Comparison: Hector in Iliad vs. Hector in Troy

Heroes possess five timeless qualities. They are always willing to accept a challenge, they are courageous, self-sacrificing, they can overcome struggle with strength and dignity, and they have superior yet human qualities. Over different eras, other qualities that are attributed to heroes change based on society’s changing morals and ethics. The two versions of Hector display the many differences between the Greeks perspective on heroes and the modern contemporary perspective on heroes.To begin with, it is implied that modern heroes are sympathetic and do not love to kill, while heroes in Greek perspectives love basking in glory over defeat of any of their enemies. Hector in the Iliad gloats over the sight of dying Patroclus, taunting him in his last moments alive, whereas Hector in Troy is remorseful when he finds out that it was not Achilles who he fought. He kills Patroclus to stop his suffering and says that it is enough fighting for one day, even though the war has just barely begun. This shows how modern heroes are dutiful to their cause, while not truly liking the violence involved.On the other hand, heroes in Greek perspectives are shown to be individuals who lust to kill and feel no compassion as long as they achieve victory. This ties into how the respect shown towards rivals differs greatly from one time period to another. Hector in the Iliad does not show respect to his enemies, therefore continuously taunting Patroclus. This is unlike Hector in the film who displays his respect for Patroclus by killing him. Hector’s respect in the modern version versus his lack of respect is evidence as to how heroes were believed to feel after defeating their enemy.Finally, these versions show that heroes by Greek definitions are opportunists, while modern heroes will complete a task through their own physical power. Hector in the Iliad is presented as an opportunist, diving in to kill Patroclus after Apollo has already injured him. This is unlike H ector in the film who fights Patroclus all on his own. This shows how the dependency of heroes has changed over time. Even though there are many differences between the perspectives of the Greeks and the modern contemporary, there are also quite a few similarities.First of all, both versions of Hector are displayed as fierce individuals. We can see this from the Hector in the Iliad through the diction used when describing him stabbing Patroclus. Their situation is compared to one of a lion and a tireless wild boar, where the â€Å"lion beats him down with sheer brute force as the boar fights for breath (Line 963-964). † By comparing Hector to such a tough animal and using â€Å"sheer brute force† when explaining how he stabbed Patroclus, his strength is shown. As well, showing that Hector has defeated a â€Å"wild boar† also contributes to showing his superiority.In Troy, just by his leadership and methods of fighting, one can see that he is very powerful. In ad dition, both are very loyal to their cities. They fight with courage and stay focused toward their goal. Even if Hector in the film commands the war to be over for the day, he still knows he has to be faithful to his city and fight again. Hector in the Iliad being the opportunist that he is, also shows his loyalty by finishing off his enemies with pride. All in all, through observing the attitudes and behaviors of the two versions of Hector, it is easy to interpret how these time periods felt about heroes.All heroes possess five timeless qualities in addition to other qualities which are believed to be important during their own time period. Sometimes, one may see that these qualities are quite similar, and other times, they are the exact opposite of each other. In conclusion, descriptions of heroes are created by looking at what will appeal to the readers or viewers based on morals and ethics valued during that time. For this reason, the two versions of Hector possess some of the s ame qualities, but also some very different ones.

Perception towards mutual funds Essay

Abstract: Mutual Funds provide a platform for a common investor to participate in the Indian capital market with professional fund management irrespective of the amount invested. The Indian mutual fund industry is growing rapidly and this is reflected in the increase in Assets under management of various fund houses. Mutual fund investment is less risky than directly investing in stocks and is therefore a safer option for risk averse investors. Monthly Income Plan funds offer monthly returns and invest majorly in debt oriented instruments with little exposure to equity. However it has been observed that most of the investors are not aware of the benefits of investment in mutual funds. This is reflected from the study conducted in this research paper. This paper makes an attempt to identify various factors affecting perception of investors regarding investment in Mutual funds. The findings will help mutual fund companies to identify the areas required for improvement in order to creat e greater awareness among investors regarding investment in mutual funds. Introduction A Mutual Fund is a trust that pools the savings of a number of investors who share a common financial goal. The money, thus collected, is then invested  in capital market instruments such as shares, debentures and other securities. The income earned through these investments and the capital appreciation realized is shared by its unit holders in proportion to the number of units owned by them. Thus a Mutual Fund is the most suitable investment for the common man as it offers an opportunity to invest in a diversified, professionally managed basket of securities at a relatively low cost. Monthly Income Plans or MIPs invest maximum of their total corpus in debt instruments while they take minimum exposure in equities. It gets benefit of both equity and debt market. These schemes rank slightly high on the risk-return matrix when compared with other debt schemes. There is considerable amount of research being done regarding investment in mutual funds. However very little research has been done to study the perception of investors regarding investment in mutual funds especially MIP funds. Literature Review Ippolito (1992) states that an investor is ready to invest in those fund or schemes which have resulted in good rewards and most investors’ are attracted by those funds or schemes that are performing better over the worst. Goetzman (1997) opined that investor’s psychology affects mutual fund selection for investment and to withdraw from the fund. De Bondt and Thaler (1985) submitted that mean reversion in prices of stock is backed by investor’s retrogression which is based upon investor’s psychology to overvalue firm’s recent performance in forming future expected results which is also known as endowment effect. Gupta (1994) surveyed household investor to find investors’ preferences to invest in mutual funds and other available financial assets. The findings of the study were more relevant, at that time, to the policy makers and mutual funds to design the financial products for the future. Kulshreshta (1994) in his study suggested some guidelines to the investors’ that can help them to select needed mutual fund schemes. Shanmugham (2000) conducted a survey of individual investors with the objective to find out what information source investor depends on. The results explained that they are economical, sociological and  psychological factors which control investment decisions. Madhusudhan V Jambodekar (1996) conducted his study to size-up the direction of mutual funds in investors and to identify factors that influence mutual fund investment decision. The study tells that open-ended scheme is most favored among other things and that income schemes and open-ended schemes are preferred over closed- ended and growth schemes. News papers are used as information source, safety of principal amount and investor services are priority points for investing in mutual funds. Sujit Sikidar and Amrit Pal Singh (1996) conducted a survey to peep in to the behavioral aspects of the investors of the North-Eastern region in direction of equity and mutual fund investment. The survey showed that because of tax benefits mutual funds are preferred by the salaried and self-employed individuals. UTI and SBI schemes were most preferred in that region of the country over any other fund and the other funds had been proved archaic during the time of survey. Syama Sunder (1998) conducted a survey with an objective to get an in-depth view into the operations of private sector mutual fund with special reference to Kothari Pioneer. The survey tells that knowledge about mutual fund concept was unsatisfactory during that time in small cities like Visakapatanam. It also suggested that agents can help to catalyse mutual fund culture, open-ended options are much popular than any other schemes, asset management company’s brand is chief consideration to invest in mutual fund. Anjan Chakarabarti and Harsh Rungta (2000) emphasised the importance  of brand in ascertaining competence of asset management companies. Shankar (1996) suggested that for penetrating mutual fund culture deep in to society asset management companies have to work and steer the consumer product distribution model. Raja Rajan (1997) underlined segmentation of investors and mutual fund products to increase popularity of mutual funds. Objectives of Study 1. To study the investment pattern of Indian Investor. 2. To find out the awareness level of investors regarding mutual funds. 3. To find the type of scheme of mutual fund preferred by investor. 4. To find out the importance of factors like liquidity, higher return, company reputation and other factors that influence investment decision of mutual fund holder. 5. To find out awareness level of investors regarding Monthly Income Plan fund. 6. To ascertain the most preferred factor for investing in MIP fund. Research Methodology Investor’s main objective is to earn higher returns keeping in mind the risk and liquidity factor. With this objective in mind, an investor is looking out for various investment avenues. Mutual funds offer comparatively better returns and have less risk as compared to direct investment in stock market. In this research paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the perception of investors regarding mutual fund investment with special emphasis on Monthly Income Plan funds. A survey was conducted in Pune city during the period June 2013 to September 2013. A sample of 150 individual mutual fund investors were surveyed through a pre-tested questionnaire. The investors were selected on the basis of those who have made prior investment in mutual funds and have some knowledge about the basic terminologies involved with mutual funds. An attempt has been made to find out the perception of investors regarding mutual fund investment and to identify the factors considered to be important by the investors before investing in any mutual fund. The awareness level of investors regarding Monthly Income Plan funds and their benefits is also studied.

Langston Hughes’ “Montage of a Dream Deferred” Essay

Published in 1951, Langston Hughes’ â€Å"Montage of a Dream Deferred† is a collection of poetry which explores the theme of racism and utilizes rhythm to make the pieces almost musical. The work â€Å"Harlem† quickly became one of the most popular of the anthology. Later the title was changed to â€Å"Dream Deferred†, but in analyzing the poem, it is easier to understand in context of its original title. Although the poem was popular with Hughes’ fans, who continued to appreciate the outpourings from this writer closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance, there are those who critically examined the work and found it to be too ambiguous and lacking in real poetic structure. The poem itself is comprised of a list of rhetorical questions which answer themselves. The answers are written as similes, such as â€Å"raisin in the sun† and in the last stanza, â€Å"like a heavy load† (Grimes). These similes appeal to all the senses: visual – â€Å"dry up† and â€Å"crust†¦over†, feel – â€Å"sags† and â€Å"heavy load†, auditory – â€Å"explode†, olfactory – â€Å"stink† and â€Å"fester† and â€Å"rotten meat† – and the sense of taste, as well – â€Å"syrupy sweet† and â€Å"raisin†, (Hansen). The last line â€Å"does it explode?† is a metaphor referring to the way a dream can be like a time bomb – it must be used before the time when it will detonate inside a person. Hughes employs the use of rhyme, as well, such as â€Å"sun† and â€Å"run† and â€Å"meat† and sweet†. In this way, the poem has a somewhat musical tone when spoken aloud and the short stanzas provide an easy structure. Hughes uses imagery, as well, to give the reader a clearer picture of his intent. â€Å"Raisin in the sun† is particularly evocative of an item withering away while â€Å"fester like a sore† gives the reader a grim visual and denotes the bitterness of the writer. In interpreting â€Å"Dream Deferred†, it must be taken into account that Hughes was well-noted for his scant use of words to convey the issues and circumstances most affecting Black Americans of the time period. In this case he is asking a question which means more than just its surface meaning. â€Å"What happens to a dream deferred† is referencing the dreams, the goals, the visions, most particularly of Blacks, who have been denied many of the privileges of their White counterparts. Hughes answers the question with several lines evoking imagery. â€Å"Like a raisin in the sun† is a reminder of skin, both in its dark color and wrinkled image, and could even reference days spent toiling in the sun by migrant workers working in the fields. That fact that the dream dries up could also refer to it becoming less valuable, or less viable (Grimes). During the time Hughes grew up, he could very well view a lofty dream as being impossible to attain due to his race and thus the issue of racism is once again addressed by Hughes in this poem. â€Å"Dream Deferred† also answers the question by stating the result of ignoring a dream may be for it to â€Å"fester like a sore† and â€Å"then run†. In this case, the dream, if not tended to, may become â€Å"infected† by a lack of motivation, or opportunity, or circumstance. The reference to the stink of rotten meat refers to the nurturance required to make a dream reality. Without proper preservation, a dream â€Å"may decay because it dies† (Grimes). When Hughes uses the terms of crusting over and syrupy sweet to describe a dream deferred, he makes an analogy to something which started out as a treat but becomes unusable if it is, again, not properly cared for. A dream which once held hope â€Å"hardens into an unusable substance† (Grimes). The deterioration depicted can be further assumed to be referring to the state of the Black population and Harlem itself. Hughes was worried about the â€Å"widespread poverty, drugs, and crime of the 1950s† (Mueller) and felt the society he was most familiar with was experiencing a general decay. Instead of continuing to answer the question, the second stanza gives a set of possibilities: maybe it sags, maybe it becomes a heavy load, maybe it just explodes. If working toward the dream seems impossible, it can deflate, become a burden, or perhaps it causes the dreamer to erupt due to the unrealized end to his goal. The burden can be an expression of depression, or the loss of will to make a dream come true. The explosion could occur in the form of death – not necessarily a literal death, but the death of a person’s soul, or motivations, or hope to change his life. This explosion and death also analogizes the life of Black Americans at the time. According to Hansen, â€Å"Its disintegration mirrors the continuing failure of American society to achieve harmonious integration of blacks and whites†. For so long, the race had been oppressed and the pent-up frustrations and anger of Hughes’ fellow Blacks, could very well one day explode in a burst of violence (as if often did). Hansen criticizes the unity of â€Å"Dream Deferred† by referring to it as a mass of â€Å"unresolved conflict†. According to Hansen, its elements, form, and structure are all at odds with themselves and do not follow that often prescribed for poetry of the period. He states that most of the answers Hughes gives to the question â€Å"What happens to a dream deferred?† are not declarative and the only one which is, â€Å"maybe it just sags† loses its significance because it is written without force and does not provide a conclusive answer (Hansen). Hansen also decries Hughes’ usage of stanza breaks. The middle five lines are indented, giving more weight to the first line (the question), and the last (the answer), although Hansen feels the middle lines are much more dramatic and should have been given the emphasis. As well, Hansen criticizes the structure in that the rhyming lines are not placed in logical order and thereby lose their musical resonance and the importance of the pairing of oppositions. Hansen sums up the contradictory nature of the poem and its ideas by reiterating the lack of forceful answers, the final answer which is tentative in its assertion, the division of stanzas which remove the importance of pairing opposites, and a failed rhyme scheme in â€Å"Dream Deferred†. While Hansen’s criticism of the work has its merits, there is still an important message regarding racism within Hughes’ poem, one which the author reiterated in many ways. Through the use of imagery, metaphor, and similes, many of which are uncomfortable, Hughes airs his frustrations regarding race separations. Often Hughes employed a sardonic tone to get his point across and educate the general public about the effects of racism (Mueller). Even as he began to achieve some fame and acclaim for his literary works, Hughes wanted to be known as one of the more common folk and let others of his race know that he, too, experienced their frustrations and anger. To this end, Hughes was quite successful. He, as well as his peers, had all experienced the emotions accompanying a dream which seemed impossible. Although â€Å"Dream Deferred† couches his message in rather repugnant phraseology, it is effective in bringing forth a natural fighting instinct to rail against the dictates of a racist society and this is exactly what Hughes desired to do. Works Cited Hansen, Tom. â€Å"On ‘Harlem’†. Modern American Poetry. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from the Modern American Poetry Website: http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hughes/harlem.htm. Mueller, Michael E. â€Å"Black Biography: Langston Hughes†. From Answers.com. Retrieved March 28, 2008 from the Answers.com Website: http://www.answers.com/topic/langston-hughes-poet-writer Grimes, Linda Sue. â€Å"Hughes ‘Harlem: A Dream Deferred’: Analysis and Commentary†. Suite 101. February 1, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2008 from the Suite 101 Website: http://poetry.suite101.com/article.cfm/hughes___harlem__a_dream_deferred_.

Facilities for Juvenile Offenders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Facilities for Juvenile Offenders - Essay Example As part of its historical transition, it also had an increase in the counties it served, including Madison, King George, Spotsylvania, Louisa and Orange (Morris & Kristin, 2008). Opened in 1976, The Lancaster Youth Service Center originally operated as The Attention Center for Youth, providing momentary custody and sentencing services for Lancaster County youth. It had an initial 17 room capacity, plus two outdoor recreational facilities. In 1984, the Individualized Developmental Systems Approach Treatment Program was added to the centre. The introduction of the Drug and Alcohol Education Program in 1989 marked another improvement (Morris & Kristin, 2008). A second facility was opened in West Stanton in 1995 to ease overcrowding. It served youths with non violent charges. A year later in 1996, a business office wing was built to provide more space for a new Intake Center. In the same year, the medical exam room was renovated. In 2000, it was expanded to a 60-bed capacity and renamed to the current Lancaster County Youth Services Center. Over the past 30 years, the facility has grown to include an accredited school, medical screening and emergency services, counselors to help with the frustrations of detainment, and a Chaplain (Morris & Kristin, 2008). This facility initially operated under the name Oak Hill Youth Center in Laurel, Maryland. It was plagued with a poor reputation, including rats and vermin infestation. Snakes were also found in the hallways by a monitor appointed by the court (Morris & Kristin, 2008). The youths assaulted staff, and staff also assaulted them. There were rampant cases of drug and alcohol abuse, and weapons were also found inside the facility. Cases of escape were also on the rise. Following a visit organized by the juvenile justice community, Oak Hill was sued by the Public Defender Services for poor services to youth in 1985. This led to the redesigning and change of name to The New Beginnings Youth Development Center in

Discussion Board 6-1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion Board 6-1 - Assignment Example These experiences right from childhood to often distort the developing of psyches in the people of color leading to loss of crucial development task that brings about personal identity. In other words, the oppressive conditions that people of color often undergo as early as childhood often hinder their ability to develop their identity effectively and above all meet their potential. Racism, discrimination, biasness, and prejudice that characterize the life of people of color are undoubtedly a tough experience that they have to endure at one point or another in their lifetime (Diller, 2011). It is unfortunate that all these tough experiences comes with power and some benefits that dominant community enjoy at the expense of the minority and this aspect confuse the people of color more powerfully than anything else. The fact that racism, ethnicity and prejudice perpetrated against diverse community is meant at portraying them as either bad or inferior race does a big blow in the identity development of most people of color. As most people grow up and try to gain more personal understanding of themselves and identities with respect to their social inclination they are often caught up in dilemma owing to the preponderance of negative messages they get from other dominant race concerning

Food Wasted Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Food Wasted - Research Paper Example These figures are extremely significant when one would consider the fact that millions of people all over the world, including some Americans are currently facing starvation or poverty. As per the 2009 statistics from America, 14.3 percent of all persons lived in poverty (Poverty in the United States). â€Å"How can 50 million people face hunger in a country that wastes billions of pounds of food?†(Feeding America). This paper analyses the reasons and consequences of poverty and food wastage in America. According to Usborne, â€Å"28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries in the fiscal year 2008, the highest level since the food assistance program was introduced in the 1960s†. United States is supposed to be the wealthiest countries in the world. Yet, it is surprising to know that 28 million people in America are facing some kind of poverty. It is an accepted fact that American food production is more than what they requ ired for the food needs. In fact America is exporting surplus food items to overseas countries. Yet, a substantial portion of the Americans are facing starvations. This happens mainly because of the problems in the management of food chain in America. â€Å"There is enough food to feed every man, woman and child in America. Hunger in America is not about supply, it is about redirecting the excess food that is lost each year to those who need it most† (Feeding America). Tons in millions of food items are wasting in American warehouses because of the problems in the supply chain. In fact the major reason for starvation is not lack of production, but inadequate supply of food. According to Bloom, 49 million food- insecure Americans were there in 2012. This happens mainly because of the food damage that taking place in between farm and fork. Dana Gunders (p.1) pointed out that 10 percent of the total U.S. energy budget, 50 percent of U.S land and 80 percent of all freshwater reso urces were utilized while food production take place in America. In her opinion, 40% of the total food production in America is getting wasted nowadays. Another argument put forward by Dana is that uneaten foods and the foods thrown away as waste are contributing heavily to the environmental problems in the form of solid waste accumulation. Solid wastes have the ability to generate toxic gases such as methane. In her opinion, reduction of food losses by 15 percent would be enough to feed more than 25 million starving Americans every year. It should be noted that the governments all over the world are spending too much to avoid environmental damage. The objective of these spending is to keep the environment fresh always to make life of animals, human and plants safer. It is a fact that plants are the only food producers in the world and no other thing in this world has the ability to produce food. Because of this awareness, governments are trying hard to fortify plant life in this wo rld. However, dumping of wasted food in agricultural lands is causing huge problems to the plants in the form of solid waste. It should be noted that solid wastes have the ability to produce toxic gases such as methane which is harmful to plant life. â€Å"When food is disposed in a landfill it rots and becomes a significant source of methane - a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide. Landfills are a major source of human-related methane

Suitability of United Kingdom for Multinational Business Research Paper

Suitability of United Kingdom for Multinational Business - Research Paper Example The UK has a special relationship with foreign countries such as the USA and France. It is also a member of NATO, G8, G7, OECD, Commonwealth, and EU. This membership enables it to develop a good business and political relationship with foreign countries. However, the types of distance between the UK and these countries affect these relationships a great deal. According to Ghemawat (137), the different types of distance between different countries influence global trade and multinational business strategies. The specific types of distance identified by Ghemawat which affect the UK in its international trade and multinational strategies include Cultural, Administrative, Geographical and Economic distances (CAGE). In terms of cultural differences, the UK may be considered to experience distance dimension in international involvements through language differences with foreign countries, different ethnicities, different religions, and different social traditions and norms. The main featur e that makes the UK different from other countries is its British culture. For instance, the language spoken by UK citizens is British English. This differs from other languages spoken by UK’s trading partners. The language spoken in France is French while that spoken in Spain is Spanish. The language spoken in the Netherlands is Dutch while that spoken in the USA is American English. This difference in language affects multinational business strategies of multinational companies intending to enter the UK market. According to Alkema, Koster, and Williams (5), one of the most important business strategies for a multinational corporation is to maintain its core business products and services while attempting to meet the needs of its customers in the foreign country. This is always hampered by language differences because certain services are better offered and communicated using the local language of the host country than in British English. Furthermore, the social traditions, religion and ethnic communities of the UK may also not accept the products and services offered by multinational companies. Another example is that UK companies selling pork may not thrive well in countries like Russia. The second type of distance between the UK and other countries is Administrative distance. In this case, multinational business strategies and international trade between UK companies and foreign companies will be affected by the absence of shared monetary and political associations, political hostility and government policies. If the multinational companies from hostile countries intend to enter the UK market, they may face political resistance and may not thrive in those markets. For instance, some Middle East countries such as Iraq are not politically friendly to the UK because of the UK’s affiliation with the US. This makes them not to get appropriate reception in the UK. However, the UK political system is welcome to most countries and is, therefore, an a ppropriate destination for international business. Geographical distance also affects the international involvement of UK and other foreign countries (Ghemawat 142). For instance, if a country lacks a common border with the UK e.g. US, it becomes difficult for US companies to trade within the UK market. This is because it may take time to transport products from one country to another.

Recent research (Kornberger et al, 2010) suggests that despite a Essay

Recent research (Kornberger et al, 2010) suggests that despite a number of initiatives, the proportion of women accountants reac - Essay Example Nonetheless, despite the presence of many women one perceives one of the most glaring contradictions of the contemporary period – as women outnumber men in the universities and continuously demonstrate their abilities and skills in undertaking productive labour, extremely few women have made it in the higher echelon of management (Baron & Newman, 1980; Castilla, 2008; Reskin, 1988; Valian, 1998). Although this truism is manifested in, almost all segments of the labour sector, its actuality is clear and evident in the profession of accounting. In a study, Kornberger, Carter and Ross-Smith (2010) have found out that despite a number of initiatives in removing the underrepresentation of women accountants in the upper strata of firms, the proportion of women accountants reaching partner level remains much lower than other levels in the firm. Recognising the prevalence of discrimination in the profession of accounting (Gherardi & Pogio, 2007; Kornberger et al., 2010; Lehmann, 1992) , this study will evaluate the various factors deemed to impede the advancement of women accountants and minority groups. ... The first part is the introduction wherein the issue of the research, purpose of the study, the significance of the research, the methodology use in the study, the structure of the paper and the hope of the researcher are laid down. The next part will deal with the barriers that inhibit women’s progress in the accounting profession, while in the third segment; possible solutions will be proffered to address the issue. Finally, the fourth section will be the conclusion of the study. In the end, it is the hope of the researcher that this study may contribute to the clarification of the issues raised in the research and, in a way, offer workable solutions to gender inequality in the profession of accounting. The Alienating Factors Accounting as a profession responds to the challenges posed by the global society (Shafer, Ketchand & Morris, 2004). The responses are not limited only in coming up with conceptual frameworks that will further empower the clients and the public, especia lly after the global economic downturn. It also includes the endeavour of connecting the theoretical frameworks of accounting with reality, thus addressing not only the fundamental epistemological and methodological issues of the field but also its socio-political and economic concerns (Brewster, 2003; Nelson, 1995; Shafer, Ketchand & Morris, 2004). This thrust is significant as it counters the notion that accounting is neutral, objective and that its service is primarily to the client only (Carter, Clegg & Kornberger, 2010). It is in the context of change and challenges that the alienating factors hindering the advancement of women in the profession is highlighted (Gallhofer, 1998). Women’s struggle for emancipation is long and arduous (Firestone, 1972; Tong,

ITALIAN ROMAN MOVIE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ITALIAN ROMAN MOVIE - Essay Example De Sica’s perspective of Italy and the neorealist elements of the film are explored at the last section of this paper. 1. Vittorio de Sica’s Life Vittorio de Sica, born on July 7, 1902 and died on November 13, 1974, was a director, actor, and a leading figure of the Italian Neorealist movement (Britannica Online). He used to be a theater actor who loved performing light comedies before establishing his company, and eventually becoming a director (see fig. 1). De Sica acted in about 150 films and directed 35 films of which the most critically acclaimed was â€Å"The Bicycle Thieves†. As handsome as he was, he played leading man roles in films like â€Å"What Rascals Men Are!† One of his films, â€Å"Umberto D.†, didn’t do well in the box-office although it was one of his finest works. Jason Ankeny stated that â€Å"De Sica's career as a filmmaker was critically damaged† (New York Times Online). He went on to act in different films which include â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†, â€Å"It Happened in Rome†, and â€Å"Indiscretion of an American Wife†. He returned to directing in the 1960’s and created the films â€Å"La Ciociara†, â€Å"Ierri, Oggi, Domani†, and â€Å"Caccia alla Volpe† which were critically acclaimed and award-winning. Fig. 1. Vittorio de Sica; Holocaust; Dan.Romascanu.net, n.d.; Web; 7 March 2011. 2. Vittorio de Sica and the Neorealist Movement â€Å"The roots of Neorealism—an emphasis upon simple, honest story lines, a documentary style, the frequent use of children as protagonists, on-location shooting, social themes, and faith in the brotherhood of man† are displayed in De Sica’s films (Britannica Online). As one of the founders of the neorealist movement, De Sica stayed true to the ideals of neorealism which was reflected in a lot of his films. Budget constraints led him to shoot on location, employ untrained actors, and appropriat e simple camera work. â€Å"The Bicycle Thieves† was a simple story that resonated the themes of poverty, economic standing, and class differences. â€Å"Though critical favourites, the films of the Italian Neorealist movement never attained popular acceptance† (Britannica Online). I think the reason behind this was that people were not brave enough to face the realities of life that De Sica showed in his films. He was showing poverty, helpless men, suffering women, etc. which were all hard to bear seeing on screen. His films, I think, also somehow criticized Italian society. He displayed the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of Italian people on screen. â€Å"The Bicycle Thieves† in one scene at the restaurant showed how rich people indulge in drinking and eating while a lot of their countrymen are suffering in poverty. The film also showed the lack of police power as represented when Antonio reported the missing bicycle. But the greatest critique of the movie, I think, is the representation of a man who is slowly losing his dignity because of poverty. The young man who stole the bicycle was the most obvious representation of that. In the last scene of the movie, however, we see Antonio steal a bicycle himself and eventually lose all that he had – dignity and honor. And the cycle of poverty continues. The Italian society must play its part, then, in order to rise above the difficulties of poverty. 3. Postwar Italy Diana Pinto stated that â€Å"Italy in the postwar period has experienced a tormented social and political development spanning the entire gamut of western hopes and

Education & Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Education & Identity - Essay Example Douglass’ account Frederick Douglass is a prime example of this theory. He was born into slavery and lived through his early life serving his Master. His story revolves around the hunt for freedom and is engulfed in the concept of education affecting his perception of his own life. Since he started life as a slave, living to serve another was a norm for him and while his Mistress treated him with utter care in the beginning, she soon became wary of his thirst for knowledge. It is perhaps this thirst for knowledge that is equally influential in altering a person’s perception as without it, one may not pursue education and knowledge in the first place. Thus, Douglass was taught the beginnings of education by his new mistress Mrs. Auld. She later became extremely cautious of teaching him anything else or him learning anything else himself; â€Å"Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the ~inch,~ and no precaution could prevent me from taking the ~ell.~† (Douglass). What this implies is that the educated elite were also wary of the power of education and it was not such a peculiar phenomenon. Ever since he learnt the alphabet, and realized that any further progress in education was scorned upon, he became all the more wary of acquiring knowledge and went to extreme lengths to learn to read and write. His efforts show his inclination and dedication to the task. His shrewdness gave way to several ingenious ways in the pursuit of education. He would employ several friends in the street and run his errands quicker than expected in order to save time for gaining knowledge through them. He started pondering over things he did not ponder over before, questioning his right to be free and why it was so difficult to attain: "You will be free as soon as you are twenty-one, ~but I am a slave for life!~ Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?" (Douglass). At times this newfound thinking became a measure of pain as well, and would dou se him in anguish whenever the question of slavery would arise in discussion. As his ability to read improved, so did his taste for newer books. He eventually read a book entitled The Columbian Orator which became the epitome of his changing perception. The story was very similar to his own wherein a slave who wished to be free from his master ran away thrice only to be returned to him. Eventually, after an intellectual discussion between him and the master, the slave is discharged of all duties at the master’s discretion. Of course, this sparked a growing urge within Douglass to be free himself. Notice how it incited a new drive inside of him to be free from anyone else’s possession rather than simply nurturing his old desire to read and write. While the old desire still persisted, the new feelings and emotions as a result of perceived education transpired within him superficially to overtake his old inclinations to read and write. Thus, it had a dual effect. This can be judged from the fact that he describes himself as a chattel earlier but later grows in feelings and emotions as a direct result of the knowledge he acquires, completely opposite to the description of a chattel. His perception was no longer the same regarding slavery. It did not just stop there. Once the perception changed, so did his desires in life. This revelation came as soon as he understood the meaning of abolition which,

Question to answer based on some articles Assignment

Question to answer based on some articles - Assignment Example In other words, the daily life experiences form grounds for learning. International relation refers to the existing external links between countries or governments. Constructivism theory is significant in international relation because of its critical role in streamlining complex matters. As Wendt further says that sometimes situations are unprecedented in our experience, and in these cases we have to construct their meaning, and thus our interests, by analogy or invent them de novo (P 398, Anarchy is What States Makes of it, Wendt). This is because actors acquire information by participating in meaningful collective decisions. This paper discusses how constructivism in international relational accounts for the emergence of multiple competing norms. The contemporary history has been associated with a lot of impunity. This is evidenced by many reported cases of atrocities like violence and war crimes. These heinous acts abuse human rights for example the 1993 Yugoslav and 1994 Rwanda genocide cases. Apart from human rights abuse, the mayhems result into a state of anarchy. Wendt defines anarchy as the absence of centralized authority. He asserts that anarchy poses a distinctive and important problem of order for international politics, to which a constructivist approach suggests some new solutions (P 247, Social theory of International Politics, Wendt). The absence of a governing authority is dangerous to any society because certain individuals may misuse their freedom and cause disorder and chaos. Wendt also defines anarchy as a condition of possibility for or permissive cause of war arguing that wars occur because there is nothing to prevent them (P 395, Anarchy is What States Make of it, Wendt). The presence of governing authorities is to ensure order, harmony and peaceful coexistence. Hence lack of it results in high rise of conflicts which is very disastrous. Anarchy affects international systems since it may involve

Dream Analysis Essay Example for Free

Dream Analysis Essay Dreams had always been a part of human existence. Since time immemorial, human beings had always been mystified on the phenomenon of dreaming. As early as 5000 B. C. , early civilizations had recorded and tried to interpret their dreams on clay tablets. The Egyptians, puzzled by the existence of dreams, had even believed in a God of Dreams whom they called Serapis. Up to the present age, theorists and psychologists are still unable to arrive at a definite explanation on why humans dream. Dreams are etched in the human mind in such a way that makes it hard for researchers to objectively study them. At present, there are three major theories that are widely accepted that explain such phenomenon: (1) Freud’s Theory (2) Cognitive Theory and the (3) Activation-Synthesis Theory. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed that a dream exists as a wish fulfillment. According to him, people have unsatisfied or unexpressed desires during the times when they are awake and these desires are being fulfilled unconsciously when people dream through sleeping. For example, a person having unfulfilled sexual desires one or two days prior to sleeping may have dreams that are sexually erotic in nature (may lead to ‘wet dreaming’). Similarly, people who had been forced to suppress their anger during waking hours may have dreams that contain violent elements/scenes (Santrock, 2005, p. 244). This theory of Freud is particularly applicable to a personal experience. Once I broke our printer by accident. I was trying to find a way to fix it but the only solution I could think of is having it repaired by a technician. The main dilemma was that I didn’t have the money to have it fixed. It was very fortunate that no one else used the printer that day. When I slept in the evening, I dreamt that a certain old man came to fix our printer free-of-charge. The dream ended there. It can be seen from this experience that a problem during the day was given a temporary solution through dreaming. Although the printer wasn’t really fixed at all, the dream was sufficient in providing a quick way out of my anxiety caused by the broken printer. Another example was the time when I was craving for some McDonald’s Fries for no particular reason. I haven’t been able to go to the said Fast-Food Shop because my mother borrowed my car. I just slept through my craving for McFries and I ended up dreaming about it, only that in my dream, the fries are much larger than the actual size. According to Freud, our dreams may contain scenes or events from our experiences of the past day or of the day before. One particular dream to illustrate this is my dream that I was able to fly. In the dream, I had my arms stretched over my head and I was flying over our village, very much like Superman. I could connect this dream to my behavior when I went swimming with my friends the day before. During my stay underwater, I had been imitating the flying position of Superman imagining that I was floating in mid-air instead of mid-water. An additional example for this theory of Freud is my dream on the Red Queen. I had watched on home video the movie Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton. I was so irritated with the Red Queen’s face while I was watching the movie that I dreamt of the character when I slept in the evening. In the dream, I was having a dispute with the Red Queen where in the end I won our fight and I was able to command certain Knights, â€Å"Off with her head! † Perhaps connected to this principle of Freud was my experience when I had a fever. I wasn’t feeling well when I slept and I was feeling a bit scared to sleep in solitude. In the middle of my sleep, I dreamt that I was transformed into a cat and that my friends could not recognize me. I was trying my best to scream my name to them but all that I could manage to say were small meows. The next stage of my dream was that I had a small hole in my skull. The small hole led to the deformation of my skull because it secreted foul-smelling cerebral fluid through it. I woke up in the middle of night sweating and breathing heavily. Even though events from days before may appear in a dream, it does not necessarily mean that the scenes in the dream happen in chronology. More often than not, a dream is a homogenous mixture of different time-frames where the sense of chronology is absent. Tied with this principle is that places where dream scenes may happen need not be logical or real. I had dreams before of having to wake up in my bedroom as the sun was just rising and stepping out of my room, I find myself at the school cafeteria way past dusk. I also had a dream wherein I was standing in front of my friend’s house. That friend of mine had offended me during one of our night-out with the rest of our peers. In my dream, I was back to the scene wherein we were having an intense argument. Then, one second of whirling brought me in front of that friend’s house, waiting for him to come out and ask for forgiveness. He didn’t come out of the house though and I was brought to a garden where I found him sitting on a bench. At the end of the dream, I was the one who asked for his forgiveness. The following morning, before I left for school, he gave me a phone call telling me that he was sorry. According to Freud, there are two components of a dream, a surface element which he called the manifest content and a hidden meaning of the surface element which he called the latent content. For example, Freud states that snakes and neckties present in the dream may mean something else. The snake or necktie is the manifest content while its latent content is a male genitalia. This means the snake or necktie symbolizes a male genitalia. This idea of Freud made me remember a dream I had just this weekend. In the dream, I had been boating with a tour guide on the Amazon River. I was so terrified to see a giant snake swimming just under our boat. The faceless tour guide just told me that the snake couldn’t see us because we were in the snake’s blind spot. I never knew what happened with me on that river, only that in the dream I was transported somewhere else I couldn’t remember. Could my dream mean that I am fantasizing about whatever the snake symbolizes? It’s hard to believe though! The second theory of dreaming is the Cognitive Theory. It states that dreaming involves the same cognitive steps used in the waking mind: processing, memory and problem solving (Santrock, 2005, p. 245). In this theory, hidden meanings of dreams through symbols are not regarded as possible. Dreaming is looked upon as an opportunity for the person to find a state of mind where problems can be solved through creative thinking. Robert Louis Stevenson, for example, said that it was in a dream that he acquired the idea for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Elias Howe claimed also that a dream provided him the idea of creating a sewing needle with the hole for the thread on the blunt tip of the needle and not on the middle. (Santrock, 2005, p. 245). Friedrich Kekule, the proponent of the structure of the benzene, said that the cyclic structure of benzene was seen in a dream wherein he saw a snake trying to bite its own tail as it moves in a circular manner. I could apply this theory in one of my experiences. I was trying to come up with a story on how humans need to face trials as means of being emotionally stronger. The story needed to be as creative as possible because I was going to present it to a youth group in our church. Out of fatigue due to too much thinking, I decided to take a nap on my desk. I dreamt then of a young butterfly inside a cocoon. When I woke up, I was reminded of a story I heard long ago from a Franciscan nun wherein a young man tried to help the young butterfly get out of the cocoon by opening the cocoon himself with the use of a pair of scissors. The butterfly went out of the cocoon weakly with scrawny wings and was unable to fly. The struggle of the butterfly to get out of the cocoon by itself helps it to develop stronger wings that would soon enable it to fly. If I hadn’t dreamt of the young butterfly in the cocoon, I wouldn’t have remembered this story! The third theory is the Activation-Synthesis Theory. It states that dreams are part of the brain’s internal effort to explain the neural activity that still exists even though the person is sleeping (Santrock, 2005, p. 245). Neural networks in areas of the forebrain are involved in both the waking and dreaming behaviors. Primary motor and sensory areas of the forebrain may possibly be activated during the sensorimotor aspects of dreaming. (Santrock, 2005, p. 246). For example, if the dream asks for spatial organization, the parietal lobe would be activated. Similarly, if the dream asks for emotional requirements, the amygdala, hippocampus and frontal lobe may be activated. The movement of dreams in a ‘fantasy-whirling’ manner may be due to the sudden, uncoordinated eye movements of REM sleep. The sudden shift or dissolvation of a particular dream scene is explained as due to the normal cycling of neural activation. During stages of sleep, levels of neurotransmitters may rise and fall wherein particular neural networks are activated and shut down. As a new cycle is activated, that is, new sets of neural networks are activated and shut down, a new dream scene comes to the focus. Dreaming, therefore, becomes a succession of fantasy-transitioned slide shows. In connection to this theory, I once had a dream that involved a real experience while I was sleeping. I managed to open my eyes as I was disturbed in the middle of a sleep. I then saw my mother in my room, fixing the mess I left on my study desk. Subconsciously, I knew that I saw my mother inside my room, but then, as if my brain wanted to explain or make a story out of what I saw, the exact scene came to my dream. In the dream, I stood up and helped my mom fix the mess on my desk, but then my mom turned into a classmate of mine and we were back in the classroom listening intently to our teacher. I woke up in the middle of the night, convinced that I really didn’t stand up to help my mom fix my mess. These three theories explain to us why people dream. Freud’s Theory, The Cognitive Theory and the Activation-Synthesis Theory may view the phenomenon of dreaming in three different perspectives. In the present stage of human knowledge when it comes to explaining the human psyche, it could be said that an absolute explanation for dreaming is nonexistent. However, the three theories may work hand-in-hand in explaining and interpreting human dreaming. Reference Santrock, J. W. Psychology 7. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. , 1221 Avenue of the Americas. Mew York, NY 10020. 244-246

Analysis of the Tata Consultancy Service

Analysis of the Tata Consultancy Service Tata Consultancy Service (TCS) is the worlds leading global Information Technology consulting firm and business outsourcing organization that envisaged and forged the espousal of the flexible global business practices, which nowadays facilitate organizations to manoeuvre more professionally and construct more value. The IT industry was not has it is now when TCS started in the year 1968. TCS was started as the Tata Computer Centre a dissection of the Tata group whose chief business was to offer computer services to other concerns. TCS marked a tremendous growth with marking its presence in 34 countries across 6 continents, with a absolute range of services across diverse industrial fields. TCS ranked in top ten in the fortunes rank list for the year 2009. The concern shaped consolidated income of US $5.7 billion for economic year ended 31 March 2009 and is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange in India. TCS expanded into China, Hungary, Brazil, and Mexico in order to incarcerate the opportunities in financial services and services like Remote Infrastructure management and BPO in those countries, TCS always offered a unique manner to its global customers by positioning its brand in the worldwide market. The zenith of all these lead to the concerns contributions of TM Global Network Delivery Model(GNDM) across Europe, China, India, US and Latin America as well as incorporated full overhaul offerings, all backed by the promise of certainty of experience for customers. By 2007, the value enunciation of Experience certainty was officially initiated, acknowledged and authenticated by global customers. As the Indian financial system sustained to grow in the new century, the necessity for technology to constrain comprehensive augmentation became part of national schema. TCS, which had been spending additional, time in domestic IT from the time when its commencement was well located to assist the National Government at the central and state level, in its inventive proposals. TCS, by its own initiative shaped a digitized delivery system. In a manifestation of the companys ground-breaking spirit and with an aspiration to extend the benefits of the IT upraise across the country. TCS aptitude to convey high-quality overhauls and resolutions are matchless. It is the worlds first organization to accomplished an enterprise-wide Maturity Level 5 on both P-CMM and CMMI, using the most meticulous assessment methodology SCAMPISM. TCS Integrated Quality Management System integrates process, populace and technology maturity through various ascertained frameworks and traditions including ISO 9001 :2000, IEEE and SW-CMM, CMMI, 6-Sigma and P-CMM. For maximum flexibility, speediness, and competence, a vigorous IT strategy is essential. TCS contribution facilitates companies to construct the most of their IT investments from providing system testing solutions, application development, management services, and integration solutions. COMPANY BACKGROUND: TCS has the wide spread economical boundaries around 36 countries with seven physical centres of operations around the world. TCS was founded by Tata group which was established by jamstji Tata in 1868 an oldest and respected group of companies in India. The First chairman was Jahangir Ratanji Dadabhoy followed by Nani Palkhivala. The first general manager was F.C. Kohli. TCS first assigned to offer punch card services to a sister corporation, Tata Steel (TISCO). It later bagged the nations first domestic software project, the Inter-Branch Reconciliation System (IBRS) for the Central Bank of India. It has also provided bureau services to Unit Trust of India; as a result TCS became one of the first companies to offer BPO services. In the early 1970s; Tata Consultancy Services in full swing exporting its services. TCSs inaugural global order came from Burroughs, one of the first business computer manufacturers. TCS was assigned to write code for the Burroughs machines for numerous US-based clients. This knowledge helped TCS to bag its first onsite project the Institutional Group Information Company (IGIC), a data hub for ten banks, which served to two million clients in the US, TCS was assigned to assert and upgrade its computer systems. TCS holds the credit to set off the first software research and development centre, the Tata Research Development a nd Design Centre (TRDDC) in 1981and in 1985 the first client committed offshore development centre was established for Compaq. Early 90s was golden era for the Indian IT industry; they grew tremendously due to the Y2K virus and the introduction of Euro. TCS lead the way for industrial unit replica for Y2K conversion and built-up software tools which undertook the automatic conversion process and facilitated third-party developers and customers to use. In 1999, TCS fortified the opportunities in outsourcing the E-Commerce and the connected solutions and set up its E-Business division with ten people. In 2004 it illustrated a vigorous development of contributing half a billion US dollars to TCSs total revenue. In the year 2004, TCS was ranked under public sector, though much later than its competitors such as Infosys, Satyam and Wipro. TCS entered into a brand new area of IT services (Bioinformatics). The next two years that followed TCS aced a huge growth in progress both nationally and internationally. TCS assists some of the worlds major MNCs to take up the accurate technology-enabled solution that helps them: Optimize business recital Decrease product progress time Get better product differentiation Smooth the progress of arrangement of business with technology Join their extensive supply chains Offer real-time business handy Lesser functioning costs. Tata Consultancy Service Profile: Type: Public BSE: 532540 Founded: 1968 Headquarters: TCS House, Rave line Street, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 India Key people: Ratan Tata, (Chairman of the Board, Tata Group) S Ramadorai, (CEO and Managing Director) Jobhi Mahalingam, (Executive Director and CFO) N Chandra, (Executive Director, COO, CEO MD Designate) Phiroz Vandrewala,(Executive Director and Head, Global Corporate Affairs) Ajoy Mukherjee, (Vice President and Head, Global Human Resources) K Anantha Krishnan, (Vice President and Chief Technology Officer) Services: Information Technology Consulting, IT Services, Outsourcing, BPO, Software Products Products: TCS Bancs, Digital Certification Products, Healthcare Management Systems. Revenue: US$ 6.019 billion (in FY 2009-10) Net income: US$ 1.128 billion (in FY 2009-10) Employees: 150,000 (As on 1 April, 2010) Website: http://www.tcs.com FINANCIAL POSE: TCS financially persists to demonstrate the steady stand in the top position of Indian IT firms. As the IT outsourcing market records more rapid growth pace, TCS expressed a steady growth rate in 2008-09, whose consolidated revenue grew by 23% to 27% which helped TCS to cross the $6 billion revenue milestone. TCS operating margins improved to 23.73% by 109 basis points. Source: squibd.com TCS have also increased its dividend share to Rs.14 in the last financial year. The TCS directors have also recommended an issue of bonus shares in 1:1 ratio and it was the second bonus issue since 2004. TCS completely focused in helping their customers relationship with them simultaneously adding fresh customers and penetrating in novel market segments and emerging verticals which made them to add 163 new customers internationally in the past year. TCSs foremost market North America crossed new high point of revenue above $3 billion and grew 26% in 2008-09 in spite of recession, While Europes branches faced a express growth of 38.5% during the same year. It is very significant for an organization to certify the differentiation of its revenue stand and to uphold its augment impetus. TCS always delivers that the 143,000 TCS employees are the supreme assets of all which includes 50,000 global associates from 67 countries and TCS trained 93,000 software professionals of which, 22,000 college graduates in the past academic year which was tremendous growth. TCS is incessantly investing to unlock new markets and services which made them to invest in emerging markets like Asia-pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The firms gigantic team of human resources is serving the TCSs panorama not only in business but also its contact on the community. TCS made an effective evolution in corporate sustainability. Source 🙠 squibd.com) TCS persists to be a pioneer of growth for the reason of its established ability to reinvent the business and organisation. The concern is placed to exert in collaborative mode, significant assessing all that TCS does. TCS holds a strong position in the future IT global market. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: A basic structure distributes responsibilities among the members of a company. Its purpose is to contribute to the successful implementation of objectives by allocating people and resources to necessary tasks and designing responsibility and authority for their control and coordination The three levels of organizations are technical level, managerial level and the community level. (Mullins, 2008) The organizations are differentiated based on the task, the employees work and the nature of company and its HR policies and conditions. A hierarchy is handled in order to treat people equally in companies; Treating equal is just that they are literally equal, In order to extract best from an employee, the person above him will treat them as one and the same to extract the maximum and best work from them Functional organization,  matrix organization, and  line organization  are three common types of organizational structure (Mullins, 2008). The main intention of organizations is to dis tribute the tasks; the main aspect is to preserve the relationship between employees of different stages in order to drive them towards the single task and to monitor the progress of the assigned task. The TCS have a very well designed organization. The organizations can be classified into two main divisions they are Centralization. Decentralization. Centralization A simple and effective execution of policies for an entire organization. Gives a reliable approach over the organization. Makes trouble-free organization and administration control Better employ of specialization including better amenities and paraphernalia. Decentralization Facilitated verdict is to be nearer to the operational level of work. Amplified receptiveness to local conditions. It persuades inspiration and confidence of the staff. Observance progress in compliment and more supple structures. TCS offers services in eight areas of service: Business process Outsourcing, Business Intelligence and performance Management, Enterprise Solutions (CRM, ERP, and SCM) IT Consulting, Application Development and Maintenance, Engineering and Industrial Services, IT Infrastructure services, Testing and quality Assurance. TCSs are divided in following divisions Financial Services, Energy and Utility, Banking, Life sciences and Health care, Insurance, Securities trading system, Retail and Consumer goods, Telecommunications, Government and Transportation. TCS follow a standard organizational growth which helps them to organize the vast team under single board of directors; the type they follow is matrix organization. The matrix organization is a combination of functional departments which provide a stable base for specialized activities and a permanent location for staff and units that integrate various activities of different functional departments on a project team, product, programme, geographical or systems basis (mullins 2007). (www.tcs.com) DIS ADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE More involvement can cause aggravation and uncertainty among team members. Adequate meeting makes this type more time consuming. A detailed understanding is needed in order to be a part else result in bad performance which affects the total team work. A very good ability is needed in order to perform better and draw attention. Distribution of possessions is supple among the organization. Facilitates in intricate verdicts and appropriate for recurrent transformations occurs in unbalanced atmosphere. To meet demands from customers and helps to make unity within the team. Provides an opportunity to extend both practical and product skills. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE: Even though the organizational culture will look like a similar saying its really solid to describe and elucidate as the word culture is derived from anthropology. In simple it can be described as the reflection of fundamental works about the way by which the work is performed. The collection of traditions, policies, value, attitudes and beliefs that comprises an invasive framework for everything we do and believe in an organization (Mullins, 2008). The corporate cultures can be categorised by two influential factors, The degree of threat coupled with the organizations manners The pace at which organisations and their employees obtain comment on the success of verdict or strategies. If the customs are adopted by the employees, it amplifies the supremacy and rights of management in three ways. Categorizes themselves with their organization and consent to its decree when its the defined fascination to do. To integrate the organizations worth when they are right. Enthused to accomplish the organizations objectives. The types of Organizational culture are Power culture, Task culture, Person culture, Role culture. A well-built organizational culture lies on eight strong pillars of OCTAPACE referring to authenticity, confrontation, autonomy, openness trust, proactive, collaboration and explicitness. Organization cultures can be categorized into strong and weak cultures. The organizational culture of TCS is translucent in stipulations of pay and its HR policies. There is a towering level of employee engagement as the concern pay structure stimulates and supports employees to achieve better to receive an excellent sum of their recital pay. There is an incessant improvement and growth of workforce through different modus operandi like the T model. It is a proficiently managed organization with client fulfilment as its top most precedence. Workforces are given lofty sum of respect and everybody is addressed as an ASSOCIATE to make them believe that their input really matters. But there are some minorities who believe that TCS follows a cold culture, by cold they signify that persons are not concerned about others. Few think that TCS has an energetic culture and there are lots of communal performance which the concern takes on to help the underprivileged and poor. One such initiative is the TCS Maitree, it is a non-profit auxiliary of TCS which utilize the employees to approach further on and educate the under privileged children or seize a camp in a countrys rural area to educate them regarding the knowledge on computers. PS T Model is new software intended by TCS, all the workers information pertaining to his possession, competencies, skill set, etc are fed and then the software gives the three best domains where the employee would best be suited. This model when launched will help in smooth inter- departmental reloc ates. TCS values are ethical, in which TCS have its own set of rules, policies, values which is called TATA Code of Conduct which was explained by HR with immense efforts during induction process, in easy words it can be described as that TCS is not doing business from people but doing business with the people. The TCSs culture is dynamic and favourable for vigorous growth and antagonism. THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE: Change is persistent manipulate. It is an unavoidable part of both social and organizational life and we are all subject to continual change of one form or other (Laurie j Mullins 2008) There are factors which are substantial to the organization change are Global inflation and economic meltdown. Non-availability of resources. The limitations on products lifecycle due to frequent revises in technologies. Very high competition in escalating and capturing new market places. BUSINESS STRATEGIES: TCS names its business divisions as Industry Service Practice. TCS has it maximum revenue from Banking Financial Services and Insurance Sector. GENERIC BUSINESS STRATEGY: Low outlay of Global delivery 24X7 model. Delivery with the help of established release and excellence framework-IQMS in time. A whole focus on customer retention and client relationship in order to uphold the business revenue which is 95.6% Distinguished in low end services in both capital and price A solid protection from the money fluctuations with currency prevarication. Owing to its tough knowledge management system and resource strength, TCS has been triumphant in attaining the cost leadership in the Industry. In recent years TCS has been following a further resolute strategy where they are moving towards the requirements of customer and the nature of business as like Middle East, Europe, and Asia-pacific. TCS focus much on customers and the area rather than being broad. A full Focus on the centres of Excellence(CoE) to strengthen potential in order to build the state-of-art elucidation in particular technologies such as testing, virtualization and architecture. The high end skills and scale will help TCS to embark upon huge projects aimed at converting clients, IT applications and Infrastructures. GLOBAL STRATEGIES: When the global strategy of TCS is being closely observed, it will illustrate an influencing labour cost in South America, China and some parts of Europe. Employing overseas experts into the post of Directors in order to obtain the frequent changes in the business is also can be referred as one of the key strategies of TCS Clayton M Christensen(HSB Professor, joined TCS in 2006) Dr. Ron Sommer (former chairman of the board of management of Deuteshce telecom AG, joined TCS in 2006) Laura M cha (Member of Executive Council of the Hong Kong special Administrative Region(SAR) and Non-Executive Chairman of HSBC investment, Asia ltd) TCS have a keen view in looking US and UK for the Business Revenue markets and India for the skilled employees. TCS is very keen in establishing global delivery centres outside India which can demonstrate TCS as a Global company. TCS was the first one to set the global delivery centre in China which distinguished TCS from other corporate companies. In recent years TCS was frequently changing its approach towards global market; recently TCS reconstructed its structure towards its global operations to implement a Customer centric and integrated approach which is anticipated to assist in avoiding the risk factors arising from the Economic Meltdown in western countries. TCSs operation units are mainly divided into five main divisions. The well established markets are North America, U.K and Western Europe and the new markets are Latin America, Middle East, India and Eastern Europe. The new restructured plan was considered as the very good change by the TCS as it is attaining impetus in Europe and other markets, which is obvious in the companys marked growth rate of 40% every year. The operations In Middle East and Latin America had also seen a substantial growth. TCS had built new delivery and offshore centres in Latin America like Uruguay, Mexico and Brazil. STRATEGIC ALLIANCES: TCS is always keen in upholding the strategic relationships with various International technology vendors. These relations are distinguished in various magnitudes such as service provider, customer, supplier, and alliance partner. The relationships with the international technology vendors have made TCS to maintain a holistic. TCS made a joint venture with these vendors on joint research influencing each other strengths to research and to develop the best breed offerings. Joint advancing engagements. Significantly new or improved solutions. Joint go-to-market strategies for the solutions. ACQUISITION STRATEGY: TCS is concentrating the growth in two ways the organic means and inorganic means. The Inorganic way is in the course of acquisitions of companies which craft business sense to TCS. The concerns should adjoin great value to TCS. The Business with CMC is assisting TCS taking a very sharp gaze to the domestic Industry. Both companies have synergies in the government sector. They made various agreements with various companies some of them are the agreement with the citi group to transfer 12,000 employees in banking sectors for cash and external support in IT. Tata InfoTech Limited (TIL) was merged in early 2006. It was also a software service company like TCS which have branches around the world like America, Europe and Australia. Comparable to the financial venture made greater than, TCS yet again prolonged its banking commodities and shared its European operations after attaining a 75% equity wager in its Switzerland-based partner, TKS-Teknosoft. TKS was the marketing representative f or TCS in Europe. TCS: CO INNOVATION NETWORK (COIN): TCS is following a coin strategy in order to face the competition as the globalisation has created a elevated competition among the IT companies. It is necessary for the IT companies in order to follow an innovative technology thus resulted in the Advanced Information and Communication Technology which made practicable for companies to collaborate and perform Globally Distributed Network (GDN). Disorderly improvements are not the consequence of a solitary technology pretended by the minority of people but the combination of similar technologies may result in getting a combined innovative technology which will be much more effective and useful for the companies to perform globally. This concept of innovation network is not novel; classically it was the technology releasing body e.g. IBMs driven Innovation Networks and Googles Gartner Innovation networks are already been in existence, for TCS it is the customer driven innovation network where the participants are delivery rudiments and explorations. SWOT ANALYSIS: SWOT analysis is a prearranged loom to calculating the strategic position of a business by identifying its strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. SWOT offers an uncomplicated way of analysing the results of marketing review. Internal strengths and weakness are abridged as they communicated to external opportunities and threats. (Jobbers; 2007) It analysis the complete strategy of the company based on policies and the business method which they follow. This pictures the companies advantages and disadvantages in companies perspective. The SWOT for TCS is as follows, STRENGTH widespread universal reach Strong economic presentation Human management skills Innovative lab system The Fame of the founder WEAKNESS Momentous publicity to financial service markets. Deficient in level of consulting operations. OPPURTUNITIES Expansion in worldwide IT services Focus on SMB segment Expanding maneuvers in countries like china Focus on high end business and consulting THREATS The Hike in Employee costs Powerful competition from overseas firms like Accenture, IBM etc. Merge in the end markets Currency gratitude Increase in competition from low wage. STRENGTHS: The popularity and the reach all over the global markets made TCS a reputed and known firm in the Global IT Market. The TCS had launched the branches all over the world which can be considered as the primary strength for the TCS. TCS made clear and strong economic presentations around the globe which makes its clients a financial confidence about the company. The International base of TCS, India is known for its skilled employees in IT field which naturally made TCS very strong in Human resource. TCS is also skilled in the management skills as its board of directors are from overseas countries in order to adopt the strategies from all the parts of the world. TCS have a very good infrastructures and innovative labs with all the latest technologies which help TCS employees to update the latest technologies and to make research in various fields. The fame of the founder is also an added strength for the TCS. WEAKNESS: The excess exposure on the financial service markets which usually need to be kept confidential is considered as the main weakness of TCS. TCS is also lack in effective consulting team which show a strong reflection of decline in the growth cycle of the TCS, Being a company which works on Outsourcing projects usually needs a very good effective consulting team which acts as the bridge between the clients and company. TCS really lacks in that. OPPURTUNITIES: TCS being a fast growing IT firm is very keen in establishing and expanding its business to almost all the parts of world right from India, China, Latin American countries, Asia-pacific and etc which opened up a great business opportunity for TCS. The Focus in the SMB segments is also lays a very good business opportunity for TCS. Expanding the global branches to void countries like china, Asia-pacific will extend the business opportunities of TCS in future. TCS have a very good opportunity in high end business and consulting in the future if they rectify their weakness in consulting service. THREATS: The rapid growth and development in India and other global areas, A common demand for employees arise which result in the increase of cost for employees. TCS has to face a very high competition from overseas and well established companies like IBM, Accenture and etc. The complete merge in the End markets is also a biggest threat for TCS. The advantage on rupees always stands as the biggest threat to all IT companies in general. Increase of competition from low wages is another threat. The similar Indian firms like Wipro, Infosys are also at their full phase of capturing global markets. TCS has to face a cold war against the threats which the company faces. As all the competitors of TCS are equally strong and effective in which TCS cant ignore the supple one. PORTERS ANALYSIS ON TCS: Porters tool will help to analyse the main five competitive factors which affects the companys growth (www.emeraldinsight.com) Being TCS itself is an supplier, it do not have problem with the suppliers, the other four forces which are problematic to TCS are the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of customers, the threat of substitutes and the spirited rivalry between the existence. In the untimely days the software exports, the software wholesale market was overlooked by very few massive like Accenture, EDS and IBM, where the Indian concern were outlined as small level companies in result the TCS and other Indian software companies competed themselves in the lower end of the business, which resulted TCS and other organizations to choose small projects and tasks which are simple to do. TCS also faced a customer market that was conquered by the insurance companies and huge banks. While TCS keenly hunted for alliances with larger sellers as a competitive strategy, TCS most successful approach was to honestly loom clients and admit the minor charges that its competitive pose dictated. The entry of new companies have reduced rapidly as the huge companies like TCS, Infosys and Wipro have developed and grown huge in their market share, size and reliability with their customers. Though, the companies struggle to decrease their straight rivalry through demarcation of manufactured goods, in every market there has been enormous competitors. TCS has to work seriously upon reducing the bargaining power of customers. TCS can prevent price strategy in mixing up with purchase decision. It means that TCS should bring more than undifferentiated indoctrination by moving up the cost sequence. Such approach might be difficult in the software outsourcing business as the clients have an in-depth domain enterprises and rights of inclination to hold on to the work allocated under considered consulting. The clients very well know that the complete bargaining power lies in the strategic consulting; outsourcing that may reduce their bargaining power. TCS have to build up enough knowledge so as to construct outsourcing these errands a convincing worth plan. Of course, it is exactly in this empire that the multinational outsourcing firms such as Accenture, IBM, and EDS are the most vicious customers. Falsifying groupings are often viewed as a superior approach to offset clients bargaining command. Though, constructing alliances with companies functioning in clients sites have to be low-priced as this would advance focus on TCS in application progress. On other side, the attainment of a medium-sized US firm with sturdy customer relations and domain expertises could offer a striking opportunity. Even if expenses per employee would increase, the go up would be minute since workers needs are lesser for higher value-added jobs. The main anxiety for TCS is opposition from existing companies like Wipro, Infosys and CTS as it has produced rivalry for active dealings and twisted noteworthy pricing stress. Internationally, Companies like EDS have sited themselves as competent of handling huge, turnkey ventures which can distinguish themselves from contestants such as Accenture and IBM that spotlights on superior value-added jobs such as consulting. This proposes an organically-driven expansion strategy for TCS: as TCS should persist to do the similar sort of job that it presently do, but should attempt to arrest a better section of the value-addition by accepting huge projects. Although it has exhibited a potential in distant project management, TCS would be requisite to increase the same capability. But, there are also few risks which prevail in this strategy. TCSs huge dimension implies that it might have already exploited wealth to amount in applications improvement. Adding to that, the strategy may tender the latent for huge growth since it essentially engages elevated value-added actions. Before, this was hard, partially owed to the technical complexity in rejecting the value-chain away from the modularization of appliances programming. In recent years, though, systems design, manufacturing services, and systems integration job have increasingly been outsourced suggestive of that, if the abilities are at hand, those works could be completed in India. The threat of substitutes are mainly from the China, Philippines and eastern Europe which emerge as a biggest threats to the Indian IT companies, which is mainly due to the low cost

Anti-cancer Drug Targeting AFR Receptor

Anti-cancer Drug Targeting AFR Receptor Results 1a 1b Figure 1 Cell viability data based on the use of the XTT assay Two different lung tumor cell lines were tested: one expressing the mutated AFR receptor (blue line) and one that expresses wild-type AFR (orange line). Figure 1a represented AFR lung cancer cell line with Drug X and figure1b represented AFR lung cancer cell line with drug Y. Cells were seeded in wells of a 96 well plate at 3 x 10*4 cells/well before treatment with the drugs at the indicated concentrations for 72 hours (triplicate samples at each concentration). XTT assay reagent was then added to the wells and the absorbance measured at 450 nm. Control wells (no cells) contained medium but no cells. The Cell Proliferation XTT assay is a colorimetric assay for the nonradioactive analysis of cellular proliferation, viability, quantification of cytotoxic and cytostatic compounds like anticancer drugs and pharmaceutical compounds, evaluation of growth-inhibitory antibodies and physiological mediators that able to inhibit cell growth (Sigma-Aldrich, 2016). Sample is adherent or suspension which cultured in 96-well microplates. A fictional receptor (AFR) was targeted by anti-cancer drug to inhibit the mutated AFR function, causing an anti-proliferative effect and even cell death. XTT ((2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide)) assay was used to measure cell viability in the two different lung tumor cell lines, one expressing the mutated AFR receptor (AFR mut) and one that expresses wild-type AFR (AFR wt). Drug Y was observed to hinder cancer cell growth dose dependently (Figure 1). The amount of observed absorbance increases with cell number and incuba tion time for 72hours when a maximum absorbance level is reached. The plot of the XTT assay data should create a curve with a linear part. This area exhibits the highest sensitivity to changes produced by the experimental parameters. Establishing the XTT assay data for treatment of AFR mutated and AFR wild-type lung cancer cell line with drug X from 0nm to 1600nm (Figure 1a), It was illustrated that the cell viability of mutated AFR increased considerably from 1.1 to 1.3 between 0nm and 800nm and then became steady at approximately 1.4 from 800nm to 1600nm. Compared with the wild type of AFR (Figure1a), the trend of the line was similar to the mutated one but the cell viability was first rised from 0.9 to 1.2 between 0nm and 800nm and finally exhibited a loss of linearity when greater than 800nm. The lung cancer cell line with drug X represented a cell proliferation assay because the absorbance values of the mutated one were greater than control conditions, representing an increase in cell proliferation and viability. On the other hand, investigating the XTT assay data for treatment of AFR mutated and AFR wild-type lung cancer cell line with drug Y from 0nm to 1600nm, It was indicated that the cell viability of m utated AFR started off at about 1.1 from 0nm to 50nm and then occurred a dramatic drop from 1.1 to 0.1 between 50nm to 400nm and finally lied on 0.03 at 1600nm (Figure1b). Compared with the wild type of AFR (Figure1b), the line was also decreasing but showed a completely different trend. The cell viability decreased from 0.89 to 0.88 between 0nm and 800nm stably and then exhibited a significant drop when greater than 800nm and finally lied on 0.8 of 1600nm. The lung cancer cell line with drug Y represented a cell apoptosis assay as the absorbance values were lower than control conditions, showing a decrease in cell proliferation and resulted from cellular necrosis or apoptosis. From the data analysis, drug Y was successfully tested to inhibit the function of mutated AFR which have an anti-proliferative effect to cause cell death and drug Y could be put forward for further testing. Figure 2 Flow cytometry apoptosis data: Annexin V -FITC (x axis) and propidium iodide (Y axis)   Ã‚   The proapoptotic effect of drug X and Y. The AFRmut cell line was treated with each drug at a concentration of 800 nM for 24 hours. The cells were harvested, resuspended in buffer and then treated with Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide. Cytograms of annexin-V-FITC binding against PI uptake show three populations: (i) viable cells (low FITC and low PI signal) in gate Lower Left; (ii) early apoptotic cells (high FITC and low PI signal) in gate Lower Right and (iii) cells that lost membrane integrity which results in late apoptosis (high FITC and high PI signal) in gate Upper Right. The percentage of cell death increases in the tumor cancer cell line of drug Y, as demonstrated by incorporation of Annexin V. The inhibition of cell proliferation caused by AFRmut was related to the apoptosis induction. Apoptosis is programmed as cell death which is important in development, in normal function of certain tissues and in the response to the damage. Apoptosis involves events which results in the destruction of cell. Annexin V -FITC is a protein that binds to phosphotidylserine which can be labelled and used to detect apoptotic cells. The flow cytometry apoptosis data was plotted on a dot plot and the lower left was represented the viable cells while the upper right and the lower right were represented the dead cells and the apoptotic cells respectively. From the apoptosis data (Figure2), it was observed that the untreated condition showed 77% viable cells and 21% of apoptotic effect. When AFRmut was treated with drug X, the viable cells were increased by 19% and the apoptotic effect was largely decreased to 3%. In contrast, the incorporation with drug Y lead to considerable anti-proliferative effect where 58% of apoptotic cells were observed and viable cells only remained as 40%. Related to the induction of programmed cell death, the majority of cells from the two tumor cell lines were alive upon carrier treatment, the use of AFRmut lead to the entrance of these cells into apoptosis with incorporation of Annexin V. The treatment of drug Y showed a significant apoptotic effect than the drug X, which has a potential to inhibit the function of mutated AFR and results in anti-proliferative effect. Figure 3 Flow cytometry cell cycle data: x-axis shows propidium iodide fluorescence and y-axis shows the number of cells The AFRmut cell line was treated with drug X and Y at a concentration of 800 nM for 24 hours and then fixed with ethanol and stained with propidium iodide before analysis in a flow cytometer. Treating with drug Y showed no cells in G2/M phase. The inhibition of cell proliferation induced by AFRmut was correlated with cell cycle which was evaluated with propidium iodide by flow cytometry. Cell cycle demonstrated the cell progression through a division cycle which result in cell growth and separation into two daughter cells. Live cell observation of cellular DNA and distribution of cell cycle are valuable to regulate apoptosis, and also the tumor behavior and suppressor gene systems. Cells would be distributed into three phases of cell cycle: G0 /G1 phase (2N), S phase (DNA synthesis with various DNA), and G2 /M phase (4N) to identify apoptotic cells with partial DNA content desirably   (Krishnakumar R, Kraus W ,2010). Propidium iodide fluorescence was needed in these actions to bind DNA. From the flow cytometry results by histogram (figure 3), the untreated condition showed 42% of cells in G0/G1 phase while 31% in S phase and 27% in G2/M phase. When the AFRmut was treated with drug X, the cell number in G1 phase dropped by 7% while there was increase of 6% in S Phase. DNA replication occurs more effectively during S phase. Tumor cells with a higher proportion of cells in S phase as tumors were growed faster and more aggressive in that phase so drug X induced proliferation of mutated AFR. However, the addition of drug Y caused effective anti-proliferation effect by increasing the cell numbers in G1 phase from 42% to 86% since the cell has left the cycle and has stopped dividing. There was increase in the cell numbers and grow in size. The decrease from 31% to 14% for S phase indicated the ineffective DNA replication. Moreover, there was no cells observed in G2/M phase when treated with drug Y which represented the increasing numbers of apoptotic cells and the G2/M pha se arrest, which failed the mitosis progression. Discussion Drug Y can be an effective anticancer drug which targets mutated AFR and inhibit its function to lead an anti-proliferative effect. In the present study, two lung tumor cell lines, mutated AFR receptor (AFRmut) and wild-type AFR (AFRwt), Drug Y was found that it could inhibit the growth of the AFR in vitro. The IC50 values of AFRmut and AFRwt were with the same range of 450nm. Additionally, the cell cycle revealed that Drug Y arrested mutated AFR at S phase and G2/M phase. Furthermore, the data demonstrated that Drug Y induced apoptosis in the mechanism assessed by 3 different methods: cell viability assay, apoptosis assay and the cell cycle of flow cytometry. Taken together, these results suggest that the inhibitory effect of Drug Y on cell proliferation in mutated AFR is mediated through induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death. The limitation is the flow cytometry are only authorize the relative abundances of cell cycle phases compared to another (Dick FA, Dyson NJ, 2002). These actions can be examined by evaluating a coordinate sample of cells with mitotic inhibitor like nocodazole or G1/S inhibitor like aphidicolin. As these drugs establish a prevalent arrest in M-phase or early S-phase accordingly, moderately proliferating cells will gather at the drug inferred arrest location. For instance, cells arrested in G1 BY pRB expression will stay in G1 phase regardless of nocodazole treatment even regulating cells will accumulate in M-phase[13] Overall, the data demonstrated drug Y is able to develop an anti-cancer drug that targets a receptor called AFR (A Fictional Receptor) to block its activity. Drug Y successfully inhibits the function of mutated AFR by evaluating the cell viability assay, apoptosis assay and the cell cycle of flow cytometry. The assays showed an anti-proliferative effect and even cause cell death, which explains its significant antitumor activity in the various experimental investigations that have assessed. Thus, further studies about the way of administration, dose limiting toxicities and recommended doses are needed for the preclinical development of drug Y to evaluate the potential of the compound as an anticancer drug. References Dick FA, Dyson NJ, 2002. Three regions of the pRB pocket domain affect its inactivation by human papillomavirus E7 proteins. J. Virol.2;76: 6224-6224. Krishnakumar R, Kraus W, 2010. The PARP side of the nucleus: molecular actions, physiological outcomes, and clinical targets. Mol Cell. 39:8-24 Matthew J., et al, 2012. Analysis of Cell Cycle Position in Mammalian Cells  (59): 3491. Sigma-aldrich, 2016. Cell Proliferation Kit II (XTT) [online] Available at: http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/roche/11465015001?lang=enregion=GB Wang, G., et al, 2005. Antitumor effect of ÃŽÂ ²-elemene in non-small-cell lung cancer cells is mediated via induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS 62.7-8: 881-893.

Exploration of Mortality, Sexuality, and Humanity in Ferris Beach :: McCorkle Ferris Beach Essays

Exploration of Mortality, Sexuality, and Humanity  in Ferris Beach  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the journey of life, each person experiences events, emotions, and consequences that cannot be explained. Situations do not always turn out for the best, and it is human nature to attempt to come to some type of understanding or answer as to why things are the way they are. In Ferris Beach, a bildingsroman, or the story of a girl's coming of age, Kate Burns grapples with questions of life and death as she seeks some sort of explanation for her problems. Her fight to comprehend the events in her life are shown in her exploration of mortality, sexuality, and humanity. Death is always a hard concept with which one must deal at some point in life. Kate wonders what is loose in the world and why people close to her are taken away forever in the deaths of Mo Rhodes and her father Fred. On Independence Day, the fateful beginning of the catastrophe unfolding, Kate experiences her first adult troubles. Similar to Jem and Scout Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird, Kate moves through her innocence into experience with some obvious and some inconspicuous brushes with the adult world. As she sits with Misty observing the fireworks, she senses the troubles in her best friend. I turned to Misty, ready to ask her why her parents had left, but she was sitting there hugging her knees with her head dropped back as she stared up at the sky...there was something in her silence that made me hold my question, and instead I inched over closer to her, hugged my knees, and stared up just as she was doing (McCorkle 81-82). Kate is aware that something has gone awry but she does not accurately know what the situation is. Despite the distractions of the fireworks, her father's comments, the boys fighting on the beach, and Mrs. Poole's endless chatter, Kate focuses on the most important (though silent) thing going on with Misty. The faint hint of disarray in Misty precedes Kate's reaction to Mo's death. Kate, throughout the novel, "watches" different people and, from her house, she can see into the Rhodes's and Hucks's houses. She "watches" Misty's house after Mo's car accident and comments that Misty "...looked so pale" and that the whole family "...froze like the end of a play"(McCorkle 91).

Tim OBriens Zeugmatic Novel, The Things They Carried :: Things They Carried Essays

Tim O'Brien's Zeugmatic Novel, The Things They Carried An early example of zeugma comes from Quintilian, the ancient Roman rhetorician, who cites the following from Cicero: "Lust conquered shame, boldness fear, madness reason," where the verb "conquered" is understood to also govern the final two phrases in the sentence (Crowley 203). The 18th century, an age of great rhetorical knowledge on the part of writers and preachers (and at least one writer-preacher, Laurence Sterne), is the heyday of zeugma. In "The Rape of the Lock" Alexander Pope speculates what may happen to Bellinda on a particularly ominous day: Whether the Nymph shall break Diana's Law, Or some frail China Jar receive a Flaw, Or stain her Honour, or her new Brocade, Forget her Pray'rs, or miss a Masquerade, Or lose her Heart, or Necklace, at a Ball.... (Butt 225) Pope does a beautiful job of contrasting the serious and the superficial in these five lines-will her chastity or her jar become flawed, will she forget her prayers or the masquerade? My paraphrases here fill out an implied zeugma in these lines, but it is in the third and fifth lines where he actually employs zeugma: will she "stain her Honour, or her new Brocade"? Will she "lose her Heart, or Necklace, at a ball"? In these "stain" and "lose" branch out to include (or to be more etymologically correct) YOKE quite different things: lace and a necklace being a bit more easily replaced than a stained honor and a lost heart, as those of you who have been in love may perhaps attest to. Richard Lanham, in a Handlist of Rhetorical Terms, defines zeugma as follows and again cites an example in Pope: "One verb governs several congruent words or clauses, each in a different way, as in 'The Rape of the Lock': Here thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey Dost sometimes counsel take-and sometimes tea." (Lanham 104-5)

Sociology- family diversity

Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity today. Family diversity means that there are many different types of family in society today not Just nuclear, cereal packet families. There are several different types of family within I-JK society. These include; nuclear, single parent, gay or lesbian, extended and reconstituted.Although nuclear remains the most common family type in the I-JK today with 20% of families falling into the category, other types are fast on the increase due to societies changing attitudes owards what is considered ‘acceptable'. Perspectives such as functionalist and the new right have been described as ‘modernist'. That is, they see modern society as having a fairly fixed, clear-cut and predictable structure. They see one ‘best' family type- the nuclear family- as slotting into this structure and helping it by performing certain essential functions.Modernists are firml y opposed to family diversity. They hold the view that there is only one correct or normal family type. They see the traditional patriarchal nuclear family consisting of a married couple and their ependent children, with a clear labour division between the breadwinner husband and the home maker wife as correct. They also see a clear distinction between who should carry out the ‘instrumental' and ‘expressive' role in the household. For example, according to Talcott Parsons there is a functional fit' between the nuclear family and modern society. https://donemyessay.com/sociology-exam-3-chapters-6-8/He sees the nuclear family as uniquely suited to meeting the needs of modern society for a geographically and socially mobile workforce, and as performing two ‘irreducible functions'- the primary socialisation of children and he stabilisation of adult personalities. He claims these functions contribute to the overall stability and effectiveness of society. Hence, other family types can be considered as abnormal, or even deviant, since they are less able to perform the functions required of the family.However, other sociologists reject the modernist idea that there is one ‘best' family type or that he familys structure shapes its members behaviour. Feminist and postmodernist views would argue that modernist approaches ignore significant facts. They argue, as individual social actors, we make our own choices about family life and relationships, and we now have much greater choice about our personal relationships, and tha t has increased family diversity so much that we can no longer talk about a dominant type.There are many things in modern society that have lead to an increase in family diversity today. One of the main reasons for diversity is the divorce act introduced in 1969-71 meaning women can get a divorce if they feel it is necessary. Judith Stacey argues that greater choice as benefitted women and enabled them to free themselves from patriarchal oppression and to shape their family arrangements to suit their needs. The act has lead to an increase in single parent families and singletons.The modernists would see this as having a negative effect on society as single parent families are ill equipped to bring up a well rounded individual who can make a positive contribution to society. However, a postmodernist, Fiona Weir, argues â€Å"the vast majority of children growing up in single-parent families do so healthily and happily'. Another piece of egislation that is helped increase family dive rsity is the civil partnerships act (2004). It nas meant that same sex couples can legally get married and in many cases adopt a child.Teenage pregnancy is on the increase and this has again increase family diversity and has meant there is an increase in single parent families and the three generational family all living under the same roof. This contradicts parsons claims that the extended family is not as important or needed as much as it was in preindustrial times and points out that in some cases it is needed as much as ever. The changing position of women in society has also had a large impact on family diversity. Many women now are going out to work, whereas in the past they would have stayed at home and looked after the children and her husband.It has meant that many are now either not having children at all or waiting until they are older so they can focus on their careers. The new right and the functionalists would have a big problem with this as they see it as a women's ma in Job is to bear children, take care of her children and the household. The feminists and postmodernists would however see the changing stature of women as something that is very positive as it empowers them and gives them a choice on what they want to do with their own lives.Another key factor to point out when talking about family diversity would be the role of the media in the betrayal of modern families. In soap operas for example there may be a lot of teenage pregnancies and families such as reconstituted ones. This would have a major impact on what people think is acceptable in todays society, nd if people think it is acceptable they are more likely to do it. The media may have cause subjects such as divorce, which would have been a taboo subject in the past, to become socially acceptable which inevitably lead to an increase in the amount that take place.One of the main issues when talking about family diversity would be the increase in the neo-conventional family. Chester de fines the neo-conventional family as a dual earner family in which both spouses go out and work. This family type would be relevant to todays family because of the recession. The recession has eant that the woman can no longer afford to stay at home and care for her family as it is unaffordable. It is similar to the symmetrical family described by Young and Willmott.For Chester, the extent and importance of family diversity described by the new right has been exaggerated. Like the functionalists, Chester sees the nuclear family as dominant. The only important difference between his view and that of functionalists is that Chester sees a change from a conventional to neo-conventional nuclear family where both play an ‘instrumental' or breadwinner role. Ulrich Beck rgues that we now live in a ‘risk society where tradition has less influence and people have more choice. As a result we are more aware of risks.Todays risk society contrasts with an earlier time when roles were more fixed and people had much less choice in how they lived their lives. The modernists would see this traditional view on society as correct and the way our lives should be lived out today as it is the only way a functioning society can survive. For example, people were expected to marry. Once married, men were expected to play the role of the breadwinner and disciplinarian nd to make important financial decisions, while women took responsibility for the housework and childcare.However, the traditional, patriarchal family has been undermined by two trends; greater gender equality and greater individualism. These trends have lead to a new type of family; Ulrich Beck calls it the ‘negotiated family. Negotiated families do not conform to the traditional norms, but vary according to the wishes ot their members. These types ot tamilies are increasingly prevalent today mainly because of the recession and also many women want to work.