world populations continue to double at wrecking speeds with every century. It is noted that before the 20th century, no humans lived while seeing the population growth double, but in the current millennium, there are individuals who have seen it triple (Kunzig Para 1). Based on Aridi Para (3) people nowadays are living longer than in ancient times. Additionally, a majority of the women today are at their child-bearing years approximately 1.8 billion of them. Based on this trend, the global population growth is perceived to keep increasing despite the reduction of children per woman as compared to the past generation. The UN demographers estimate the total population to reach 9 billion between year the 2045 and 2050. The global population growth-rate is estimated to be 80 million annually which is an alarming rate.

Bussiness message Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bussiness message - Essay Example This message is very critical to the success of the sending supplier but the manner of its formatting and structure fails to make it comprehensible and meaningful to the recipient. The design is out of context due to its poor organization while the content is vague with a number of meaningless remarks. The sentences are randomly written with total disregard to business message rubrics and this makes the connection of ideas in the letter incomprehensible. The message ought to take this format to be relevant in the business field for which it is meant â€Å"We would like to inform you that we have received you 6 DVDs order and promises to deliver them by March 25th, 2013 as per your request. We give you 100% surety that you will be satisfied with our products and kindly mail us to this effect once you have used our products. We believe the 6 DVD’s are going to meet your desires of achieving the best from your firm’s employee appraisal project, recruitment criteria, and subsequent improved performance.Take note that each DVD has slide show Tips and techniques that will make it easy when training the employees.Each DVD is accompanied by a booklet that will assist the trainers in maximizing the value of the procurement and achieve the goals of your organization.These booklets contain participants materials that can freely be copied for in-house seminars and workshops Enclosed with this order is our catalog of the latest training DVDs materials offer which are user-friendly and have a warranty of 30 days.

Organizational change Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational change - Article Example Consequently, companies need to anticipate change, notify the concerned people, enforce the change gradually and proceed to reconfigure the firm. This ensures that the change process is successful, which determines the productivity of the company. Organisational change refers to the transformation of a company’s structure, position and quality, which is achieved by bringing in the most recent dealings and ideas aimed at improving global adjustment and performance of the firm. There are two kinds of organisational changes that can be introduced in a company. The first one is first order change, which is also referred to as evolutionary or incremental change. The second one is second order change, which is also referred to as revolutionary or strategic change. Evolutionary change is usually implemented at a small scale, therefore, aiming at changing few sections of the company such as, reshuffling departments. On the other hand, revolutionary change is usually radical and involves changing the entire framework of the company, for example, the organisational structure. Organisational change can either be planned or emergent. An organisation can plan organisational change by highlighting the required changes and projecting the time required to implement them. This is done when an organisation wants to change its status from a disreputable organisation to a reputable one. Then again, an organisational change can be developed circumstantially when it wants to adjust to unexpected changes such as new competition in its business environment. Organisational change can be attributed to various reasons such as, emergence of new technologies, market competition, different kinds of economic crisis and organisational growth among others. Resistance to change is normally seen in an organisation, as employees try to maintain the status quo. Resistance to change is a time consuming and expensive process that hinders productivity in an organisation. It may have

Agency Problem Essay Example for Free

Agency Problem Essay Financial Management (Agency problem) Prepared by: Sami Hassan Saeed Singabi August 2008 Introduction Economic science teaches us that due to their subjective needs, individuals have subjective preferences, and hence different interest. Occasionally different subjective interests give rise to conflicts of interest between contracting partners. These conflicts of interest may result in turn, in one or both parties undertaking actions that may be against the interest of the other contracting partner. The primary reason for the divergence of objectives between managers and shareholders has been attributed to separation of ownership (shareholders) and control (management) in corporations. As a consequence, agency problems or principal-agent conflicts exist in the firm. Agency theory deals with such problem. Agency theory is concerned with how these agency problems affect the form of the contract and how they can be minimized, in particular, when contracting parties are variously informed (or uncertain). Agency problem A problem arising from a conflict of interest between principals such as investors and agents acting for them, such as brokers or managers. Agency problem refers to a conflict of interest arising between creditors, shareholders and management because of differing goals. It exists due to problems in corporate governance. A typical problem is that of senior management of a company, who are charged with running the business in the interests of shareholders; choose instead to operate to maximize their own interests. A simple example is the hired anager who fills his pockets at shareholders expenses. For example, an agency problem exists when management and shareholders have conflicting ideas on how the company should be run. Agency problems that arise in a corporation have troubled economists for some time. There are a number of mechanisms that have been used to try and reduce these agency problems. Many of these mechanisms try to link the managers compensation to the performance of the firm. Typical examples include performance shares, restricted stock grants, and executive stock options. This dissertation is an empirical study of whether the use of executive stock options has in fact reduced the agency problems between managers and stockholders. In this dissertation, two different testing methodologies are used to address the agency problem reduction issue. One methodology looks at some significant event such as a merger or divestiture to see if an executives holding of stock options affect what decisions are made. For example, do larger holdings of stock options motivate managers to take on riskier investments? By increasing the risk of the firm, managers can increase the value of the stock options. Another question of interest is whether in taking on risky investments; do executives increase the leverage of the firm? By increasing the leverage of the firm, the executive might increase the risk of the firm and thus the value of the option holdings. An agency relationship An agency relationship arises whenever one or more individuals, called principals, hire one or more other individuals, called agents, to perform some service and then delegate decision-making authority to the agents. The primary agency relationships in business are those :- (1) Between stockholders and managers and 2) Between debt holders and stockholders. These relationships are not necessarily harmonious; indeed, agency theory is concerned with so-called agency conflicts, or conflicts of interest between agents and principals. These relationships are not necessarily harmonious; indeed, agency theory is concerned with so-called agency conflicts, or conflicts of interest between agents and principals. Expansion increase potential agency problems, if you expanded to additional locations you could not physically be at all locations at the same time. Consequently, you would have to delegate decision-making authority to others. Creditors can protect themselves by: (1) Having the loan secured. (2) Placing restrictive covenants in debt agreements. (3) They charge a higher than normal interest rate to compensate for risk. Agency cost A type of internal cost that arises from, or must be paid to a manger acting on behalf of shareholders. Agency cost arises because of core problems such as conflicts of interest between share holders and management. Shareholders wish for management to run the company in away that increases shareholders value, but management may wish to grow the company in away that maximize their personal power and wealth that may not be in the best interest of shareholders. Agency costs are inevitable within an organization whenever shareholders are not completely in charge; the cost can usually be best spent on providing proper material incentives and moral incentives for agents to properly execute their duties, thereby aligning the interests of shareholders (owners) and agents. The principals (the shareholders) have to find ways of ensuring that their agents (the managers) act in their interests. This means incurring costs, ‘agency costs’, to (a) monitor managers’ behavior, and (b) create incentive schemes and control for managers to pursue shareholders’ wealth maximization. Various methods have been used to try to align the actions of senior management with the interests of shareholders, that is, to achieve ‘goal congruence’. Linking rewards to shareholder wealth improvements: Owners can grant directors and other senior managers share options. These ermit the managers to purchase shares at some date in the future at a price, which is fixed in the present. If the share price rises significantly between the dates when the option was granted and the date when the shares can be bought the manager can make a fortune by buying at the pre-arranged price and then selling in the market place. The managers under such a scheme have a clear interest in achieving a rise in share price and thus congruence comes about to some extent. An alternative method is to allot shares to managers if they achieve certain performance targets, for example, growth in earnings per share or return on shares. Sackings: The threat of being sacked with the accompanying humiliation and financial loss may encourage managers not to diverge too far from the shareholders’ wealth path. However this method is seldom used because it is often difficult to implement due to difficulties of making a coordinated shareholder effort. Selling shares threat and the take- over: Most of the large shareholders (especially institutional investors) of quoted companies are not prepared to put large resources into monitoring and controlling all the firms of which they own a part. Quite often their first response, if they observe that management is not acting in what they regard as their best interest, is to sell the share rather than intervene. This will result in a lower share price, making the raising of funds more difficult. If this process continues the firm may become vulnerable to a merger bid by another group of managers, resulting in a loss of top management posts. Fear of being taken over can establish some sort of backstop position to prevent shareholder wealth considerations being totally ignored. Corporate governance regulations: There is a considerable range of legislation and other regulatory pressures (e. g. the Companies Act) designed to encourage directors to act in shareholders’ interests. Within these regulations for example, the board of directors is not to be dominated by a single individual acting as both the chairman and chief executive. Also independently minded non-executive directors should have more power to represent shareholder interests; in particular, they should predominate in decisions connected with directors’ remuneration and auditing of firm’s accounts. Information flow: The accounting profession, the stock exchange, the regulating agencies and the investing public are continuously conducting a battle to encourage or force firms to release more accurate, timely and detailed information concerning their operations. An improved quality of corporate accounts, annual reports and the availability of other forms of information flowing to investors and analysts such as company briefings and press announcements help to monitor firms, and identify any wealth-destroying actions by wayward managers early. Conclusion Diffuse ownership of publicly held companies reduces the owners’ ability to monitor managers because they would have to bear the full monitoring costs while gaining only a small marginal benefit. Managers may therefore act to maximize their wealth through personal use of corporate assets, stock manipulation and sub optimal decisions at the owners expense. Thus agency theory practical mechanism is weak, because it is unable to provide practical conclusions with regard to agency problems. References: 1. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. htm 2. www. referenceforbusiness. com 3. Financial-dictionary. The free dictionary. com

The History of Chinese Literature Essay Example for Free

The History of Chinese Literature Essay Writing in China dates back to the hieroglyphs that were used in the Shang Dynasty of 1700 – 1050 BC. Chinese literature is a vast subject that spans thousands of years. One of the interesting things about Chinese literature is that much of the serious literature was composed using a formal written language that is called Classical Chinese. The best literature of the Yuan Dynasty era and the four novels that are considered the greatest classics are important exceptions. However, even during the Qing Dynasty of two hundred years ago, most writers composed in a literary stream that extended back about 2,400 years. They studied very ancient writings in more or less the original written language. This large breadth of time with so many writers living in the various eras and countries makes Chinese literature complex. Chinese literary works include fiction, philosophical and religious works, poetry, and scientific writings. The dynastic eras frame the history of Chinese literature and are examined one by one. The grammar of the written Classical Language is different than the spoken languages of the past two thousand years. This written language was used by people of many different ethnic groups and countries during the Zhou, Qin and Han eras spanning 1050 BC to 220 AD. After the Han Dynasty, the written language evolved as the spoken languages changed, but most writers still based their compositions on Classical Chinese. However, this written language wasn’t the vernacular language even two thousand years ago. The empires and groups of kingdoms of all these eras were composed of people speaking many different native languages. If Europe had a literary history like China’s, it would be as if most European writers until the 20th century always tried to write in ancient Classical Greek that became a dead language more than two millennia ago. Shang Dynasty (about 1700-1050 BC) Development of Chinese Writing The first dynasty for which there is historical record and archaeological evidence is the Shang Dynasty. It was a small empire in northern central China. No documents from that country survive, but there are archaeological finds of hieroglyphic writing on bronze wares and oracle bones. The hieroglyphic writing system later evolved into ideographic and partly-phonetic Chinese characters. Zhou Dynasty (1045-255 BC) Basic Philosophical and Religious Literature The Zhou Dynasty was contemporaneous with the Shang Dynasty, and then they conquered the Shang Dynasty. Their dynasty lasted for about 800 years, but for most of the time, their original territory was broken up into dozens of competing kingdoms, and these finally coalesced into several big and warring kingdoms by the end of the Zhou era. The great literary works of philosophy and religion that became the basis for Chinese religious and social belief stem from what is called the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476) and the Warring States Period (475-221). Taoism, Confucian literature, and other prominent religious and philosophical schools all emerged during these two periods. The Chinese call this simultaneous emergence of religions and philosophies the â€Å"One Hundred Schools of Thought.† Perhaps so many philosophers could write simultaneously because they lived in small kingdoms that supported them. In Chinese history, the dominant rulers generally squelch or discourage philosophical expression that contradict their own, so when there were several small powers, different schools of thought could survive in the land at the same time. The major literary achievements of the Confucian Classics, early Taoist writings, and other important prose works originated in the late Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period of the Zhou Dynasty era. These literary works deeply shaped Chinese philosophy and religion. Confucius is said to have edited a history of the Spring and Autumn Period called the Spring and Autumn Annals (æ˜ ¥Ã§ §â€¹) that shapes Chinese thinking about its history. There were hundreds of philosophers and writers who wrote conflicting documents, and there was discussion and communication. What we know of the literature of this period was mainly preserved after the Qin Dynasty’s book burning and from a few recent archeological finds of records. Probably most of the philosophical and religious works of that time were destroyed. If there were great fictional books created, they have been lost. So the main contributions of this period to Chinese literature were the prose works of the Confucian Classics and the Taoist writings, and preserved poems and songs. Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) Literary Disaster and Legalism At the end of the Zhou Dynasty era that is called the Warring States Period, of the surviving few big states in the land, the Qin Dynasty became the most powerful. The Qin Dynasty had big armies and conquered the others. Once the Qin emperor had control, he wanted to keep it, and they squelched any opposition to his authority. In the conquered territories, there were teachers of many different doctrines and religions. A big philosophical and religious school then was called Mohism. They were particularly attacked by the Qin Dynasty, and little is known about it. An early form of Buddhism was also established in China at that time, but their temples and literature were destroyed and even less is known about them. The emperor wanted to reduce the One Hundred Schools of Thought to one that he approved. He ordered the destruction of most books all over the empire. He even killed many Confucian philosophers and teachers. He allowed books on scientific subjects like medicine or agriculture to survive. So the â€Å"Book Burning and Burial of Scholars† was a literary disaster. On the other hand, the Qin Dynasty standardized the written Classical Language. It is said that a minister of the Qin emperor named Li Si introduced a writing system that later developed into modern Chinese writing. Standardization was meant to help control the society. The standardized writing system also helped people all over the country to communicate more clearly. The Qin Emperor favored a philosophical school that was called Legalism (æ ³â€¢Ã¥ ® ¶). This philosophy of course justified the strong control of the emperor and maintained that everyone should obey him. It is thought that Li Si taught that human nature was naturally selfish and that a strong emperor government with strict laws was needed for social order. Li Si’s writings on politics and law and his propagation of this school much influenced the political thinking in the Han Dynasty and later eras. Legalism texts and the standardization of writing were the Qin Dynasty era’s literary contributions. Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) Scientific and Historical Texts A former peasant leader overthrew the Qin Empire. The Han Dynasty era lasted for 400 years. At the beginning of the era, Confucianism was revived. Confucian texts were rewritten and republished. Confucianism was mixed with the Legalism philosophy of Li Si. The resulting ideology was the official ideology of the Han Dynasty and influenced political thinking afterwards. The era’s major contributions were historical texts and scientific works. Sima Qian wrote Historical Records that is a major history concerning the overall history of China from before the Shang Dynasty until the Han Dynasty. The book’s prose was considered a model for writers in succeeding dynastic eras. Another important historical text concerned the Han Dynasty itself. Some scientific texts were also thought to be important for their times, thought it doesn’t seem that the information was widely known or well known afterwards. The Han Dynasty era was one of the two main hotspot eras for scientific and technical advance. But printing wasn’t available for wide publication of the information. During the Eastern Han Dynasty towards the end of the Han era, the influence of the philosophy of the Confucian Classics that hindered scientific progress was waning. So people were more free to pursue invention. Cai Lun (50–121) of the imperial court is said to be the first person in the world to create writing paper, and this was important for written communication at the end of the empire. Finery forges were used in steel making. Two or three mathematical texts showing advanced mathematics for the times were written. The Han Empire disintegrated into warring kingdoms similar to what happened during the Warring States Period before the Qin Dynasty. For several hundred years, dynasties and kingdoms rose and fell in various places, and the next big and long-lasting dynastic empire is called the Tang Dynasty . Tang Dynasty (618-907) Early Woodblock Printing and Poetry The Tang Dynasty had a big empire that benefited from trade with the west along the Silk Road, battled with the Tibetan Empire, and experienced the growing influence of organized Buddhist religions. This era’s main contribution to Chinese literature was in the poetry of Dufu, Li Bai and many other poets. Dufu and Li Bai are often thought of as China’s greatest poets. Li Bai (701–762) was one of the greatest romantic poets of ancient China. He wrote at least a thousand poems on a variety of subjects from political matters to natural scenery. Du Fu (712-770 AD) also wrote more than a thousand poems. He is thought of as one of the greatest realist poets of China. His poems reflect the hard realities of war, dying people living next to rich rulers, and primitive rural life. He was an official in the Tang capital of Chang An, and he was captured when the capital was attacked. He took refuge in Chengdu that is a city in Sichuan Province. It is thought that he lived in a simple hut where he wrote many of his best realist poems. Perhaps more than 1,400 of his poems survive, and his poetry is still read and appreciated by modern Chinese people. Song Dynasty (960-1279) Early Woodblock Printing, Travel Literature, Poetry, Scientific Texts and the Neo-Confucian Classics The next dynasty is called the Song Dynasty. It was weaker than the Tang Dynasty, but the imperial government officials made remarkable scientific and technical advances. Military technology greatly advanced. They traded little with the west due to the presence of warring Muslim states on the old trade routes. There wasn’t territorial expansion, but the empire was continuously attacked by nomadic tribes and countries around them. Their northern territory was invaded, and they were forced to move their capital to southern China. So the era is divided into two eras called the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) eras. One of the era’s technological accomplishments was the invention of movable type about the turn of 2nd millennia during the Northern Song period. This helped to spread knowledge since printed material could be published more quickly and chea ply. Travel literature in which authors wrote about their trips and about various destinations became popular perhaps because the texts could be cheaply bought. The Confucian Classics were codified and used as test material for the entrance examination into the elite bureaucracy, advanced scientific texts and atlases were published, and important poems were written. The Confucian Classics were important in China’s history because from the Song Dynasty onwards, they were the texts people needed to know in order to pass an examination for the bureaucracy of China. These Confucian Classics were the Five Classics that were thought to have been penned by Confucius and the Four Books that were thought to contain Confucius-related material but were compiled during the Southern Song era. The Four Books and Five Classics (å››æ› ¸Ã¤ ºâ€Ã§ ¶â€œ) were basically memorized by those who did the best on the exams. In this way, Confucianism, as codified during the Song era, became the dominant political philosophy of the several empires until modern times. Since the bureaucrats all studied the same works on social behavior and philosophy, this promoted unity and the normalization of behavior throughout each empire and during dynastic changes. The scholar-bureaucrats had a common base of understanding, and they passed on these ideas to the people under them. Those who passed the difficult exams were highly respected even if they didn’t receive a ruling post. High education in this system was thought to produce nobility. The Five Classics and Four Books were written in the written Classical Language. The Five Classics include: The Book of Changes, The Classic of Poetry, The Record of Rites that was a recreation of the original Classic of Rites of Confucius that was lost in the Qin book purge, The Classic of History, and The Spring and Autumn Annals that was mainly a historical record of Co nfucius native state of Lu. The Four Books include: The Analects of Confucius that is a book of pithy sayings attributed to Confucius and recorded by his disciples; Mencius that is a collection of political dialogues attributed to Mencius; The Doctrine of the Mean; and The Great Learning that is a book about education, self-cultivation and the Dao. For foreigners who want a taste of this Confucian philosophy, reading the Analects of Confucius is a good introduction since the statements are usually simple and like common sense. Another period of scientific progress and technical invention was the Song era. Song technicians seemed to have made a lot of advancements in mechanical engineering. They made advanced contraptions out of gears, pulleys and wheels. These were used to make big clocks, a mechanical odometer on animal drawn carts that marked land distance by making noise after traveling a certain distance, and other advanced instruments. The Song technicians also invented many uses gunpowder including rockets, explosives and big guns. The imperial court officials did remarkable scientific research in many areas of mechanics and science. Shen Kuo (1031–1095) and Su Song (1020–1101) both wrote scientific treatises about their research and about different fields. Shen is said to have discovered the concepts of true north and magnetic declination towards the North Pole. He also described the magnetic needle compass. If Chinese sailors knew about this work, they could have sailed long distances more accurately. This knowledge would predate European discovery. He did advanced astronomical research for his time. Su Song wrote a treatise called the Bencao Tujing with information on medicine, botany and zoology. He also was the author of a large celestial atlas of five different star maps, and he also made land atlases. Su Song was famous for his hydraulic-powered astronomical clock tower. Sus clock tower is said to have had an endless power-transmitting chain drive that he described in a text on clock design and astronomy that was published in 1092. If this is so, it may be the first time such a device was used in the world. When the Southern Song Empire was conquered by the Mongols, these inventions and the astronomical knowledge may have been forgotten. Another contribution to the literature of China was the poetry of the Song era. A Southern Song poet named Lu is thought to have written almost 10,000 poems. Su Tungpo is regarded as a great poet of the Northern Song era. Here is a stanza he wrote: â€Å"The moon rounds the red mansion Stoops to silk-pad doors Shines upon the sleepless Bearing no grudge Why does the moon tend to be full when people are apart?† Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) Drama and Great Fictional Novels The Mongols were nomadic people who herded cattle north of the Tang Empire and wandered over a large area fighting on horseback. They believed that they might be able to conquer the world. They easily conquered Persia far to the west. It was a big empire with high technology, a big population and a big army. Then they decided to try to conquer all the countries around them. They attacked the Tang Dynasty, the Dali Kingdom in Yunnan, and much of Asia, and they formed the biggest empire in the history of the earth until then. They conquered Russia, a part of eastern Europe and a part of the Middle East. In China, the Mongols established the very rich Yuan Dynasty. In their camps, the Mongols were entertained by shadow puppet plays in which a lamp cast the shadows of little figurines and puppets on a screen or sheet. In the Yuan Dynasty, puppet drama continued to entertain the rich dynastic courts in vernacular language. Dramatic operatic theaters with human actors speaking in vernacular language was a favorite form of entertainment as well, and some of China’s best dramatic scripts were written then. Also two of the four novels that are generally considered China’s best literary classics were written in vernacular language then. So though the Yuan Empire wasn’t ruled by Chinese, it was an era of some historically renowned dramatic playwrights and novelists who wrote in vernacular language. It is thought that the operatic style of the shadow puppet dramas that entertained the courts influenced the development of the operatic theater style of the Yuan Dynasty. The Yuan rulers were fabulously wealthy according to historical accounts. They had a vast empire and control of trade in Eurasia. For the royal courts or the rich people, refined music, sound effects and talented singers were employed for shadow plays. The Yuan â€Å"Zaju† style of opera was similar to their shadow pl ays. Perhaps the playwrights adopted the plots and the features. There were exciting plots, elaborate costumes, refined music and singing, action, and dance that the Mongols enjoyed. The music of the Zaju operas was called Yuan Qu (Yuan Music). The language used wasn’t the Classical Language but the vernacular language, so that the theater might be enjoyed by everyone. After the Yuan Dynasty, the operatic style developed into the Painted Faces style of Chinese opera that was popular until modern times. Guan Hanqing is regarded as one of the best playwrights of the times. He wrote Midsummer Snow that was one of the most popular drama pieces. It is a tragedy about an unjustly accused woman who received justice after her death. The Romance of the Western Chamber was written by Wang Shifu. It is considered one of the best romantic dramas ever written in China. Novels were another outstanding achievement of the Yuan era. The novelists influenced the future development of the genre. Two novels are still widely read now and are generally considered two of the four greatest novels in Chinese literature. These are Water Margin and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms was written in vernacular language by Luo Guan Zhong. It is historical fiction about the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms Period. The Three Kingdoms Period was between the Han and Tang eras. Special emphasis is laid on the two famous historical rulers Liu Bei and Cao Cao who were antagonists. It is a long novel with 800,000 words. Water Margin is about the lives and ideals of a group of characters who fought against the corrupt Northern Song Dynasty that the Mongols conquered. It is said it was written in vernacular language by Shi Nai An, but scholars debate about the authorship. Many scholars think that the first 70 chapters were written by Shi Nai An and that the last 30 chapters were written by Luo Guan Zhong who was also the author of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Novels The Chinese rebelled against the Mongols, and the Ming Dynasty era began about 1368. The Mongols and the Ming government still sometimes fought. Because of this and the presence of Muslim countries in between, trade with the west was reduced to the pre-Yuan level. The Ming initially were interested in exploration, and Muslims whose ancestors arrived during the Yuan Dynasty and who were familiar with seagoing trade were employed to make long voyages to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and perhaps Africa. Then they became isolationist. It is interesting that a book that is one of the four great classics called Journey to the West about a monk going to India was written during this time of isolation. Maybe the thought of travel to the lands in the west was appealing then. Novels were the era’s main contribution. The Journey to the West is based on the historical journey of a Buddhist to India during the Tang era to learn Buddhist teachings and bring back scriptures and information. In 1629, Xuanzang (602 664) left Changan in 629 and arrived back in Changan in 646. Mythical tales about this journey including the character of an intelligent monkey began to be circulated long before the book was written. The author drew on known tales. Journey to the West is thought to have been published anonymously by Wu Chengen in the 16th century though scholars have doubt about the authorship. The trend in that era was for people to write in Classical Chinese and imitate the literature of the Tang Dynasty and Han Dynasty. However, this book was written in the vernacular. Perhaps because there was a lack of accurate geographical knowledge available to the author, much of the geographical landscape of the story is inaccurate. However, the â€Å"Flaming Mountains† that are near Turpan in Xinjiang are mentioned. Perhaps the author meant to poke fun at Chinese religion because a monkey is said to have defeated a whole army led by Taoist gods, and only the Buddha’s intervention stopped the monkey. The book describes India as a land of gross sin and immorality, and the monk was commissioned by Buddha to help India. The characters in the book are well known to Chinese children, and they often appear in martial arts movies and cartoons. Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Novels and Pre-modern Literature The Manchus invaded the Ming Empire from the north and established the last dynasty called the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus were not Chinese, but they retained the Neo-Confucian governing system of the Song and Ming eras. The Qing Dynasty came under increasing attack from both internal rebellions and foreign countries. In the 19th century, foreign literature and the West became better known. In the middle of this era, the last of China’s four great classic novels was written called Dream of the Red Chamber (ç ´â€¦Ã¦ ¨â€œÃ¥ ¤ ¢); and near the end of the era, modernistic literature developed. The Dream of the Red Chamber also has an uncertain authorship. Like the other three great classic novels, it was written in a vernacular language – the Mandarin language that was the language of the Qing capital. It is probably mostly composed by Cao Xueqin (about 1715-1763) in the middle 1700s, and the first printing of the book was in the late 1700s. It is thought that Cao did not live to see the first printing. It is thought that another person or other people contributed the ending of the story since the original ending of the story was lost. The book has a lot of textual problems, and there are different versions. In a preface to a printed version in 1792, two editors claimed to have put together an ending based on the authors working manuscripts that they had bought from a street vendor. At the end of the Qing Dynasty era, the dynastic rulers came under increasing pressure both from foreign attacks and internal rebellions. Educated Chinese had easier access to foreign literature, and they were more influenced by Western culture. Students started to travel abroad to study, and schools built by missionaries educated tens of thousands of students. There was a general sense of crisis, and intellectuals started translating foreign works on science, politics, and literature. These were popular, and the culture started to change. Some writers produced fiction more like Western fiction. Chinese Literatures Chinese Classical Prose Prose writing in ancient and pre-modern China differed from poetry in that it was less rigidly structured and wasnt like verses in a song or like one of the common styles of poetry. But compared to English prose, literary prose before the year 1900 was often much more formalized. Except for popular novels and theatrical plays, most of the literary prose works were written in the literary Classical Language. This Classical Language utilized the grammar and ancient characters of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) and of the Han Dynasty era (206 BC – 220 AD). Writers sought to imitate the examples of prose in ancient philosophical and religious books such as Mencius (Ã¥ ­Å¸Ã¥ ­ ) and Zhuang Zi (莊å ­ ). These old texts that were thought to date from about 600 BC to 200 BC were thought to contain examples of careful and well-reasoned discourses and be examples of good organization and style. During the Han Dynasty era (206 BC – 220 AD), a more formalized style of prose writing appeared that was called Piantiwen (é § ¢Ã© «â€Ã¦â€"‡) or parallel prose style. But in the Tang and Song eras, people started to write in the less formal and more ancient style called Guwen (Ã¥  ¤Ã¦â€"‡) of the Warring States era. So classical prose can be divided into three types called Piantiwen style, Guwen style, and the vernacular style used in operatic dramas and in the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature. For about 2,000 years after the Qin Dynasty era (221-206 BC), Chinese writers had a constraint that European writers generally didnt face after the Renaissance. Chinese writers generally needed to write in a common literary language that wasnt their native language or a vernacular language anywhere. The ancient languages of the Warring States Period were extinct. But writers had to maintain the grammar and the use of the vocabulary. In some ways, this is similar to how educated Europeans wrote in Latin until the Renaissance era. During the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), the emperor ordered that all texts other than those of a philosophy called Legalism and some sciences that he favored be destroyed. There was a Book Burning and the Burial of Scholars. They effectively destroyed several religions and philosophical schools and much ancient literature. During the Han era, people tried to reconstruct and preserve what was lost. What emerged as important were works attributed to Confucius, Mencius, Zhuang Zi, Lao Zi, and a few other philosophers. Mencius whose book was considered one of the major texts of Confucianism was said to have elegant diction, and Zhuang Zi whose text was one of the two pillars of the school of Daoism that emerged in the Han era showed how to use anecdotes and all egories effectively. Chinese writers tried to copy their styles. The example of the style from the pre-Qin era was said to be simple and direct. Ouyang XiuIn the Han era, a variant style was developed that was called Piantiwen (é § ¢Ã© «â€Ã¦â€"‡). This style wasnt as clear or precise, but it was florid, ornate and rigid. The Piantiwen style was popular for several hundred years afterwards. During the late Tang era (618-907), two prominent officials tried to reintroduce the earlier style called Guwen. Han Yu (768–824) and Liu Zongyuan tried to teach others to use Guwen. They are considered two of the great prose masters of the Tang and Song eras. But the Tang Dynasty fell and was replaced by the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD). During the Song Dynasty, another literati named Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072) helped to revive writing in the Guwen style. This neoclassical style dominated prose writing for the next 800 years. It was the writing system of rulers in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1645-1912) eras. In order to gain entrance into the bur eaucracy during the Ming and Qing eras, candidates had to pass the imperial qualifying examination. The exam material was the 9 Classics of Neo-Confucianism as was codified in the Song era. The Four Books and Five Classics (å››æ› ¸Ã¤ ºâ€Ã§ ¶â€œ) were basically memorized by those who did the best on the exams. These works contained the style of writing the literati wished to imitate. After the fourteenth century, vernacular fiction became popular. This may be because the invention of printing allowed the works to be more widely published. In the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming and Qing eras, four novels were published that are considered the best in Chinese history. The four novels are often called the Four Classics in China. All four were written in a spoken language of their times unlike most ancient literature that was written in the literary Classical Language. These four novels all have disputed authorship. They are: The Romance of the Three Kingdoms that is said to have been written by Luo Guan Zhong during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368); Water Margin that is said to be written by Shi Nai An during the Yuan era; Journey to the West that is thought to have been published anonymously by Wu Chengen during the Ming Dynasty era (1368-1644); and The Dream of the Red Chamber was said to be written by Cao Xueqin (1715-1763) during the Qing Dynasty era (1644-1911). The writers wrote in different languages, but vernacular prose can be called the third type of classical prose writing. Chinese Poetry Poetry has been a favorite literary genre for thousands of years. Poetry isnt taken very seriously in the West, especially in the last two hundred years, but Chinese ancient poetry is still read and ancient Chinese poets are honored. The greatest poets are thought to have lived a thousand years ago or more during the Tang (618-907), Song (960-1279) and Han (206 BC – 220 AD) dynastic eras. Du Fu, Li Bai and Su Shi are considered among the best ancient poets, and there are five major kinds of major ancient poetic styles called Shi, Ci, Ge, Qu and Fu. The very ancient poetry that was written a thousand or more years ago was simpler and about common things like love, romance and nature that people appreciate. Though much poetry was written in the eras following the Song Dynasty (960-1279), it is thought that the poets became increasingly erudite, academic and esoteric so that modern Chinese cant appreciate the style and meaning. Since the Chinese have a character-based writing system instead of an alphabetic system, though the languages have changed, modern Chinese can still read a lot of the ancient poetry. Since the pronunciation of words has changed a lot, often the rhymes or tonal rhythms are lost for poems that rhymed or had tonal patterns. But the meanings of the characters havent changed much, though modern readers may interpret the words to mean something other than the ancient author intended. Nuances and connotations may be lost. Since old poems remain and modern Chinese can understand them to some extent, they are still appreciated. Five Kinds of Poems 1. Shi è © © Shi poems are composed of couplets. They are poems of two more coupled lines. The two lines of a couplet usually rhyme and match rhythmically and complement each other tonally. Modern Mandarin only has five tones, but ancient languages usually had more, so the tonal rhythms are generally lost. 2. Ci è ©Å¾ Ci poetry can be described as poems that have patterns of syllables and tonal patterns. In making a Ci poetry, a poet chooses words that fit a specific pattern. These patterns may have once been part of a song. But the music has been lost. There are various patterns that provided affective settings for various effects or moods. 3. Ge æ ­Å' The word ge means song. Ge poems are the words to a song that can be sung. There were folk songs as well as songs composed by the literate and educated composers. 4. Qu æ› ² When the Mongols conquered China and established the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), they brought with them their own style of music and forms of entertainment. They especially liked to watch shadow puppet theaters that were puppet plays of little manipulated figurines and puppets illuminated by a lamp so that the shadows fell against a screen. It is thought that the form of operatic drama of the Yuan Dynasty imitated their shadow play theaters. The style of music and song in the operas was called Yuan Qu or Mongol Music. The songs from the operas and popular songs were a poetic style called Qu that was also popular in later eras. The poetic style is freer of form. 5. Fuè ³ ¦ A fifth major style of poetry is called Fu. These are descriptive poems that contain both prose and couplets. These were popular about 1,500 years to 2,000 years ago. Often poets included rare or unusual written characters from preceding eras in their poems.

The Woman In Black Theatre Essay

The Woman In Black Theatre Essay The Woman In Black belongs to the gothic genre. The genre was created by Horace Walpole, He wrote The Castle of Otranto which was the very first gothic novel which was written in 1764. The Gothic genre normally includes Isolated Places, such as the house Arthur stays in, Supernatural creatures, Such as the ghost Woman in Black, Damsels in Distress such as Arthur at the end of the play when he has had enough of the haunting. The woman in black is a terrifying gothic play. Stephen Mallatratt, the playwright achieves this by writing an effective mise-en-scene including setting, lighting, props, sound, the text, and stage directions for actors. These all merge together and create a nerve shredding experience. A technique that Stephen Mallatratt uses to create a scary experience is lighting. For example, when the sound of the pony and trap was playing there was a black out. The black out made it daunting because no body knew what was happening and this created a lot of anxiety. The noise was very loud and it was threatening, the audience didnt know what to do because you couldnt see anything so you were put through the torment of being in the pitch black listening to a child cry. Another time when lighting was used to create a terrifying effect is when Jerome and Arthur were in the church at the funeral of Ms Drablow. The lighting was used to present a cross and a stained glass window. This was very Gothic, and creates an edgy atmosphere because the audience didnt know if something was going to pop out, the only light was from the cross and window, which is very creepy. The lighting is also used in a clever way. When the lights hit the curtain it exposed a whole Childs playroom. Its bloodcurdling to watch because until the lights where used, the audience couldnt see the other room. The audience dont know how it got there and what was going to happen. Another technique used is Sound. Sound is used throughout the play, and its a major part in creating a nerve shredding experience. The sound is used for ghostly encounters or the curse of the child screaming when hes drowning. Stephen Mallatratt also uses volume to make the sound scarier. When the child is drowning it starts off reasonably quiet and then it gets deafening, giving the effect the pony and trap is getting nearer, and then suddenly the child starts screaming. It makes other people scream because theres a black out and a loud cry. The use of sound and lighting combined makes the play truly chilling to watch and hear. Sound contributed to the gothic atmosphere because a lot of the time the noise was sudden. The audience do not expect to hear children cry or other spooky noises so its very scary to hear. Sound is used to create suspense by making the noises start at a quite level but then reaching a louder more nerve shattering sound, this happens when the pony and trap are moving, this also could represent distance, the further away the quieter the noise, the closer it is the louder the noise. Stephen Mallatratt uses only 3 actors, the actor, Kips and the Woman in Black. I think Stephen Mallatratt uses only these 3 people because using more actors could take the tension they have already built up away. For example, when spider runs off and gets stuck in the mud and the actor goes to pull him out. During this the real Arthur Kipps is standing on stage explaining whats happening while the actor is showing the actions. At the moment were the tension breaks, the real Arthur Kipps, changes from narrating to acting as Keckwick. In my opinion, if there was a change of actor the whole scene and all the tension they had created would be lost. The way they do this is nerve shredding because its so weird how the actors can just change the characters in short amount of time. Stephen Mallatratt gets the actors to use different tones of voice, facial expression, coats, habits and many more to portray change of character. An example of when he portrays this is in the first scene when Arthur Kipps is acting as Tomes. Tomes has a sniff so when Arthur Kipps is acting as him he makes sure the sniff occurred every twenty seconds. This made the audience know that he was acting as a different character. This is effective because we know that its the same person but its intresting to see the ability of the actor when he/she changes there facial expressions, voices and other factors. Overall I think Stephen Mallatratt did a good job at terrifying everyone within the theatre, the parts when everyone screamed where mainly because of the lighting and the sound. If there werent these two factors I doubt the play would have been as effective as it was. I personally enjoyed the play and how it affected me, I wasnt expecting to be scared but I was which proves how the light and sound is effective.

Heinz †Beech Nut Merger :: Business Mergers Acquisitions M&A M+A

Heinz – Beech Nut Merger The word â€Å"merger† is very common term that everyone in America has to deal with in some aspect of life. Banks, oil companies, car manufacturers, computer makers†¦the list goes on for ever, and the mergers of these companies have a direct effect on our daily life. For decades the US government and the court systems have tried to regulate how mergers can and cannot happen and why. The reason(s) as to why a merger is allowed or not has varied over the years, but one major concept has remained the same: too many mergers within a particular market can reduce competition and create a monopoly (or a near monopoly condition). Merging firms often state that a merger could help them reduce costs and to develop better products. They claim this would clearly be a benefit to the consumers of their product(s). The 1960’s and 70’s were considered the earlier era of merger law by economists. During this time frame he courts and governments were more concerned with the NON-economic aspects of mergers: reducing market concentration, protecting small business, consumers rights†¦etc. Since 1979 those concerns have faded and the court system is now more concerned with economic concerns. The difference between right and wrong has been blurred recently, which allows judges to consider ALL factors in a case (economic and non), and be flexible when looking at specific cases. The merger guidelines were revised in 1997 to allow efficiencies to be used as a defense. Clearly, efficiencies are a key part of the defense, and are looked at very closely by the courts, especially in cases with a high market concentration. The Merger Guidelines state: â€Å"Efficiencies almost never justify a merger to monopoly or near monopoly.† (Kwoka and White, 2004) Posner and Bork said that the antitrust laws and economic efficiency helped only the consumers, not the firms. They encouraged the courts to look at efficiencies in antitrust analysis generally. They claimed that an efficiency defense could possibly make investigating a merger intractable in litigation. The term â€Å"intractable† as defined by Wikipedia are â€Å"problems that are solvable in theory, but cannot be solved in practice†. This means that what Posner and Bork are saying is that while in the litigation stage of a trial, the efficiency defense could theoretically come up with a solution that appears and sounds good, but in real life business situations (practice) would not work. Heinz – Beech Nut Merger :: Business Mergers Acquisitions M&A M+A Heinz – Beech Nut Merger The word â€Å"merger† is very common term that everyone in America has to deal with in some aspect of life. Banks, oil companies, car manufacturers, computer makers†¦the list goes on for ever, and the mergers of these companies have a direct effect on our daily life. For decades the US government and the court systems have tried to regulate how mergers can and cannot happen and why. The reason(s) as to why a merger is allowed or not has varied over the years, but one major concept has remained the same: too many mergers within a particular market can reduce competition and create a monopoly (or a near monopoly condition). Merging firms often state that a merger could help them reduce costs and to develop better products. They claim this would clearly be a benefit to the consumers of their product(s). The 1960’s and 70’s were considered the earlier era of merger law by economists. During this time frame he courts and governments were more concerned with the NON-economic aspects of mergers: reducing market concentration, protecting small business, consumers rights†¦etc. Since 1979 those concerns have faded and the court system is now more concerned with economic concerns. The difference between right and wrong has been blurred recently, which allows judges to consider ALL factors in a case (economic and non), and be flexible when looking at specific cases. The merger guidelines were revised in 1997 to allow efficiencies to be used as a defense. Clearly, efficiencies are a key part of the defense, and are looked at very closely by the courts, especially in cases with a high market concentration. The Merger Guidelines state: â€Å"Efficiencies almost never justify a merger to monopoly or near monopoly.† (Kwoka and White, 2004) Posner and Bork said that the antitrust laws and economic efficiency helped only the consumers, not the firms. They encouraged the courts to look at efficiencies in antitrust analysis generally. They claimed that an efficiency defense could possibly make investigating a merger intractable in litigation. The term â€Å"intractable† as defined by Wikipedia are â€Å"problems that are solvable in theory, but cannot be solved in practice†. This means that what Posner and Bork are saying is that while in the litigation stage of a trial, the efficiency defense could theoretically come up with a solution that appears and sounds good, but in real life business situations (practice) would not work.

Coffee Crisis Essay -- BTEC Business Marketing GCSE Coursework

Coffee Crisis The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe , and the Economist as well as many other media outlets of record were all in consensus when they declared the onset of coffee crisis in October 2001; farmgate prices had sharply dropped reaching a thirty-year low of $0.39 per pound in This price was below the cost of coffee production at the time, listed at USD 0.60 per pound.(Economist 2001) Price declines are not such an uncommon occurrence, but what is more troubling is that the cash market for coffee suffers from high price volatility. For a more detailed look please see Appendix 1: Cash Price Variation. Coffee producers , who are mainly located in developing countries , are highly vulnerable to price risk in the cash market , yet their profits in relation to their risk exposure has been steadily declining. In a 2001 study conducted by the European Fair Trade Association (EFTA)- an organization that promotes the sale of products that ensure price security for marginalized commodity produ cers- the general finding was a declining share of trade revenues from coffee remained in the coffee producing countries. Although the international coffee market has grown from $30 billion annually in the 1980s to $55 billion in 2001, in aggregate coffee producers have seen their share drop from $10 billion to $7 billion in 2001 (Renkema 59). From the perspective of the small producer, their received cash prices have not always been this volatile and had been stable up until 1989 ;although the data does not fully support this. Please see Appendix 2) Measures of Volatility. A price regime devised in 1962 by the International Coffee Association setup an agreement between coffee producing countries and coffee consuming countries.... ...//www.nybot.org> Pennings, Joost M.E. Research in Agricultural Futures Markets: Past Present and Future. Presentation Paper: Wageningen Agricultural University: Netherlands. 8 June 2001. Renkema, David. (2001). ¡Ã‚ ± Chapter 4:Coffee:The Speculator ¡Ã‚ ¯s Plaything ¡Ã‚ ± Fair Trade Yearbook..European Fair Trade Association: Amsterdam. World Bank International Task Force on Commodity Risk Management in Developing Countries.  ¡Ã‚ °Dealing With Commodity Price Volatility In Developing Countries: A Proposal For A Market-Based Approach. ¡Ã‚ ± Discussion Paper for the Roundtable on Commodity Risk Management in Developing Countries. World Bank. Washington, DC: 24 September 1999. United Nation Commission on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Secretariat.  ¡Ã‚ °Farmers and Farmers Associations In Developing Countries And Their Use of Modern Financial Instruments. Geneva: 10 January 2002.

braces Suck! :: essays research papers

"Braces Suck!" One out of three children or teenagers will have to live, at one point, as a prisoner of their own dentist. Teenagers are faced with zit and acne wars during the stages of puberty and braces add additional torture to this already hellish time to both parent and child. A life with braces is far more embarrassing, painful, and expensive than living with buck-teeth, gaps, or overlapping teeth. Mental scars remain long after cuts and bloody sores in the mouth have healed. These metal-like plates come with a long list of insults and nicknames. All through school one can expect to be called brace-face, Jaws and metal mouth just to name a few. The 'orthodontically' challenged are always the center of electricity and lip-locking jokes. The dentist's office is also a source of embarrassment. Most offices are filled with other patients and operating rooms are easily accessible making it easy for others to watch the pain and embarrassment the patient has to goes through. If one should forget to brush their teeth before their visit, they will regrettably become immortal as the doctor announces the left-over remains of a Turkey and Cheese sandwich stuck between the molars. Braces become a constant source of embarrassment. Braces are three to four years of physical torture beginning with the very first office visit. The applying of the brackets itself is long, tiresome, and uncomfortable. First, cold, flavored clay is shoved into the inside of the mouth, forming a mold as it dries. Jagged metal squares (brackets) are glued to the tooth, forcing hot, burning, glue to drip down the gums. Braces also cause everyday aches and pains in the mouth. Metal wires, guiding teeth to a new shape, stab the inside of the mouth causing cuts and sores while tearing the linings of the mouth each time a person's mouth opens. Rubber bands that are strung across each of the brackets pull and stretch teeth until gums are painful and sore. Being born with imperfect teeth can be painful†¦trust me! Braces hurt parents' wallets well after the metal and glue is scraped and chiseled off. Payments while braces are being worn are unbelievable. The average cost of braces today is around 10 thousand dollars.

Pike by Ted Hughes Essay

Envisage the Yin and Yang emblem. The idea behind it is that there is no such thing as purity. You can’t have pure evil – there is an element in all things of some good, however small. Similarly, you can’t have pure goodness – there is an element in all things good that is itself bad. We see the idea in great poems like Chinua Achebe’s â€Å"Vultures† and in our day to day actions as member of a fickle and capricious human race. This is the idea of Pike. It is attempting to demystify; debunk a stereotype. It’s kind of like a love poem to what many consider a hideous animal – such is Hughes’s awe and veneration of the creature. Hughes more than anything else is trying to make us realise the beauty of the pike, its power, its wonder, its awesomeness and its importance, to both him and us. Don’t get put off by its size – if you break down Hughes’ Pike into logical sections, then this poem will make perfect sense. The basic shape is an exploration of identity in stanzas 1-4; personal experience in 5-7; and in stanzas 8-11, a shift in and reassertion of the pike’s power. The primary idea behind Pike is pike: the beauty of pike, the malevolence of pike, and Hughes essentially tries to communicate how in one simple, often overlooked animal exist two profundities of existence, the good and the bad. There is beauty in how it moves, how it lives, how it is made – beauty in its power and sense of threat. The first 4 stanzas basically give us this paradox and underpinning this is Hughes’ sense of awe and disbelief. The tone is quiet, appreciative, impersonal – as if a connoisseur appreciating and marvelling over the contradictions of such an animal. Stanzas 5-6 shift and give a personal account of Hughes trying to keep them as pets, to no avail, and linking his experience to the gruesome aggressiveness he seems to have witnessed in the wild in stanzas 6-7. These animals are fearsome, programmed to be killers, and intolerant even of each other. Though the images are more grim and violent, there is no sense of judgement – at worst its detached and neutral; at best, even within its informative tone, there is a sense of admiration: for its power, for its solitariness; for its authenticity to itself. Stanzas 8-11 suddenly expand outwards, and return us to a personal experience – Hughes fishing in an ancient pond, fishing for pike that he imagines to be as ancient as the monks that created it, as ancient as the idea of England itself. And as he fishes for the pike, we get a sense of reversal – the poet, who spoke so convincingly of his expertise, experience and veneration for the animal for so much of this poem, may have narratorial power (after all, it is he who controls the poem – the pike is the object of Hughes’ gaze), but in reality, he possesses none – he is nothing more than potential prey for the violent fish. The final stanzas see a defined emotional shift to one founded upon a sense of uncertainty, of vulnerability – how he is decidedly a target for the predator. However, you get the sense that Hughes wouldn’t judge or even begrudge the pike this – it is merely doing what it is meant to do, and, Hughes would argue, that is just as it should be.