Achebe’s “An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness” Essay

Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† (The Massachusetts Review, 18 (1977) : 782 – 94) expresses a passionate objection to Conrad’s point of view and portrayal of Africa and Africans in his novel Heart of Darkness. Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, can be considered the direct opposition to Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and is seen to as a challenge on Conrad’s western views. I shall explore the validity in Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† with regards to language, characterisation, religion and culture. Other opinions from critical readings will also be included and referenced to the two novels ( Things Fall Apart & Heart of Darkness ).Achebe felt that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness â€Å"others† Africa and Africans, when he says â€Å"others† he means that it represents the Africans as a colonised people who have li ttle â€Å"common sense† and no authority. Furthermore it shows them as a separate race or species to further illustrate how they were treated as animals and savages. The term â€Å"common sense† used earlier also illustrates how Achebe took offence to the Western ideologies in that â€Å"common sense† is a term invented by Westerners. â€Å"Common sense† is the general term one uses for Western beliefs and values but other cultures (especially African cultures) have not been included as a part of this terminology. African cultures are, in fact, criticized by the term â€Å"common sense†, which once again Achebe took offence to. Achebe felt that Heart of Darkness was also a way of â€Å"writing back to the centre† in that it represented the Western people or Colonists as the dominant and superior force, to Achebe it was an alienation of the Africans and Africa. Heart of Darkness, therefore displaced the Africans in the novel; instead of them seeming good and familiar, they were distanced fro m the reader. Hence, one can see how Achebe was a strong believer in the â€Å"Postcolonial Theory† whereby he mostly challenged but also reflected upon modern European colonisation. Brantlinger’s paper discusses the different views on colonisation by explaining five differents stances taken. According to Brantlinger the abolitionist stance (despite its good intentions) pitied the Africans and tried to fight for the Africans, but at the same time it did not occur to them that Africans were also intelligent people who could fight their own battles. It was hence seen that the abolitionists too, were treating the  Africans as inferior. His discussion of the explorer’s stance illustrates how the explorers exploited Africa and destroyed its people because the explorers saw the Africans as a sub-race of savages who had little to no importance. Brantlinger also shows how scientists saw the Africans as a separate species to humans and that Africans were thought to be animals. Scientists theorised, through Social Darwinism, that the Africans would either have to survive of sucumb. To them the Africans were expendable. To Brantlinger the missionaries considered the Africans as a race of pagans and heathens who needed to be converted to the â€Å"Good Faith†, Christianity, and they did not consider that the Africans may very well have had their own religion and set of beliefs. Furthermore, Brantlinger illustrated how the Western writers portrayed Africans as a sub-race of savages (or as an inferior group of people) who needed pity and a push in the right direction towards their Western ways. His statements, † The constant association of Africa with the inhuman violence of the slave trade did much to darken its landscape even during the romantic period.† and † By mid-century, the success of the anti-slavery movement, the impact of the great explorers, and the merger of racist and evolutionary doctrines in the social sciences had combined to give the British public a widely shared view of Africa that demanded imperialisation on moral, religious and scientific grounds. It is this view that I have called the myth of the Dark Continent† are prime examples of how he see people to have incorrect notions about Africa and Africans. His views are highly suited to Achebe’s â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† in that they show how a white, westernised person sees the same racism eminent in todays literature as Achebe it sees in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, only Brantlinger does not directly attack any one specific book or person. Instead Brantlinger presents his view in a factual and justified manner which further helps support Achebe because he makes it easier to believe and understand him when he uses factual information rather than exclusively his opinions. Brookes wrote a paper on how certain stereotypes of Africa have been created and how they are perpetuated in newspapers today. Headlines such as, â€Å"Why give life-blood to this heart of darkness?† were analysed and according to Brookes this headline and others like it â€Å"†¦ result in the foregrounding of  Africa as violent, repressive and helpless†¦ They set up opposites where Africa is on the one side and is held up against a standard which it apparently does not meet†. Brookes’ analysis and opinions are highly relevant in that she illustrates how certain stereotypes and ideas on Africa have become second nature and are even printed in chronicles which are supposed to be factual recollections of events. Brookes does so by discussing certain gramatical, wording and representation trends associated with Africa and this shows that these ideals are wrong and racist, one should not be allowed to perpetuate such incorrect stereotype of Africans. At the same time Brookes’ paper can also discredit Achebe, because it shows that perhaps Conrad’s reason for Heart of Darkness being a racist novel is because certain stereotypes are printed in the press each day and he simply did not know any better. Achebe’s article, â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness†, shows that Achebe feels that Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is racist and it perpetuates a certain incorrect view on Africans. He is offended by Conrad’s racism and insensitivity towards Africans. † Heart of Darkness pojects the image of Africa as â€Å"the other world,† the antithesis of Europe and therefore of civilization, a place where man’s vaunted intelligence and refinement are finally mocked by triumphant bestiality.† Here Achebe shows exactly how he feels about Heart of Darkness. Achebe sees Marlowe and Conrad as the same person and hence because Marlowe, the narrator in Heart of Darkness, is ignorant and racist†¦ Achebe immediatly assumes that Conrad holds the same views. Achebe feels that Conrad represents the colonists as superior somewhat god-like and that the Africans in Heart of Drakness are shown as savages, heathens and inf idels and they are seen to be inferior. Not only is this perception of Africans conveyed but Africa is also seen as a dark and mystical place which threatens everything that is foreign. Furthermore Achebe feels that Heart of Darkness creates the impression that Africa infects the Western people and drives them mad, as happened to Kurtz : â€Å"Consequently Africa is something to be avoided just as the picture has to be hidden away to safeguard the man’s jeopardous integrity. Keep away from Africa or else! Mr Kurtz of Heart of Darkness should have heeded that warning †¦ But he foolishly exposed himself to the wild irresistable allure  of the jungle and lo! the darkness found him out.† Achebe also feels that Conrad is also trying to convert people to his racist ways and infect them with his â€Å"xenophobia† (fear of foreigners). Achebe not only sees Conrad as a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist† and is offended by it but he is also offended by the fact that nobody has challenged Heart of Darkness and its racism, but they praise and study this book instead. C.P. Sarvan also wrote a critique on Heart of Darkness and Achebe’s article. He was, however, far less extreme than Achebe. Furthermore, he looks at the story from both sides and he weighs up both the Authors’ strengths and weaknesses. Sarvan discusses how in Heart of Darkness the colonists are actually corrupt and rotten to the core and instead of Africa being shown as an entirely bad and deep dark continent, Sarvan sees some type of of set used to highlight how the colonists were deranged and not at all pure, as the African people were. Sarvan quotes a critic who said, â€Å"Africa per per se is not the theme of Heart of Darkness, but it is used as a locale symbol for the very core of an ‘accursed inheritance†. This quote along with Sarvan’s opinion that â€Å"the story may be seen as an allegory, the journey ending with the sombre realisation of the darkness of man’s heart.† show how in Heart of Darkness Conrad does not simply want to discredit Africa and show to be a dark black hole which is to be feared, rather that it actually illustrates how the colonists could learn goodness and purity from the Africans. In contrast to Achebe, Sarvan also sees Marlowe and Conrad as totally separate people and he thinks that Marlowe’s views are not necessarily the same as Conrad’s. Sarvan considers all the evidence and he concludes that in some parts of Heart of Darkness Conrad does tend to project racist view points, but by the same token Conrad also criticises the Colonists, their way of life and their lack of morals and ethics. In both Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness there is certain language and diction which is used, the language used conveys a certain opinion and attitude toward what is being said. If one is to look at Brooke’s paper it can be seen that certain words are used to convey certain images of Africa, and at times even a certain gramatical structure is associated with Africa. If one looks at the language used in Heart of Darkness certain words can be  picked out and seen as racist but also there are words which are not racist towards the Africans and rather they discredit the colonists. For example: â€Å"The Man seemed young – almost a boy – but you know with them it’s hard to tell.†( Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg35, line 21). Here one can consider this to be a racist comment as it creates a distance between the Africans and the colonists, but it can also be seen as a perfectly innocent and ignorant comment because it’s natural to have trouble understanding that which you do not know. A very similar comment is made in the same novel, however it is made with regard to the white men, it’s as follows â€Å"†¦ white men being so much alike at a distance that he could not tell who I might be.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 33, line 27) In Things Fall Apart there are also times when it can be criticised for the language used – Achebe describes the white missionaries as â€Å"four eyes† and here it is further illustrated that the Africans are now finding that which they are not familiar with troublesome and hard to understand. So when one weighs the two different descriptions from Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness up it can be seen that certain language can be seen as racist even if that is not the intent. Furthermore when Conrad writes, â€Å"Fine fellows – cannibals – in their place.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 61, line 6) you can both criticise and praise this quote. Although it does distance the Africans when he says â€Å"their place† and it could be seen as insulting to call the Africans â€Å"cannibals†, Conrad also presents the Africans in a friendly manner and he shows some kind of kinship with them when he says â€Å"Fine fellows†. Finally, there are many times when Conrad uses insulting language with regards to the Africans but he also uses language which praises them, so Achebe is not entirely correct when he says that Conrad’s book Heart of Darkness â€Å"parades in the most vulgar fashion prejudices and insults†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In Things Fall Apart one is able to learn about the African religion and at the same time the Western religion is presented to the reader, neither is said to be right nor wrong. The advantages and disadvantages of both religions are expressed to the reader and prejudice is not shown towards either religion. In Heart of Darkness however, only the Western religion is shown and it is not even considered that the African Savages may possibly  have a perfectly good set of morals and a decent religion. One is exposed to the Western religion and it is seen as the be all and end all. The characters in Heart of Darkness are also portrayed to only believe in one certain religion and that religion (christianity) is the â€Å"saviour† of the primitive, savage Africans. For example this can be seen when Conrad writes, † Something like an emissary of light, somethng like a lower sort of apostle†¦ ‘weaning those ignorant millions from their horrid ways,’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 28, line 17). Brantlingers paper further illustrates this as well as shows that this was a Victorian ideal. Hence, with regard to religion the only religion really shown in Heart of Darkness is christianity and it is not questioned or compared to an African religion, as the two religions in Things Fall Apart are. Culture in both Achebe and Conrad’s novels is explored on two fronts : an African front and a Western front. In Things Fall Apart the more dominant culture is of course the African culture. One is introduced to the African Umuofia tribe and thereafter they are presented with the many different cultures and beliefs of that tribe and well some of the other African tribes. In Things Fall Apart, one is also shown a brief view of how the Africans saw and came to be part of Western culture, but one is also shown how the African culture actually contains alot of sense, morals and ethics. It can be seen that African culture it is not simply a group of people shouting out foreign screeches on shore as they are shown in Heart Of Darkness. Furthermore, in Heart of Darkness the Western culture is the dominant one, and in contrast to Things Fall Apart not only is there very little understanding of the other culture (African Culture) but also there seems to be no effort from the characters in Heart of Darkness to even begin to understand or grasp the African culture : â€Å"In the empty immensity of the earth , sky, and water, there she was (the French man-of-war) incomprehensible firing into a continent.† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 30, line 33) This quote can also be used to illustrate how the colonists were seen as deranged and their culture fickle. The characterisation in the two novels is very different when speaking about  either the Africans of the Westerners. In Things Fall Apart the African is characterised as an intelligent being who has a sense of right and wrong and they contain the makings of Westerner’s human thread; maternal instinct towards one’s child, the drive to succeed, the knowledge of right and wrong, punishment for those who commit crimes, respect for elders etc. Furthermore, in Things Fall Apart the Westerners are portrayed in a fair light, despite their exloitation of the Umuofia tribe and their ideas are taken into consideration and the benifits are thaught about†¦ this shows the Umuofia to be logical and fair people. Whereas in Heart of Darkness the Westerners are the only ones who are considered to be intelligent, despite them also being shown as impure and unfair : â€Å"hairdresser’s dummy† (Heart of Darkness, Penguin Classics 2000, pg 36, line31) and â€Å"I let hi m run on, this papier-mache Mephistopheles, and it seemed to me that if I tried I could poke my forefinger through him, and would find nothing inside but a little loose dirt, maybe.† The Africans in Heart Of Darkness are not portrayed as humans, rather they’re seen as animals, but at the same time they can also be seen as more human than the imhumane colonists because they are compassionate and they aren’t empty inside (refer to â€Å"I let him run on†¦Ã¢â‚¬  above). The Africans are also seen as the underdogs being destroyed by the white men who only care for money. Overall in Things Fall Apart, the portrayal of the Africans in is that they’re humans with morals and a good steady culture and the portrayal of the Westerners is that they’re also human with morals and their own culture. In Heart of Drakness, the Africans are weak, primitive savages victimised by the strong, impure White man with no moral fibre. The links between the books Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness can be seen as a trend throughout Booke’s and Brantlinger’s Papers. Both find that in our societies there are certain ideas associated with Africa; namely darkness, mystery, savagery, unenlightenment, lack of intelligence and resourses as well as good solid religion and moral fibre, and finally the idea that Africa infects the rest of the world with all its dark and dangerous qualities. Each day these ideas are passed through our brains and drummed into our heads, to such a degree that the majority of us no longer question their being right or wrong. Achebe found that in Heart of Darkness,  Conrad discussed and displayed these racist ideals in extreme amounts and Achebe felt the racism Conrad openly showed was unacceptable. Surely society played a role in this uneducated assumption made about Africa and its people when it allowed for such racist ideals to be printed in the everyday press. In Conclusion it can be asid that Achebe did have reason for his opposition to Heart of Drakness and its portrayal of Africa and Africans. It must be considered, however, that perhaps Conrad’s unintentional racism was simply the product of ignorance. He was incorrect in conveying the Africans as savages, but at the time the book was written Conrad was probably blinded by his society and its stereotypes. Furthermore, his true intention in Heart of Darkness was to show the Westerners lack of moral fibre by contrasting them against the Africans and showing how the Westerners exploited the Africans. Achebe’s description of Conrad as a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist† in â€Å"An Image of Africa : Racism in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness† was not entirely true. Conrad did include some racism in Heart of Drakness but it was not intentional and it was certainly not extreme enough to call him a â€Å"thoroughgoing racist†.

Peace and Freedom throughout a Nation Essay

Throughout the course of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech, he uses several persuasive appeals such as the idea of peace and freedom to inspire and gain the trust of his Nation.   In the beginning of Kennedy’s speech, he mentions that America will â€Å"pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend [and] oppose any foe† (par 4) for the preservation of liberty. This is an example of parallelism clauses that make clear of Kennedy’s intent to do anything it takes for the survival and liberty. Kennedy states that both sides of a conflict should join in creating â€Å"a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak are secure and the peace preserved† (par 19). Kennedy’s use of parallelism helps keep the people’s attention to help illustrate his key points of his speech. He later describes the â€Å"power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life,† (par 2) that uses that power to free the peoples of the world. Meaning we have the power to destroy ourselves but it should only be used to better our nation, and create a balance of peace and freedom in the world. During this time the United States was in the beginning of the Cold War and he knew that focuses had to be on containing Communism in order to assure the American people that they were safe. Kennedy constantly reminds the American people that they are a united and strong country that can make it through anything. Kennedy begins four paragraphs in a row with the same words, â€Å"To those,† (par7-8) to illustrate that he is willing to work things out with the countries America is having problems with. His use of repetition helps him remind his country that they can make it through anything in a persuasive way. He also mentions that America can solve problems with their enemies during diplomacy several times. Kennedy amplifies his desire for peace and unity when he repeats, â€Å"Let both sides† (par 14-18) he utilizes alliteration to explain his want for unity instead of division. It is brought to our attention that â€Å"if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few that are rich (par 8). In order to sustain peace and freedom throughout the nation these things like this need to be recognized. Kennedy creates a common enemy to unite the people’s pride. While discussing newly freed countries he uses a metaphor, saying, â€Å"remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by ridding the back of the tiger ended up inside† (par 7). Also when he says, â€Å"the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans† (par 3) he is using a metaphor showing that America intends to control themselves and let no one else rule them. So our Nation â€Å"should only glow from that fire [that] can truly light the world† (par 12) meaning if everyone does something to benefit the country we will succeed and live and peace. John F. Kennedy did an outstanding job with gaining the trust of his Nation during his 1961 inaugural address. The people were able to feel safe and protected with Kennedy becoming president. The fear of being taken over by a Communist nation lessened, and peace and freedom was sure to come.

Leading, managing and developing people Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leading, managing and developing people - Outline Example 318). Contracted workers will not access HR training and development. They also lose their benefits such as the medical insurance packages. Considering the negative change in treatment, contracted workers of Tiger Cars will cease from doing extra work that they could have done if they could be working on a permanent basis. Psychological contract provides an explanation for the eminent decrease in the output if the company implements its employment strategy. In the long-term the expansion plan may not work well due to issues of HR that may arise. The HR is likely to experience inflated costs of remuneration, in the long run, when they lay-off workers (LIU, 2009 p. 30). The HR department will have to hire consultants at high rates to fill the gaps of knowledge left by staff reductions. The HR will ignore the cost of cutting staff. However, with the expansion of the company the HR will face the challenge of making replacement to the lost comprehension of the firm, its processes and customers (Mazur, 2012 p. 1). It will lead to revenue loss and reduced productivity. The contracted former employees will also undertake the contracted work only without offering extra skill (Pesqueux, 2012 p. 1). Tiger Car LTD must consider implementing strategies that boost the commitment, attitudes, and their relationship with the contracted employers (Collins, Cartwright and Hislop, 2012 p. 211). Improving work conditions and implementing some exchange model between the contracted workers and the organization can boost the employee’s commitment. In addition, the provision of training, improved supervision, and the provision of co-worker support can ensure that the output of the contracted workers is boosted significantly (Jafri, 2014 p. 168). Sadiq, S. (2014). Relationship between Psychological Contract Violation, Supervisory Support, Psychological Contract Breach and Organizational Citizenship Behavior.  IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 16(3),

Low-Carb Dietary Restaurant Business Plan Research Paper

Low-Carb Dietary Restaurant Business Plan - Research Paper Example Low-carb food is scientifically demonstrated to be very healthy and good for fitness for everyone, but especially for overweight people. Our diet program can help the obese people trying to lose weight to lose up to 15 pounds in just 2 weeks with guaranteed results. Our recipes are the combined effort of our very skilled chefs and expert nutritionists. At present we offer 100 low-carb foods at our restaurant and in pre-packaged food at the stores. Our aim is to remove the misconceptions regarding low-carb diet and bring it forward as the mainstream dieting program for the majority to allow them to lose weight in the most efficient and effective way possible. The aim of our president and the owner of Low-Carb Dietary Restaurant, Mr. XYZ, is to provide the best quality and taste food to please our customers and at the same time help them with their diet program. If blessed with success in the first few months, we look forward to expand our operations to other cities and states as well.The purpose of Low-Carb Dietary Restaurant is to help people who are on a diet plan switch to the most effective low carbohydrate diet which is scientifically proven to help lose weight very fast. We look forward to help the ambitious people, whose dieting plan has shown minimal or no effects for them, by offering them a very efficient low-carb diet program at our restaurant. Our overall objective is to satisfy our valuable customers by providing them healthy and most effective dieting plan based on delicious, scrummy and wholesome low-carb recipes. Company Vision Starting with just one branch in the largest city of Ohio State, we look forward to expand our b usiness through a chain of similar restaurants within the country in the next 3 years. For this expansion and growth we aim to work with full dedication and devotion with no compromise on the quality of food we make. Business Goals & Objectives Benefits of low carbohydrate diet have been thoroughly studied in the past years; and our goal is to help our customers live a healthy life by taking advantage of these potential benefits. Goals and Objectives of Low-Carb Dietary Restaurant broadly encompass the following: Produce food products that fall in the category of low-carb diet that restrict carbohydrates to less than 20% of caloric intake. To offer dieting programs with quick weight loss results through low-carb products. Customer should lose up to 10 pounds weight within just two weeks. To offer a variety of recipes and diets to the customers to choose from. Healthy cooking and kitchen environment with compliance to all food regulations. To expand growth and profits by at least 20% in the first 3 years of operations. To enlighten the Columbus citizens and prospective customer about the advantages of low-carb diet. Brief History of the Business Low carbohydrate food restaurants have never been a center of attention for the Columbus city residents. Only a few people are aware of the potential benefits of low-carb diet and how helpful it can be in losing weight and staying healthy forever. People in other states have recently started noticing these advantages and that is why low-carb restaurants are expected to be in fashion very soon including Ohio. Key Company Principles Low-Carb Dietary

On Golden Pond Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Golden Pond Film - Essay Example The chief protagonist’s roles are played by ace actor and actress – Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn. ‘On Golden Pond’ is based on an affectionate and loving couple who spend their twilight years with each other and the different experiences that come in the wake of their life. The film portrays the difficulties faced by this couple in old age and how despite these difficulties they maintain their dignity and respect right through the end of the film. The thing that makes the film all the more interesting is that the audience can easily relate to it and identify themselves in similar situations. The inherent sentiment in the film is greatly enhanced and reinforced through the visual metaphor of a beautiful sunset over the Golden Pond. The breathtaking beautiful natural scenery of New England highlights the concept of emotional sentiment between the elderly couple and how they interact towards each other in specific situations. ‘On the Golden Pondâ₠¬â„¢ is all about real – life relationships and personalities which is what makes it much easier for the audience to connect and relate to. The filmmaker draws from the extensively publicized problems that were faced by Henry Fonda with his son and daughter. However, the central theme of the film is all about how a college professor and his wife take the much deserved privilege of a holiday in this idyllic spot to explore â€Å"life’s inner meaning†. The main plot of the film involves contrasting male senility against female strength. Though the characters are vulnerable to their situation, yet they do not appear to be so, due to Rydell’s technique of using high angle and bird’s eye shots that helps to maintain the illusion of his characters. This technique helps the characters to integrate and adapt themselves well with their environment. Rydell’s female protagonist, Katherine is a very devoted wife who is quite a free- spirited and carefre e character who even goes singing in the woods and picking up firewood, strawberries and flowers for the home. As a female pillar of strength, she forces the audience to understand the reversal of gender roles and their consequences. On the other hand, the male protagonist Fonda is always seen bemoaning his uncertainty of life because he is faced with the fact of gradually losing his memory and the deterioration of his physical health. The conflict between the Fondas emerges quite early in the film as Henry’s mental health seems to be getting even worse. For example, he accuses the operator of having called them a classic ‘Exhibit A’ memory loss. He also looks at an old photograph of him and his wife with their child Chelsea and enquires who that child was. In Fonda, we could understand the serious consequences of retirement that manifests itself through unpleasant confrontation with his daughter and constant nagging which he uses as a recourse to be in control o f his status and situation which becomes more complex as he increases in age. He is unable to accept the reality of his situation and a feeling of uselessness creeps over him. These behaviors are exhibited by the character Norman due to aging according to his chronological age and also due to the fact he is unable to accept the fact of aging, retirement and other physical and mental disabilities that accompany it. On close observation of this character we come to understand that he is unable to come to terms with himself by accepting his infirmities and

How does a study of popular culture help researchers understand how Essay

How does a study of popular culture help researchers understand how financial reporting information is valued by society - Essay Example Financial reports are then prepared to mirror the popular culture that prevails in monetary terms. Thus, ideally these reports should replicate the popular culture and should tell if that suits the well being of a country or not. Critical theory encompasses the idea of popular culture. It involves the examination and analysis of a society and its culture. Recently, Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions have been used to describe national or, better put, popular cultures. Hofstede’s ideas are based on a large scale research project to bridge cultural differences globally and to come up with a global popular culture! It uses data obtained from sixty-four countries. These studies identify five dimensions. These dimensions can be used to analyze how similar or different countries are. Based on these, their financial reports should mirror the popular trends that prevail and should compare the financial status of the countries in a considerable time period. The first dimension is of power distance, second one being individualism, third masculinity, fourth uncertainty avoidance and last one being long term orientation( Hofstede, Geert). Power distance index is used to measure the degree to which author ity is distributed lopsidedly within an association or an institution (and even in families). It also implies that a society’s degree of disparity is authorized by the supporters as much as by the leaders. The analysis of power distance shows significant differences amongst countries, Germany has a power distance index of 35 while Arab countries have a power index of 80. The second dimension of assessing the popular culture according to Hofstede is individualism. In this, it is compared whether the citizens prefer to look after themselves only, i.e. if they prefer individualism or if they prefer collectivism and like to help others. On the individualistic side, we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose. Everyone takes care of himself

The Model Minority Myth and the American Dream Research Paper

The Model Minority Myth and the American Dream - Research Paper Example He, Arnold, has physical challenges that make other kids at school call him names such as retard, the globe and others. Relating these challenges to the American Dream it is true to say that Americans will never realize their dream. United States has a national ethos whereby freedom is the main component of opportunity that leads to success as well as prosperity. According to the American Dream, life is richer, fuller, and better for all people. Everyone has an opportunity with regard to ability or achievements. In this case, life status is regardless of birthplace or social circumstances of any American person. The American declaration of Independence also proclaims that all men are equal. With relation to Alexei’s novel, America will never realize its dream because of things like poverty that demeans what can lead to realizing its dream (Palecek 45). Americans face perturbing challenges that end up rendering their dream a myth because of the huge gap between the wealthy and poor. As described in the novel, many reserved families in America are languishing in immense poverty. They cannot afford to cover for minute medical expenses. This is evident in that, Arnold’s father had to kill his adopted dog after suffering form intensive heat exhaustion and could not cater for his medication due to poverty. America cannot realize its dream due to the fact that, if its founding fathers failed to match up to the expectations of the national ethos it is impossible for America to achieve its goals regarding its dream. As elaborated in the novel, great success based on dreams does not just pop up from nowhere. Foundation acts as a stepping-stone for the other generations within the same line of family. Lands and businesses that exist within families run and develop down the stream through experimental learning. According to Alexei’s description of Arnold’s family, it is clear that they are poor and for them to change that they not only need to w ork hard, but also a miracle. It is astonishing about USA persons they fail to comprehend that family is the founding stone of a nation and it is the protector of vagaries and fate. These two ideas intersect in the manner that, both their founding fathers did not establish a strong foundation suitable for sustainability and growth of that family hence attaining success is beyond their reach. According to the novel, the parents of Arnold were not free since they were alcoholics. Besides that, his sister was a hermit and due to the Arnold’s family affliction and loss of morality, they continued to languish in extreme poverty. His father was abusive and used to beat Arnold leaving him with bruises. Just as Arnold went through many tribulations, Americans are also facing the same situation as they are having a huge debt record and the level of unemployment is alarming. (Katz & Lang 146)Activities revolving around America are acting as an obstacle towards a stable environment suit able for planning on American goals and objectives. Therefore, realizing the American Dream is far from becoming the central pillar of the American story since it is falling apart. As the novel depicts, Arnold’s father did not support him fully in terms of getting education. He sends him to a rez school within his Spokane Indian Reservation despite his health status. May be he did not see his son with the ability to study and change their living situation. The same case is applying

Global Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Global Business Strategy - Essay Example The mission statements as well as the corporate values are an important aspect for developing strategies for companies. Strategies are developed with the objectives of attaining goals as well as to generate profits for companies. The mission statement of companies depicts the current or present businesses purpose and scope. The mission statement depicts â€Å"who we are, what we do, and why we are here† about companies (The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011). Values of companies are the beliefs, traits as well as behavioural norms which are to be abided by and followed by every personnel involved with the companies. The companies’ personnel are required to perform or conduct every business activity and accomplish mission as well as strategic visions of the companies. The invaluable personnel are required to be provided fair treatment, dignity, integrity as well as with ethical behaviour. The mission statements and the corporate values are important for accomplishing objective s or goals of companies in an efficient manner. The main purpose of mission statements as well as company values is to communicate the goals or objectives as well as core values of activities which are to be performed. Mission statements as well as corporate values assist in improving performance of a company (The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2011). ... The top management of companies is required to recognise the present position and determine the future prospect of the companies. Formulating as well as implementing appropriate corporate strategies is a significant factor for successful performance of companies. A mission statement differentiates one company from the other identical companies with respect to the purpose as well as scope of conducting business activities (University of Houston-Victoria, n.d.). Mission statement of a company depicts about the purposes as well as needs along with well-being of people that a company serves. It assists people as well as businesses worldwide to understand their full capabilities. Moreover, it promises shareholders for providing a satisfactory as well as a fair return to shareholders. The mission of a company is the first considering factor for devising strategies which will assist a company to perform its activities in an enhanced manner (Kusiak, 2011). Seker stated that mission statement of a company should be prepared before the strategic planning process as the mission statement provides the functions as well as the products or services which are to be offered to the people. All companies are required to have a clear and good mission statement for detailing their purposes and mission of companies are communicated through mission statement. Moreover, the mission statement of a company brings out the significant features as well as principles which are required for formulating strategic plans. Strategies are formulated first in accordance with the mission statement and then with specific objectives or goals which are required to be achieved for successful performance of a company (Seker, 2011). Strategies

Information Technology - questions to answer Essay

Information Technology - questions to answer - Essay Example From the other side, the cost of qualitative education is constantly rising. So people who invested huge money in their education can not afford receiving low salaries. Therefore it becomes impossible to find highly-educated professional human resources at low price. Those who sat that personnel from India or China is highly educated should ask themselves how many college graduates from India or China are working at top positions at U.S. companies. Often talented people from overseas should first work in the U.S. company for few years and overtake some corporate training (or post-graduate education) to become valuable employees. I think that ACME Corporation should use experience of other IT companies which are successful in transferring their facilities to developing countries. For example, managers at U.S.-Dutch professional publishing giant Wolters Kluwer shifted software development and editorial work to India and the Philippines. Therefore they are able to pump out a greater variety of books, journals, and Web-based content more rapidly. Wachovia Corp., the Charlotte-based bank inked a $1.1 billion deal with India's Genpact to outsource finance and accounting jobs and handed over administration of its human-resources programs to Lincolnshire-based Hewitt Associates. It's "what we need to do to become a great customer-relationship company," says Director of Corporate Development Peter J. Sidebottom cited in Engardio (2006). Wachovia aims to reinvest up to 40% of the $600 million to $1 billion it hopes to take out in costs over three years into branches, ATMs, and personnel to boost its core business. Here's what such transformations typically entail: Genpact, Accenture (ACN ), IBM Services, or another big outsourcing specialist dispatches teams to meticulously dissect the workflow of an entire human resources, finance, or info tech department. The team then helps build a new IT platform, redesigns all processes, and administers programs, acting as a virtual subsidiary. The contractor then disperses work among global networks of staff ranging from the U.S. to Asia to Eastern Europe. In recent years, Procter & Gamble (PG ), DuPont (DD ), Cisco Systems (CSCO ), ABN Amro (ABN ), Unilever, Rockwell Collins (COL ), and Marriott (MAR ) were among those that signed such megadeals, worth billions. As Engardio (2006) writes, many executives are discovering offshoring is really about corporate growth, making better use of skilled U.S. staff, and even job creation in the U.S., not just cheap wages abroad. True, the labor savings from global sourcing can still be substantial. But it is peanuts compared to the enormous gains in efficiency, productivity, quality, and revenues that can be achieved by fully leveraging offshore talent. However what the company really has to help it survive in this environment is finance. So ACME Corporation can attract professional talents from India, China and Eastern Europe with the same methods as it attracts American specialists. Good strategy for ACME Corporation is to provide social insurance and credits for mortgage or other purposes to its college-educated English-speaking employees from India or China that will attract talented personnel to the company. As Liu (2006) writes, the US economy emerged after World

Change in Pressure and Different Depths in a Static Fluid Lab Essay Example for Free

Change in Pressure and Different Depths in a Static Fluid Lab Essay Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to devise a correlation between that of the data we have collected from our experiment and compare it to that of theory. In this experiment 3 different tests were done in order to test this theory. The first test was to tie a balloon on the end of a manometer and measure the pressure at different depths in a large beaker filled with water. The next test was the same thing, but without the balloon on the end of the manometer. For the final test a pressure gauge was used to measure the pressure at different depths in the water. The data collected from each experiment was the depth of the object and its deflection. To find out the theoretical pressure for the experiment this equation will be used: ∆P=ÃŽ ³H2Oà ·Depth The theoretical results will then be compared to the measured results, determining the correlation between both sets of data in order to prove whether or not this experiment is capable of proving the theory. Procedure: 1) Fill the cylinder with water and adjust the manometer to read zero. 2) For first test tie a balloon to the end of the tube that gives the manometer reading, and fill it with air. 3)Immerse the balloon in the water and measure the deflection at each specific depth (Try to get as close as you can to: 11, 9, 7, 5, 3, and 0 inches). 4)When finished with the first test remove the balloon and proceed to second test. 5) For the second test immerse the (balloon free) manometer tube in water, also measuring each specific depth and deflection. 6) For the third test instead of measuring with the manometer use a pressure gauge to measure your deflection (make sure you set the gauge to zero before testing). Calculations: Test #1 Example Depth: 3.5 inches Deflection: 1.7 inches P. Theory: ÃŽ ³H2OÃâ€"3.512=18.2lbft2 P. Measured: 1.712Ãâ€"ÃŽ ³ManometerÃâ€"ÃŽ ³H2O=16.9lbft2 Test #2 Example Depth: 5 inches Deflection: 2.1 inches P. Theory: ÃŽ ³H2OÃâ€"512=26lbft2 P. Measured: 2.112Ãâ€"ÃŽ ³ManometerÃâ€"ÃŽ ³H2O=20.8lbft2 Test #3 Example Depth: 3 inches Deflection: 1.8 ozin2 P. Theory: ÃŽ ³H2OÃâ€"312=15.6lbft2 P. Measured: 1.812Ãâ€"ÃŽ ³Pressure GaugeÃâ€"ÃŽ ³H2O=17.9lbft2 ÃŽ ³H2O=62.4 lbft3 ÃŽ ³Manometer ÃŽ ³Pressure Gauge=1.91 lbft3 Analysis and Conclusion: Overall I think results of this experiment turned out fairly well. From looking at the graph I noticed that as we moved on to the second and third tests there seemed to be less and less error. In general I think that human error had a huge impact on this lab. If we could have done a few trials for each test I think that the outcome of our measured results would be a lot closer to those of the theoretical results. What we were attempting to do with this lab was take the theoretical results of our experiment and get them as close as we could to the measured results with little percent error in order to determine if this test was reliable. By comparing some of the results I can safely say that this test is valid. Some of the data comparisons are far off, but others are within 2 percent error and I know for a fact that better results can be acquired.

Business Ethics Case Study: Primark

Business Ethics Case Study: Primark This assignment will review the literature on Business Ethics within the context of a particular organisation PRIMARK. To enhance our understanding of the concepts of values and morals our study defines and evaluates ethics in a business context; simultaneously throwing light on issues such as disposable fashion and ethical sourcing. 1. INTRODUCTION Primark, the cult value fashion brand owned by Associated British Foods (ABF) is the largest clothing retailer in UK by volume with a whooping 207 stores spanning across Europe. Mr. Arthur Ryan, founder and chairman has been credited of bringing affordable fashion to the high street and is also credited for nurturing Primark into an astounding success story. Starting from the first store in Ireland in 1969 till the 207th store in 2010, this brand has experienced phenomenal growth. Primark picked up the Multi Market Retailer of the year 2010 award at the Oracle world retail awards ceremony. Market Share 18.2% (http://www.primark.co.uk/page.aspx?pointerid=eb44df4565934edca627dac6ec12145a) 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Business Ethics Barry (1979) defines Ethics as studying what constitutes good and bad human conduct, including related actions and values. According to Velasquez (2010), the prime focus of business ethics lay on morals and values with respect to company policies, decisions and framework. He categorizes business ethics by: social issues, company issues and individual issues. From the National Business Ethics Survey (NBES), Verschoor cited that companies today are increasingly giving importance to ethical behavior and social responsibility. Also, more unethical practices are getting exposed rather than unethical behavior committed. Hence, it confirms evidence of the fact that companies are taking this issue seriously in order to not jeopardize their global brand and image. At this juncture, one should think about why should companies engage in ethical business practices? Is it simply to abide by the law, as it is the right thing to do or because it benefits them to do so? This may seem as a moral dilemma in several ways since it is the central issue in business ethics. (Fisher and Lovell, 2009) An increasing number of consumers make their purchase decisions based on ethical values of a company. Hence, it is crucial to make consumers aware of the ethical issues in trade and to understand what would prompt them to modify their consumption patterns. Marketing strategies can then be developed based on this understanding. (http://www.nri.org/publications/policyseries/PolicySeriesNo12.pdf) Ethical Consumerism Ethical Consumerism is an emerging process that emphasizes on socially responsible trade activities. It is just as much about supporting the good companies and products, as it is about withdrawing support from the bad ones. An ethical consumer will help in providing information one needs to make an informed decision about a purchase. (http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/ShoppingEthically/WhyBuyEthically.aspx) (http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1690945) Positive ethical purchase behavior, takes into account the trends that comprise attempts to purchase ethical products. For example, use of Fair-trade or Organic products. Negative ethical purchase behavior or boycott, has been regarded as the key form of ethical consumerism. It means avoiding products that are unethical. Therefore, an informed consumer would only choose products that reflect moral responsibility. For instance, in 1997 MORI survey for CAFOD on purchasing products from developing countries, there was particularly high support for a minimum agreed standard of labor conditions for workers in developing countries; 92% of the sample thought that this should apply to UK companies. (http://www.nri.org/publications/policyseries/PolicySeriesNo12.pdf) Ethical Sourcing Ethical sourcing simply put is the moral standards put forward by companies, which source their goods from other third party vendors. These standards have been set up to allow companies to ensure that the work they have contracted out to third party firms, have been conducted in an ethical manner. A critical analysis of the levels of ethical standards would lead one to an understanding that the highest level of ethical compliance lies in ethical sourcing. This is because nearly all other ethical standards are internal standards falling within the control of an organization and its framework, whereas ethical sourcing would deal with the (outsourced) production outside the purview of the organization. In essence, to be a supplier for an organization that has ethical sourcing guidelines, the supplier must also be an ethical organization. However, this is an ethical standard that is predominantly seen in companies in developed countries that contract their work to companies located in de veloping countries. Ethical Sourcing in the society is not well regulated although there are rules and statutes in place. In the UK, the Combined Code on corporate governance does not deem it essential for companies to adhere to certain policies. Companies can get away with simply explaining why they have not complied with specific provisions in their annual report. This again is only a regulatory mechanism that is in place for public limited companies, which are listed on the stock exchange (Preuss, 2009). Both these mechanisms were set up to pacify the public and various industry players, as neither of these acts have actual policing power. Most companies Ethical Sourcing guide is a copy from governing bodies Statute on Ethical Sourcing. The governing body in the United Kingdom is the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) (Preuss, 2009). The ETI is essentially a consortium of companies, trade unions and industry players who work together for the upliftment of the workers who make various consumer goods. Most companies take the statute from the ETI and plug in their own inputs or areas of concern. According to Preuss Ethical Sourcing includes ensuring ethical standards are followed by work contracted to outside companies from an environmental, economic and social standpoint. However one must realize that these are determined by the individual companies and are tailored to suit their needs and stress is laid on areas of concern to the company putting forth these standards. This leads ethical sourcing standards to be very industry and firm specific. According to Preuss, the key areas of concern, in order of importance, across industries are as follows: a) Employment Issues Compliance with Local Laws Safe working environment No Child Labor Non- Excessive working hours Avoiding Illegal Immigrants b) Environmental Issues Commitment to Environmental Protection Compliance to local laws Minimization of Waste Control of Emission/ Pollution Use of Environmentally friendly Technologies c) Economic Issues Confidentiality of Supplier Issues Prompt Payment Reciprocal Business Relationship not required Support for Smaller and Local Suppliers Recognizing Risk of Dependant Suppliers Acknowledge Hardship where Relationship ended (Preuss, 2009) 3. ANALYSIS The world we live in has moved into a new stage of mass consumerism, where no matter how much we have is never enough. As a result, our lives have become more materialistic. This shift has been extremely beneficial to large corporations, who have recognised and exploited the potential of the markets. This holds true for several industries especially the retail and fashion industry. Disposable fashion or Fast fashion is the new trend, which has been catching on among clothing giants like HM, Forever21, New Look and Primark. It refers to the practice of producing cheaper imitations of the latest fashion trends that are mass-produced quickly at comparatively low costs. This makes fashion more accessible to a larger segment of the population. It may be considered a boon by millions of avid shoppers but it also has considerable drawbacks. First, it possess a serious threat to Fashion designers whose work has been replicated. Further, the ways in which these garments and accessories are being produced also have serious environmental consequences. Lastly, the business models that make the retail giants everyday low prices possible rely on subsidies from millions of people around the globe (Cashing In: Clean Clothes Campaign, 2009). Millions of workers in the fashion industry have become little more than slaves, stated Neil Kearney (2007), General Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers ´ Federation (ITGLWF). Poor working conditions and terms of employment, along with low wages are common problems that occur across garment-manufacturing factories. Workers in countries like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China have a large population that lives below the poverty line, providing extremely cheap labour for companies worldwide. This already oppressed section of society is further exploited to meet the needs of large corporations globally. Workers in garment manufacturing factories are often robbed of their basic rights. A woman at a Walmart and Carrefour supplier in Bangladesh reportedly said, I feel so sick and tired after a days work that I do not want to work the next day. But hunger does not allow thinking of sickness; the thought of living with an empty stomach makes everyth ing else forgotten. We work to save ourselves from hunger. (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2009). Unfortunately, the impact on these factory workers is not equally spread. It is the women and children who suffer the most. A recent survey in India suggests that a quarter of all garment factories are employing under-age labour. Most of the production is for export to Europe (Neil Kearney, 2007). The scandalous truth is that the majority of workers in the global fashion industry rarely earn more than two dollars a day, in an industry worth over  £36 billion a year in the UK alone(Lets Clean Up Fashion, 2009). Workers wages are often much lower than the cost of living in their respective countries. Labourers work for over 80 hours a week at 5pence an hour and are often not paid for the additional hours of work they put in. A woman at a Tesco Supplier was documented saying, We do a lot of overtime. Almost every day there is at least one hour extra. We are called on Sundays as well. However, our monthly wage slip will not show all the overtime that we do. It will quote only 1-2 hours as overtime in a month (Clean Clothes Campaign, 2009). Garment workers are the linchpins of an industry worth over  £36 billion annually in the UK alone (Lets Clean Up Fashion, 2008). Workers in these garment factories end up paying a high price for cheap clothes. The colossal growth of such companies is a testament to the thriving businesses that they are running. Therefore, making their responsibility towards their operations even more pertinent. Many low cost giant retailers claim that they are taking measures to ethically source their materials and ensure workers labour rights, however, this is not enough. There is an urgent need for improvements in the corporate social responsibility system, on behalf of the garment retailers. Primark, part of ABF is the second largest clothing retailer in UK in terms of volume (Associated British Foods; Retail Segmentation, 2010). The Primark brand has made itself synonymous with affordable fashion. Its value proposition is to provide low cost and highly fashionable clothing, which is targeted at lower income, fashion conscious shoppers. Keeping this in mind, it is no real mystery that Primark must keep its production and overhead costs as low as possible so as to profitably sell their cheaply priced goods. To maintain profitability and to keep their value proposition in mind, Primark had to keep the production costs low. This had been done by outsourcing work to textile factories in developing countries across Asia. Primark claims that these factories are properly vetted and audited to ensure adherence to fairly high ethical standards that are a part of their supplier contract. Here, a question arises as to how does Primark manage to provide cheap clothing? It is assumed to be the result of negotiations with their suppliers, which is something most suppliers would be willing to compromise on, just to include a brand like Primark on their client list. The onus lies on these suppliers to produce goods at extremely low costs, considering the abundant availability of cheap labour in developing countries. However, they may opt to subcontract the work or parts of it to vendors with less standardised capital equipment in terms of employee work force and standard of work areas just to maintain optimum profitability. These subcontractors are generally production houses that operate from basements or garages rather than an industrialised area. They simply provide a more profitable way for the contractor to get their orders completed. Surprisingly, these subcontractors are outside the purview of most audits and do not form a part of the regulated market. This allows them to operate, abusing many laws and flouting most rules prescribed by the government and by Primark who gives the original order for production. They ensure that the goods are sent to the factories and no outsiders get to see their production facilities where they employee ch ildren, pay low wages and provide unsatisfactory working conditions. However, at the end of the day all fat cats in the supply chain are able to make their bag of money and a customer at the end of the chain is able to get a nice fashionable top to wear for under five pounds!!! The retail sales figure for the year 2009 has shown a remarkable upswing for Primark as compared to other high street clothing brands. It has emerged as one of the strongest brands during the time of recession and has been recognised as a major success story. In 2008, the big Primark expose was broadcasted on television that caused public outrage and media dismay. This also led to Primark being designated as UKs most unethical clothes shop. But the question here arises, that even after consumers being aware of the unethical practices the clothing chain has cemented its position at the top. (http://londonfashionnetwork.com/c/19/248/primark-vs-our-ethics). This is what a consumer had to say after the expose- I very much doubt it will stop me from shopping in Primark though. My budget is smaller than my conscience Sugarplumfairy 26th May 2008, 22:51 (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589698HYPERLINK http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589698..) I just dont c are really -by Narrr 25th February, 2010. (http://makewealthhistory.org/2009/01/12/how-long-can-primark-get-away-with-it/) The story of rising profits continued, as seen in The Guardian (2009). The report stated that Primark was amongst the fewer retailers who were prospering in the times of recession posting 10% increase in profits. Primark, despite receiving all the bad press in the months prior to the launch of its flagship store in Oxford Street, London, was the scene of a stampede at its opening. Essentially, one can clearly reason that a normal consumer does not really care. This is cemented in black and white in their Annual report, which shows sales figure to be a staggering  £1.1bn, an increase of about 18% from the previous year. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/21/primark-announces-profit-riseHYPERLINK http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/21/primark-announces-profit-rise..) This perception denotes that some people think employing them is in the poor mans interest It always makes me laugh when people go on about unethical; whats more unethical giving them a job and a way of living or producing all our stuff here and letting them starve? Secondly, I cant afford  £30 for a top when I can go to Primark and get one for  £3. Thud, 25th May 2008 (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=589698). The upward trend continued, with Primark performing spectacularly in 2010 with an increase of 35% in operating costs. Sales figures at the popular fashion chain increased by 18% to  £2.7bn. Further, an increase in operating profits to  £341mn helped by 13 new stores including its first ever in Belgium. Going by the popularity, the management will continue opening new stores all over Europe, where they expect considerable growth. (The Guardian, 2010). It has also agreed to buy 10 stores from their rival Bhs that are scheduled to open from the next fina ncial year that will add 300,000 sq. feet selling space, which points out that they are considering expansion plans. (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article7035964.ece) Following BBCs Panorama documentary, Primark conducted a private investigation, which led them to terminate contracts with three Indian suppliers. A spokesman from Primark stated, We take this lapse in standards very seriously indeed. Under no circumstances would Primark ever knowingly permit such activities, whether directly through its suppliers or through third party sub-contractors. (BBC, 2008). As a direct response to the crisis, Primark created a comprehensive website called www.ethicalprimark.com. This website contained information and videos which strengthened their positive attitude towards values and policies regarding ethical trading. It was targeted at consumers which aimed at eliminating any doubts regarding Primarks sourcing. Primark soon created a new standardised selection process for its suppliers, along with a strict Supplier Code of Conduct. They also went on to formulate a stringent auditing program to avoid such a crisis. Their code of conduct was translated into 26 different languages so that workers in factories understand their rights. In addition, Primark heavily invested in new software from BSI management systems that was designed to help Primark manage its supply chain more effectively. In 2009, Primark established a specialized Ethical Trade Program. It consisted of a Director of Ethical Trade, along with ethical trade staff who was stationed in sourcing countries. Primarks Ethical Trade Strategy aimed at implementing ethical trade policies and ensuring suppliers met the required standards. Through workshops, training and audits this committed team intended to protect the rights of workers within the supply chains. On assessing the compatibility of Primark in terms of its Marketing and Ethics (Lecture Notes) on a scale of one to ten, we would position Primark in Group B category. Based on our reading, it has been targeted victim a number of times for its indulgence in unethical practices. However, it never admitted to the onus of such activities, hence we can say they are responsible and hence, abiding by the law and not Group A. They do not have a set of core, non-financial values and principles that is regarded as one of the most important assets of a companys existence, which strikes them off Group D. Also, they are not strongly committed to being ethical; else they wouldnt have been targeted several times for their morally irresponsible activities. Hence, they do not fall within Group C. Primarks value proposition is provision of cheap clothing. To fulfill the same, they need to keep the cost of production minimal. With this in mind, the companys purpose for existence is to ensure profits f or ABF rather than being socially responsible. They do try to improve ethical standards but not at the cost of reducing their profits. Thus, we think Primark falls under Group B. All companies function differently and can classified and put in different groups based on their ethical standing. As has been shown below: Kolhbergs theory of moral reasoning (Referencing Lecture Notes and URL) Kohlberg suggested that a company progresses in their moral reasoning (i.e., in their bases for ethical behaviour) through a series of stages. He believed that there were six identifiable stages. Stage 1 Organisations behave according to socially acceptable norms and their motive is to abide by the law. Stage 2 Characterised by a view that right behavior means acting in ones self interest. Stage 3 Complying with social norms. Characterised by an attitude, which seeks to do what will gain the approval of others. Stage 4 Oriented to abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty. Stage 5 A genuine interest in the welfare of society and prepared to challenge the societal norms when necessary. Stage 6 Belief in universal principles. Based on respect for universal principles and the demands of individual conscience. Referring back to the initial model of categorising companies between Groups A D, we would place Primark at level 2 on the Kohlbergs model of moral reasoning. Primark, as a company is known to act for its self-interest. This level complements its characteristics of Group B. This can be supported by the fact that although Primark has been pointed fingers at several times for their indulgence in unethical practices, their responses have always been the same and nothing has practically been done about it i.e., they have taken the necessary steps to control unethical practices and would try further tighten control over suppliers. (BBC, 2008) 4. CONCLUSION It can be expected to be less about ethics and more about a promise of freedom from moral anxiety when in fact it is that anxiety that is the substance of morality. From this we understand that a company chooses to be as ethical as it really wants to be. From what we gather, Primark would like to be seen as an ethical company. After the expose, Primark made sure they improved their ethical standards as well as their suppliers standards. Primark paid for auditors to ensure the ethical standards of their suppliers, which is a sign of dedication to their ethical stance. As a group, we concluded that even though Primark was at the centre of this scandal, they have been repeatedly targeted by market speculations primarily because they are the big name at the end of the supply chain. One must acknowledge that Primark is not entirely at fault. Its suppliers sub-contracted work to other local vendors, without Primarks knowledge. These sub-contracted vendors had children working in their warehouses, which were overworked and paid sub standard wages. Primarks auditors should have been aware of this. This poses the question of who is responsible for allowi ng these ethical breaches to take place. After the expose, Primark has taken various steps to portray an ethical image and maintain a high level of ethical standards. After sacking suppliers who did not meet their standards, they invested in auditing software, and established a specialized ethical strategy.   So is Primark really at fault or is it easier to blame a giant retailer. The fact remains that Primark and its suppliers were caught again engaging in the same unethical practices, so was Primark turning a blind eye or were they unaware of the situation. The expose hit the public eye during the recession, where people were shopping on the cheap, thereby forcing them to switch to cheaper alternatives.   Does that make your everyday shopper an unethical consumer, or were these consumers forced to shop at Primark solely for economic reasons? If the former is true, Primark and its suppliers will be able to continue trading without a problem.   However, if one dwells on it and the latter is true, the time line for Panorama to have an effect on the minds of the society has faded away. Essentially, it is upto Primarks conscience whether they want to take strict action against their auditors and suppliers ensuring adherence to higher ethical standards, or will they simply portray an image of having taken action to put to rest the allegations against them.

A Poetic Journey of Love and Honor :: English Literature Essays

A Poetic Journey of Love and Honor A Trilogy of Love From the moment we met in early spring, as she stepped out of her car and threw her hair back, I knew I was in love. â€Å"Her long dark hair, her beautiful smile†¦when she say’s â€Å"hi†, I’m faint for a while†. While gazing into her soft beautiful eyes as she spoke, I couldn’t help but notice her laughter that accompanied that mystifying beauty. â€Å"Her laughter echo’s, the silence awakes†¦her beauty abound.. just makes my heart ache..† She told me she was from the mountains in Kentucky and how much she loved and wanted to return some day. â€Å"She comes from the mountains, A place she calls home†¦This place she loves, where she’s not alone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I knew this was a woman like no other woman in my life. † She’s into my life like a song and a prayer†¦never before, it just wasn’t there..† In the days that followed, as we strolled in the park immersed with spring fragrances, I knew I would never be the same. â€Å"My life has changed like flowers in June†¦A new day is here, â€Å"smell the lilacs in bloom.† I found her not only beautiful but intelligent and I couldn’t stop thinking of her. â€Å"As your beauty comes into focus.. My thoughts are yours, forever yours†. The more I got to know her, the happier I became. â€Å"For no one has made me happier, filling my life as completely†¦ As you had made me, caressing me with your smile when our eyes meet..†. I set out to honor her whenever I could, she was such a wonderful mother and lover that I was compelled to tell the world. â€Å"If winds could talk, they’d tell a tale that fills the soul with love and warmth†¦ And just having known you, my life is for the better†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Then just like that, something changed and we were no longer together. â€Å"But now she’s gone like a crisp spring day, and I’m all alone... with nothing to say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Where there once was love, is there no more. â€Å"I know not when, love came and gone†¦ where it ended or when it begun..† Today I can only hope and speculate about tomorrow and what might have been. â€Å"With each day passing only hope is alive†¦sweet dreams of a future that did not survive.

The catcher in the rye :: essays research papers

"The Catcher In The Rye" In the novel The Catcher In The Rye we read about a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. The story starts off telling us about how he gets kicked out of a preppy High School and uses his parents money to move to New York. Throughout the story we see Holden expressing different types of personality: The one he shows the world, which I believe is that he is an intelligent young man that doesn’t try, who he thinks he is, which is a depressed person who is looking for companionship, and who he really is, a sacred kid who who doesn’t know what he wants out of life. Holden went to Pencey Prep., which is a High School in Agerstown Pennsylvania. He was thrown out of the school because he was failing almost all his classes except for English. Holden has the ability to pass his classes and even with good grades but he doesn’t apply himself. This is what Holden shows the world, he is capable of passing and is intelligent but doesn’t try. â€Å"They gave me frequent warning to start applying myself-especially around midterms,...but I didn’t do it.† (Salinger 4) Also as Holden talks throughout the story we can tell that he is very intelligent because of the way he describes everything, even though his grammar isn’t so well. Underneath Holden’s act of being this kid who just doesn’t try I think inside he thinks he is depressed and doesn’t care about anything. He gets kicked out of High School and doesn’t try to go to another one, instead he goes to New York looking for sex and traveling form bar to bar for people to talk to. He winds up talking with people he really doesn’t like because he is just looking for companionship, like the three girls he met in the bar and the taxi cab driver who he talks to about what happens to the fish in the lake when it freezes. He even hires a prostitute to have sex but winds just talking to her about nothing because essentially he wants to a friend. He says to the prostitute â€Å"Don’t you feel like talking for a while† (Salinger 95) In my opinion, Holden is really scared of life. He doesn’t know what he wants out of it and he is afraid that if he tries to get what he wants he will screw it up. For example Holden asks old Sally to run away with him and settle down in Vermont or Mass.

Comparative Essay: The Frog Prince Vs The Princess and The Frog

Produced in 2009, The Frog Princess is a Disney animation inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ fairytale, The Frog Prince. Both The Frog Princess and The Frog Prince deal with a multiplicity of issues, all of which contribute to supporting positive messages and morals (Ceaser, 2009). However, though The Frog Princess is based on a classic fairytale, it is far from being the same. The writers at Disney have taken a classic fairytale and created a â€Å"Monster† (Prince, 2001). This essay will examine the evolution of the original Grimm Brothers’ fairytale, the messages both main characters represent, and how the adaptation to fit a modern child readership diminishes a classic fairytale. Through discussing these arguments, this paper will prove that Disney’s adaptation into The Princess and The Frog is counter-productive in representing the original story’s messages, morals, and values. Fairytales express the creative fantasies of the rural and less educated layers of common man (Cuban, 1984). They are characteristically full of magic, often involving upper class characters (Cuban, 1984). In short, Fairytales are organically grown with the creative material of a collective group. The Grimm Brother’s fairytale, The Frog Prince, is no exception. The Grimm Brothers’ fairytale is about a handsome prince trapped in the repulsive body of a frog, but who nevertheless overcomes and transcends this bewitched state through his wit, perseverance, and magic (Prince, 2009). Until the seventeenth century, it was the adult population that was interested in fairytales (Cuban, 2009). Their allocation to the nursery was a late development (Cuban, 2009). This allocation can be credited to the rejection of the irrational, and development of the ra... ...ntersection of Race and Pop Culture. 13 May 2009. Web. 04 Nov. 2011. . 7. Alexandrova, Marina. "Disney and The American Princess: The Americanization of European Fairy Tales." America: The New Society (2010): 1-77. Print. 8. Tartar, Maria. The Classic Fairy Tales. New York: Norton &, 1999. Print. 9. Ebert, Roger. "The Princess and the Frog." Chicago Sun-Times [Chicago] 9 Dec. 2009: 1-3. Print. 10. Stone, Kay. "Things Walt Disney Never Told Us." The Journal of American Folklore (1975). Print. 11. Barnes, Brooks. "Her Prince Has Come. Critics Too." New York Times [New York] 29 May 2009: 1+. Print. 12. Lester, Neal A. "Disney's The Princess and the Frog: The Pride, the Pressure, and the Politics of Being a First." The Journal of American Culture (2010). Print.

Critial Review Extract ‘Convicts, Jailers and Colonists’ 1779-1821

Colonial Experiment 1788 – 1918 Assignment 1 – Review In the extract ‘Convicts, jailers and colonists’ 1779-1821 from the book , Sources of Australian History(1971), the Author Manning Clark uses the primary resource from Lord Sydney to the lords and commissioners of the treasury in 1786 to support the text which discusses the problem of overcrowded jails in England and the proposal for a convict colony in Australia in 1784 – 1786.The primary resource is a dispatch that was spoken by Lord Sydney to the Lords and commissioners of the treasury on the 18th of August 1786 in White hall, announcing the decision of the British Government to establish a convict colony at Botany Bay. Along with many other Books and journals such as Manning Clarks, Sources of Australian History (1971), the Dispatch from Lord Sydney was originally printed in the Historical records of New South Wales.In this review, I summarize the source and analyses what relation it has to th e historical subject as well as what the article says about the aspect of history it addresses. Critical Analysis – In the primary source Lord Sydney to the Lords and commissioners of the treasury, the text implies that Lord Sydney is speaking to the Lords of the treasury on behalf of the King for the funding of the expedition of a new settlement for convicts. The text shows that the over occupied jails in the state of Britain were so full that the king of England had decided that measures be taken immediately in relocating the convicts.Originally the idea been proposed to send the convicts to south Africa, however after sending out a scout ship it was discovered that the area that was desired for settlement was too sandy and barren among other reasons for being unfit. Lord Sydney (1786) then goes on to discuss how instead the convict settlement would be on the Land known as Botany Bay as discovered by James Cook. Lord Sydney(1786) then states on behalf of the king that the t reasury supply the money for vessels to transport 750 convicts as well as Naval Crews and 3 companies of marines .It is also mentioned that a quantity of provisions for sustaining the people for two years be provided as well as ,necessaries such as bedding ,medical supplies and housing materials in order to erect habitation along with tools for agriculture and clothing also be funded as well as contingency solutions for food such as seed for growing grain and other garden seeds. Also it is noted that upon arriving at Botany bay water be procured as Lord Sydney (1786) states the plan for a vessel to stop at Cape de verda Islands as well as Cape of good hope to do so.The text has great relevance to the historical subject as because of this event Australia was colonized by The English. This Source can be considered a factual piece of historical evidence as it was a British parliamentary documented report and the decision to enforce the plan to move the convicts to Australia was a propo sal from his majesty the King. The Source is an objective piece of evidence as it is an account of what was said in British parliament and throughout the text it can be seen that during that period of time the British had planned to make the colony self-sufficient after a certain period of time in order to minimize cost .This can be seen as in the text it is stated that â€Å"According to the best opinions that can be obtained a quantity of provisions equal only to two years should be provided†. Ultimately the Source from Lord Sydney to the lords and commissioners of the treasury in 1786, is a parliamentary documented source that explains how the plan to colonize Australia was set in motion, as the text shows Lord Sydney Outlines what things such as provisions, medical supplies, bedding and Argicultultural equipment would be needed to be funded in order to make the voyage to the new Land.References Clark, M (ed) 1971, ‘Convicts, jailers and colonists 1779-1821’, In Sources of Australian History, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp. 60-75. Bibliography Clark, M (ed) 1971, ‘Convicts, jailers and colonists 1779-1821’, In Sources of Australian History, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, pp. 60-75. Lord Sydney to the Lords commissioners of the treasury, on the 18th of August 1786, White hall, Historical records of New South Wales, Vol. 1 pt. 2 at pp. 14 – 19

Four Seasons Goes To Paris Essay

One of the worlds leading operator of luxury hotels in business for the last thirty years Four Seasons is successful due to exceptional personal customer service, adhering to standards, at the same time adopting to local customs and blending with the environment. While staying at Four Seasons guests can be assured they will get individual personal attention and exceptional service with no excuses whatsoever. At Four Seasons the hotel makes sure that the guest is comfortable and goes way out of the normal to do what the guest wants even if they have to bend the rules. The Four Seasons Hotel adheres firmly to its standards, according to the hotel management its standards are the foundations for all its properties, and every manager in the hotel has a clear perception of what the standards are, and they adhere to them, over a period of time these standards shape relationships between people and these relationships contribute in building a culture. The hotel has the policy that each individual property should blend with the environment, like if the property is in Chicago when a guest wakes up he should feel that he is Chicago, if the hotel is in Paris and the guest wakes up he should feel he is in Paris. In blending with the environment it still adheres to its standards of individual personal attention, prompt and exceptional service. Strong corporate culture with top management being in the firm for long time 25 + years, corporate and field managers thinking of themselves as part of a  family and treating each others as their own has been a big factor in the hotel’s success. The has a human resource Golden Rule which stipulates that â€Å"One should treat others the way they wanted to be treated themselves†. The firm believes in the fact that people make the strength of the company, the basic human needs stays the same all over the globe, people need respect, care, thoughtfulness. When the firm takes care of its employees as its own the employees takes care of the firm in return. An example of how this golden rule is implemented is the hotel provides the employee with several uniforms and there is nothing saying that they should change it once per day or at some specific time whenever they feel dirty they can change their uniforms, at the end it goes to their dignity almost no one feels comfortable in dirty clothes. Four Seasons has enough properties across the globe and has enough experience and expertise from different areas of this world with diverse cultures that its managers claim that they can go to any city or town and pull people who can follow its mission to provide the best luxury class environment for its guest. It says that even tough the culture and environment is really different but the process of opening a new property is exactly the same everywhere. With all these claim entering into business in France was a big challenge for the four seasons, they had to adhere to the American building code, adhere to the French laws for building and of the work force , modify the property to meet all these requirements and at the same time maintain the French George V look. The way four seasons entered the French market is one of the best ways to do business a business should adopt to the local cultures and blend in the environment, people are generally not that much in favor of a change and if  you blend with the local environment the local community will adapt to the new business in the area and things will go smooth. The hired a French interior designer whose policy was to make the guest rediscover the hotel and make them feel how much better the new redesigned place was. They had issues in adhering to the French labor laws. It’s a country with strong unions in short lots was different in what goes on in US so the firm had to change its way of working. In France they have an emotional way of doing things, the French did not take the company’s golden rule seriously they thought it was too American. They had an incredible pride in being French. The good thing about French is they can be very joyous and encouraging but at the same time French Temper also lashes out. It all ended up to how the four seasons came in to France was almost as important in what Four Seasons did. I would say they way they entered the French market was good but it required a great deal of tact and judgment. The way four seasons done business across the globe according to the policy of Diversity and Strength their belief in diversity and singularity should be a guide to any business entering the global market. Look at the case of McDonald its almost uniform and unique all over the world, now in its vision this mite be the good thing about it but people are generally not that easy to adopt to new tastes, if a community favors more spicy food then for starters they mite visit a McDonald restaurant for a change but in the long run they mite avoid it. Same goes if it sells food that is not consumed in that community no one is going to buy it.

Explain the importance of Curley’s Wife in the novel Essay

Plan: * Symbols – red lipstick * Not given a name Curley’s wife may seem an insignificant character because she has not even been given a name by Steinbeck. Her name suggests that she is nothing more than one of Curley’s possessions. When she first appears in the novel, she is dressed up as if she is planning on going out into town, rather than just spending her day wandering around the ranch. The image of her being a sex object is emphasised by the fact that Curley keeps a ‘glove fulla Vaseline’, for her benefit. However, Curley’s wife is influential to the book as she characterises loneliness, the longing for the American dream, danger and sexism. Her appearances in the novel are extremely important at they change the entire mood of the scene in which she appears in. We see that the first time we are introduced to Curley’s wife, she is heavily made up; â€Å"full, rouged lips†, â€Å"red fingernails† and â€Å"red mules†. The colour red symbolises danger and sexiness, and the fact that she is wearing these items creates a sense of foreboding that she will be the cause of George and Lennie’s failure to achieve their dream of having their own plot of land. Another symbol is shown by â€Å"the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off†. This immediately creates a sense of danger and doom in the reader’s mind due to the absence of light. However, we can see that the reason for Curley’s wife being flirtatious is because she wants to get away from the loneliness that surrounds her. By flirting, it means she can communicate with other men who otherwise would not talk to her because they do not want any trouble with Curley. However, by being flirtatious, she actually increases the hostility of the other men on the ranch as they become suspicious. We can see that she tells Lennie; â€Å"I get lonely†¦Ain’t I got the right to talk to nobody?† However, she then explains the reason behind her flirtatious nature; â€Å"I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad.† However, we actually see that the marriage between them is already starting to break down because Curley thinks that his wife is â€Å"givin Slim the eye†. Curley’s wife is also important as she conveys the theme of sexism. We see that Curley, who keeps his hand soft for her, regards her as a sexual object. Instead of showing any consideration towards his wife, Curley only wants to increase his sexual prowess. The only way in which Curley’s wife can talk to other men is by; â€Å"dolling up†. However, when she does this, they talk even less to her, driving her behaviour further. Therefore, she remains excluded from everyone. We even see that Whit regards Susy higher than Curley’s wife; â€Å"a laugh† and â€Å"hell of a nice place†. This is a rare time when any woman in the novel is actually shown any kindness, and a complement. Curely’s wife, as with many of the other characters, wants to live out the American dream; â€Å"Coulda been in the movies†. It is this dream that drives and compels her to carry on with her otherwise miserable life on the ranch. However, her sudden death shatters her only hope of being able to get away from ranch life, where she is clearly not happy. We can see that the shattering of her dream is mirrored exactly by the death of Lennie, ending the dream for George and Candy. This shows that because she failed living the American dream, it is an ominous foreboding of the fate for George and Lennie. Curley’s wife also plays an essential part in the novel, as she plays crucial parts in changing the mood of the scene. When she is first introduced, hope created by the arrival of Candy is wiped out and the reader gets an ominous warning, which is emphasised by George’s caution to Lennie; â€Å"you keep away from her†¦jail bait†. Furthermore, when Curley’s wife arrives in chapter four, the excited mood created by wanting to achieve the American dream, changes to a more melancholy mood. We can see that because Curley’s wife is lonely all the time, she has turned into a spiteful and vicious person; â€Å"a nigger and a dum dum an’ a lousy ol’ sheep†.

The Silver Linings Playbook Chapter 21

An Acceptable Form of Coping In the cloud room, I pick the black recliner because I am feeling a little depressed. For a few minutes I don't say anything. I am worried that Cliff will send me back to the bad place if I tell him the truth, but I feel so guilty sitting there – and then I'm talking at Cliff, spilling everything in a wild slur of sentences: the big Giants fan, the little Giants fan, my fistfight, the Eagles' loss to the Giants, my father smashing the television screen, his bringing me the sports pages but refusing to speak with me, my dream about Nikki wearing a Giants jersey, Tiffany saying â€Å"Fuck Nikki† but still wanting to run with me every day; and then Nikki teaching Sylvia Plath to defenseless teenagers, my ripping The Bell Jar in half, and Sylvia Plath sticking her head in an oven. â€Å"An oven?† I say. â€Å"Why would anyone stick their head in an oven?† The release is powerful, and I realize now that somewhere in the middle of my rant I had begun crying. When I finish speaking, I cover my face, because Cliff is my therapist, yes, but he is also a man and an Eagles fan and maybe a friend too. I start sobbing behind my hands. All is quiet in the cloud room for a few minutes, and then Cliff finally speaks, saying, â€Å"I hate Giants fans. So arrogant, always wanting to talk about L.T., who was nothing but a dirty rotten cokehead. Two Super Bowls, yes, but XXV and XXI were some time ago – more than fifteen years have passed. And we were there just two years ago, right? Even if we did lose.† I am surprised. I was sure Cliff was going to yell at me for hitting the Giants fan, that he would again threaten to send me back to the bad place, and his bringing up Lawrence Taylor seems so random that I lower my hands and see that Cliff is standing, although he is so small his head is not much higher than mine, even though I am sitting down. Also, I sort of think he just implied that the Eagles were in the Super Bowl two years ago, which would make me very upset because I have absolutely no memory of this, so I try to forget what Cliff said about our team being in the big game. â€Å"Don't you hate Giants fans?† he says to me. â€Å"Don't you just hate 'em? Come on now, tell the truth.† â€Å"Yeah, I do,† I say. â€Å"A lot. So do my brother and father.† â€Å"Why would this man wear a Giants jersey to an Eagles game?† â€Å"I don't know.† â€Å"Did he not think he would be mocked?† I don't know what to say. â€Å"Every year I see these stupid Dallas and Giants and Redskins fans come into our house wearing their colors, and every year these same fans get manhandled by drunken Eagles fans. When will they learn?† I am too shocked to speak. Does this mean Cliff is a season-ticket holder? I wonder, but do not ask. â€Å"Not only were you defending your brother, but you were defending your team too! Right?† I realize that I am nodding. Cliff sits down. He pulls the lever, his footrest comes up, and I stare at the well-worn soles of his penny loafers. â€Å"When I am sitting in this chair, I am your therapist. When I am not in this chair, I am a fellow Eagles fan. Understand?† I nod. â€Å"Violence is not an acceptable solution. You did not have to hit that Giants fan.† I nod again. â€Å"I didn't want to hit him.† â€Å"But you did.† I look down at my hands. My fingers are all squirmy. â€Å"What alternatives did you have?† he says. â€Å"Alternatives?† â€Å"What else could you have done, besides hitting the Giants fan?† â€Å"I didn't have time to think. He was pushing me, and he threw my brother down – â€Å" â€Å"What if he had been Kenny G?† I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. â€Å"Yes, the humming. Why not try that when you feel as though you are going to hit someone? Where did you learn that technique?† I'm a little mad at Cliff for bringing up Kenny G, which seems like a dirty trick, especially since he knows Mr. G is my biggest nemesis, but I remember that Cliff did not yell at me when I told him the truth, and I am thankful for that, so I say, â€Å"Nikki used to hum a single note whenever I offended her. She said she learned it in yoga class. And whenever she hummed, it would catch me off guard. I would get really freaked out, because it is strange to sit next to someone who is humming a single note with her eyes closed – and Nikki would keep humming that single note for such a long time. When she finally stopped, I would be grateful, and I also would be more aware of her displeasure and more receptive to her feelings, which is something I did not appreciate until recently.† â€Å"So that's why you hum every time someone brings up Kenny – â€Å" I close my eyes, hum a single note, and silently count to ten, blanking my mind. When I finish, Cliff says, â€Å"It allows you to express your displeasure in a unique way, disarming those around you. Very interesting tactic. Why not use this in other areas of your life? What if you had closed your eyes and hummed when the Giants fan pushed you?† I hadn't thought of that. â€Å"Do you think he would have continued to push you if you had closed your eyes and hummed?† Probably not, I think. The Giants fan would have thought I was crazy, which is exactly what I thought about Nikki when she first used the tactic on me. Cliff smiles and nods at me when he reads my face. We talk a little about Tiffany. He says it seems as though Tiffany has romantic feelings for me, and he claims she is most likely jealous of my love for Nikki, which I think is silly, especially since Tiffany never even talks to me and is always so aloof when we are together. Plus Tiffany is so beautiful, and I have not aged well at all. â€Å"She's just a weird woman,† I say in response. â€Å"Aren't they all?† Cliff replies, and we laugh some because women truly are hard to figure out sometimes. â€Å"What about my dream? Me seeing Nikki in a Giants jersey? What do you think that means?† â€Å"What do you think it means?† Cliff asks, and when I shrug, he changes the subject. Cliff says Sylvia Plath's work is very depressing to read, and that his own daughter had recently suffered through The Bell Jar because she is taking an American literature course at Eastern High School. â€Å"And you didn't complain to administration?† I asked. â€Å"About what?† â€Å"About your daughter being forced to read such depressing stories.† â€Å"No. Of course not. Why would I?† â€Å"Because the novel teaches kids to be pessimistic. No hope at the end, no silver lining. Teenagers should be taught that – â€Å" â€Å"Life is hard, Pat, and children have to be told how hard life can be.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"So they will be sympathetic to others. So they will understand that some people have it harder than they do and that a trip through this world can be a wildly different experience, depending on what chemicals are raging through one's mind.† I had not thought about this explanation, that reading books like The Bell Jar helped others understand what it was like to be Esther Greenwood. And I realize now that I have a lot of sympathy for Esther, and if she were a real person in my life, I would have tried to help her, only because I knew her thoughts well enough to understand she was not simply deranged, but suffering because her world had been so cruel to her and because she was depressed, due to the wild chemicals in her mind. â€Å"So you're not mad at me?† I ask when I see Cliff look at his watch, which signifies our session is almost over. â€Å"No. Not at all.† â€Å"Really?† I ask, because I know Cliff is probably going to write all my recent failures down in a file as soon as I leave. That he probably thinks he has failed as my therapist – at least for this week. Cliff stands, smiles at me, and then looks out the bay window at the sparrow washing in the stone birdbath. â€Å"Before you leave, Pat, I want to say something very important to you. This is a matter of life and death. Are you listening to me? Because I really want you to remember this. Okay?† I start to worry because Cliff sounds so serious, but I swallow, nod, and say, â€Å"Okay.† Cliff turns. Cliff faces me. His face looks grave, and for a second, I am very nervous. But then Cliff throws his hands up in the air and yells â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhh!† I laugh because Cliff has tricked me with his funny joke. I immediately stand, throw my hands up in the air, and yell â€Å"Ahhhhhhhhh!† â€Å"E!-A!-G!-L!-E!-S! EAGLES!† we chant in unison, throwing our arms and legs out in an effort to represent each letter with our bodies, and I have to say – as stupid as it may sound – chanting with Cliff makes me feel a whole lot better. And judging by the smile on his little brown face, he knows the value of what he is doing for me.