Friday, December 27, 2019

The Declining Population in Europe and the Decline of the...

In recent years it has become evident that the population of Europe is falling at a rate that could become problematic. This problem is contradictory to the idea of a population explosion promoted by the book â€Å"The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich which decries the rapid growth of the earth’s population as problematic for the environment and for quality of life. The decline of fertility points to a view of children that is particularly troubling. Europe simply does not want children despite its desperate need for a growing, productive workforce. Certain social factors have had a strong impact on this problem including migration, birth control, the role of motherhood and the economy. Population decline is indicative of the decline of the†¦show more content†¦Furthering this idea as women see having a career as more desirous than having a family their education level rises and as they seek higher levels of education they continue to delay childbearing. A woman in a less developed region in comparison to Europe firstly, does not have the access to birth control, or see the perceived advantages especially as women’s participation in the work force is low. (Weeks 245-258) It seems that only when two developed countries are compared does gender equality, (i.e. higher female workforce participation) equal a higher fertility rate. Undoubtedly the widespread use of birth control has a strong influence in the decline of Europe, however, birth control itself does not account for it altogether according to several researchers.Eastern Europe uses modern birth control at a lesser rate than that of Western Europe (49% of women aged 15-49 in Eastern Europe use modern methods of birth control versus 69% in Western Europe) yet its rate of natural increase is -0.2 % while Western Europe’s is .1%(PRB 9, 13).As a whole when looking at the trends of fertility in the past century birth control does affect fertility especially as transitioning from high to low fertility but when comparing countries that have already declined those countries with lower birthrates have other factors to consider besides just the effects of birth control. The social value of being able to control the number of children a woman has is the drivingShow MoreRelatedThe Problem Of Population And Growth Essay1261 Words   |  6 PagesPopulatio n and growth is a massive issue in the world today. It has held geographers’ interest for several years. There has been discussion and debate over the max amount of people that the world can sustain. Some geographers believe that the world is already overpopulated, while others believe that we are working toward a serious overpopulation problem in the future. One thing that everyone can agree on is some countries and regions, such as China, are vastly over populated, and other countriesRead MoreThe Global Spatial Pattern Of Aging Populations Essay1282 Words   |  6 PagesThe global spatial pattern of aging populations is a nucleated pattern; there is a cluster of countries with a median age of over 40 in Europe, and two outliers; in Japan and Canada. All of these countries are in the Northern Hemisphere. The countries in Europe with a median age of over 40 are Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cro atia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, UnitedRead MoreThe Future Of The European Union1451 Words   |  6 Pagesslow economic growth and recession, the Greek debt crisis; the Ukrainian crisis, the ongoing migration and refugee crisis, the upcoming UK referendum and the terrorist threat. How these events will shape the future of the EU in the years to come, how Europe will look in the next decade and how they will exit the current crisis are the biggest questions that the Brussels, its institutions, leaders and its citizens are currently confronting. Under these circumstances, it is very difficult to propose aRead MoreThe Five Pillars Of The Muslim Faith934 Words   |  4 Pagesdetermine family size. Family size is sometimes not that much of a subject talked about around the world. The amount of income that you may be getting from the job someone may be working at may become one of the biggest factors in determining how big a family can really get. The reason I say this is because not too many people realize how much their first child will cost them until they have one. Sometimes it is heard around places that families struggle with just one child. A very wealthy family mayRead More Clash Of Civilizations Essay examples1587 Words   |  7 PagesHuntington believes that with the end of the Cold War, the world is divided along the borders of civilizations and religion rather than the boundaries of countries. He identifies eight clearly distinct civilizations: Western (the United States and western Europe), Islamic, Sinic (primarily China), Orthodox (primarily Russia), Japanese, Hindu, Latin American, and African. 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Obtaining a higher education could lead young women to remain unmarried in their twenties. Increasing possibilities to achieve a higher education and therefore working in an appealing job has become increasingly attractive to young women. This change in values also contributed to the increase in unmarried singles in their twenties. However, it is also possible that the influence of oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s family background is theRead MoreRelationship Between Fertility Rates and Education Background in Women: Quantitative Analysis1540 Words   |  7 Pagesreasons for this decline is said to be the postponement of marriage among young people. Obtaining a higher education could lead young women to re main unmarried in their twenties. Increasing possibilities to achieve a higher education and therefore working in an appealing job has become increasingly attractive to young women. This change in values also contributed to the increase in unmarried singles in their twenties. However, it is also possible that the influence of one’s family background is theRead MoreDiscuss the causes of high rates of population growth1504 Words   |  7 PagesAfter growing very slowly for most of human history, the worlds population more than doubled in the last half century, crossing the six billion mark in late 1999. Furthermore, world population is still increasing by about 78 million people a year, despite the trend worldwide towards smaller families. Total population size is likely to continue to grow for at least the next 40 years and by at least another 1.5 billion people. Almost all of this growth is occurring in the developing regions, whileRead MoreThe Most Traumatic Event Of The 20 th Century1073 Words   |  5 PagesJews (The Holocaust). In 1933, more than 60% of the world’s Jewish population lived in Europe. In a little more than a decade, most of Europe would be conquered by the Nazis and every two out of three would be dead (Jewish Population in Europe Before the Holocaust). The Holocaust affected the Jewish population in several countries, but the most affected was Poland, causing PTSD, Suicide, and the decrease of the Jewish population. Before World War 2, Poland was known as the city with a major center

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Food Inc Eating Organically Essay - 1296 Words

I will be writing in my book report on Food Inc about how the food industry is not really telling us what is in our food and how we don’t know much about the food we buy and eat. I was in shock because I try to avoid eating junk food or fast food, and after reading the book I realize I could still be eating junk food, if I don’t learn more about what I am buying. I will be writing about how the food industry can get away with murder and not have to pay for it. Also on how the government is not regulating them as they should. How information is being with help from us, and how we are kept in the dark, for their benefit. How our farmers are treated and how the use of high levels of pesticides to which they are exposed to and their families†¦show more content†¦So pretty much the government allows them to regulate themselves, and the ones who pay the price is us with our health. We also see how some people feel it’s cheaper to go to McDonalds or any fast food place and buy something from the dollar menu, then going to a super market and buying organic or even just healthier food, vegetables. But isn’t it better to spend a little more on good food now then spending more money later when we are being treated for Diabetes or Heart Disease. I was disgusted on food safety of factory farms, how crowded tens of thousands of animals are crowed together in tight conditions and they don’t get to do what they were meant to do. For example the chickens like to carry out normal behaviors such as grazing, rooting, and pecking. So since the chickens are in such tight conditions they peck on each other and hurt or kill each other, so some farmers have decided to just remove there peaks which is a painful procedure they have to live with. It is cruel and not fair to the animal. The biggest welfare problem for the chicken’s is associated with fast growth they promote fast growth by promoting antibiotics, which grows the bird at a really fast rate so fast that the little birds cannot handle their bodies and struggle with body function. A study at the University of Arkansas reported that if humans grew as fast as today’s chickens we’d weigh 349 pounds by our second birthday. The poorShow MoreRelatedAmerica s Food Industry : An American Scholar And Writer1205 Words   |  5 Pagescitizens view aspects of life. This is evident when it comes to the food industry. For years now America has tricked consumers into believing that there is a wide selection of foods in grocery stores, but in reality, many of those products come from the same place (Food Inc.). Unfortunately, many consumers are blinded by the image of variety displayed in grocery stores to the point where that is actually what they believe. America’s food industry provides consumers with this â€Å"fantasy† where there areRead MoreWhole Food s Market, Inc.1304 Words   |  6 Pages Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM) was founded in Austin, Texas and is a supermarket chain concentrating in organic and natural foods. John Mackey, Rene Lawson Hardy, Craig Weller. The first store opened on September 20, 1980. Whole Foods Markets are located in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Since 1980, Whole Foods Market has remained committed to upholding their missions and values within their company. Whole Foods Market’s motto—â€Å"Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet—emphasizesRead MoreThe Labeling Of Genetically Modified Food Products1665 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world grew GMOs in 3.7 billion acres of land (ISAAA 1). The United States take up more than 50% of that land. Even though so much of America’s crops are genetically modified, the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture do not require the labelling of genetically modified food products. Producers have the choice of including a GMO-con taining label or a GMO-free one (Storrs 1). There is an increased accessibility of genetically modified, GM crop planting hasRead MoreEssay on The Controversy of Organic vs. Nonorganic Food Production1115 Words   |  5 Pagesa ton of food, and the majority of this consists of packaged and highly processed products. These foods also contain a substantial amount of unwanted fats and chemicals. The growing of organic versus nonorganic food has been a controversial issue for a long time among organic and nonorganic farmers and their customers. This is due to the myriad definitions of healthy eating and the stated benefits on both sides. Organic foods prove to be more beneficial than detrimental nonorganic foods for the followingRead MoreThe Culture Of Organics : A Way For Live Reflection Essay1564 Words   |  7 Pagesvegan. I began to shop naturally and organically although I was almost completely unaware of what those words meant. I shopped for those labels because that was what all the vegan websites and recipes said that I should do, not because that was what I came to know as the best decision. My more intimate meeting with organics was in August of 2016 when I flew to Washington D.C to visit a cousin. This cousin, Christina, is a vegetarian and she also lives organically. The street that she lives on, andRead MoreEssay on Speech Outline on Organic Food1566 Words   |  7 Pagesunderstand the importance of purchasing and consuming organic food. Thesis: Choosing to purchase and consume organic food is a smart and healthy choice for you and your family. Formal Outline of Speech Introduction I. â€Å"The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than in the previous 10,000.† Food activist, Michael Pollan, makes this statement as the introduction to a documentary titled Food Inc., which discusses the way food is being produced today in America. A. Now, thereRead MoreMovie Analysis : Food Inc1897 Words   |  8 PagesFilm Analysis Paper- Food Inc Food Inc is a documentary directed and written by Robert Kenner along with co-writers Elise Pearlstein and Kim Roberts in 2008 to discuss the current origin of food production in the United States. This film takes viewers inside the slaughter houses, farms and factories that produce American food to show how food in the 21st century is no longer organically grown and raised for healthy eating. Instead it is now controlled, mutilated, and produced in large quantitiesRead MoreWhole Foods Market Case Analysis1687 Words   |  7 PagesWhole Foods Market Case Analysis Whole Foods Market has received recognition as recent as January 27th 2011 when CNBC aired Supermarkets Inc: Inside a 500 Billion Money Machine. â€Å"Whole Foods is arguably the most influential, and by some measures, the most successful supermarket chain in the world. The specialty gourmet store has grown into a Fortune-300 company offering specialty foods and locally grown organic produce.1† CNBC goes on to state that even â€Å"Established brands like Safeway, Giant EagleRead MoreCampaign Fresh Vegetables, Inc.1539 Words   |  7 Pages Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is located in Monterey, California. Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. was previously known as Castle Cooke Fresh Vegetables, Inc. and changed its name to Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. in January 1990. The company produces and markets fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers. It also provides packaged foods such as salads and frozen fruits. Dole Fresh vegetables company converted all of its ha rvesting equipment in Salinas, California and in Yuma, ArizonaRead MoreFood, Inc. Discussion Questions1747 Words   |  7 PagesFood, Inc.—Thinking about the Movie (Discussion Questions) I. Write a short paragraph or so about what you know about where your food comes from. I want you to think about where it comes from before it gets to the supermarket or the restaurant. If you feel you’re not really sure where it comes from, write about that. Why aren’t you sure? Wow! That’s a huge question, since there are many types of food. I believe fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested in bulk from farms, orchards

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Strategic Analysis- AT&T

Question: Since this is your first consulting job for this client, you want to do it right. After all, this could lead to additional analysis opportunities for you down the road. After benchmarking with other financial consultants, and viewing some of their work, you feel you need to provide the following information to your client: Brief history and description of the company background, primary product/service offerings, customers, business sector(s), etc. Financial analysis of XYZ Company based on data provided from the last four financial reports (Annual Reports and 10Ks). (note: you must choose a publicly-traded corporation in order to be able to access this data) Based on discounted free cash flows, determine enterprise value, equity value and value per share. Weighted average cost of capital details Report on the strengths and weaknesses of any financial trends of XYZ Corporation XYZ Companys competitors who are they, size, background, etc. XYZ Companys industry what are trends in t his industry? Based on your research, where do you think XYZ Company is going to be in three to five years? Provide the valuation on 3 to 5 years going forward. To help answer this question you need to know the company as well as the industry. Make sure you provide and support the assumptions used to project the companys future. Answer: Introduction One of the oldest telecommunication companies in the world is ATT being founded in the year 1874. During the mid 20th Century the company was the largest telecommunication company in the world with employee strength of 1,000,000 people and revenues over $ 3 billion. The services of the company include voice calls, internet services as well as voice over internet protocol services (VOIP). The service users of the company include both the public and the private sector. The company had monopoly in the telecommunications sector over most of the period in 20th Century. In 2005 the company merged with SBC communications and was subsequently rechristened as ATT Inc (ATT, 2016). The paper will analyse pertinent financial information and evaluation of the competitors so as to come at a valid conclusion. Financial Analysis Financial analysis is one of the crucial parameters that lucidly illustrate the standings of an organisation. It is carried out by different ratios and other metrics. For ATT such analyses have been elaborated in the subsequent section. Revenue of the company for the financial year 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was $127434 million, $128752 million, $132447 million and $146801 million respectively. The gross profit margin for the company for these four years was 56.7 %, 60 %, 54.2 % and 54.3 % respectively (Morning Star, 2016). Operating Income (in USD Million) for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 was 12,997, 30,479, 11,746 and 24,785 respectively. The operating margin for these four years was 10.2 %, 23.7 %, 8.9 % and 16.9 % respectively. From analysing the financial data as provided by the annual reports the dividends paid was 1.77USD, 1.81 USD, 1.85 USD and 1.89 USD respectively for the years 2012-2015. The payout ratio for the company for these four years was 141.6 %, 125 %, 56.6 % and 208.9 %. Net income of the entity from 2012 to 2015 (in USD Million) was 7264, 18249, 6224 ad 13345. Evaluation of the financial data indicates that ATT has been fairly successful in its operation (Karmarkar and Apte, 2007). Instances of fluctuations can be seen within the performances of the company but overall performance has been quite satisfactory. One of the key indicators of the economic value of an entity is denoted by Enterprise value. In other words Enterprise Value is the assessment of an entitys total value that includes market value of stock, preferred equity and debt added with minority interest and deduced by cash and investments (Shin and Bartolacci, 2007). For the chosen entity the Entity Value is $ 389.12 billion. EV/EBIT ratio is also used in order to understand the acumen of an entity. For AT T the Earnings before Interest and Taxes are $27,224 million. As such the EV/EBIT ratio is 14.24. The EV/ EBITDA of ATT are 7.30 where EBITDA for the company is $53, 105 million. The book value per share for the company for the FY 2015 was $19.96 (Morning Star, 2016). Formula used for the calculation was (Total Equity Preferred Stock)/ Shares Outstanding = (122,671- 0)/6145 = 19.96. In the last 12 months value per share grew at a rate of 20.4 %. Again, the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is denoted as the average ra te that is needed to be paid to the different security holders for financing the assets. It is often called as the cost of capital of an organisation. From the trailing twelve months data (TTM) the WACC of AT T is 3.69 % with return on invested capital being 7.63 % (ATT, 2016). It has been illustrated by the following equation. WACC=E/ (E+D)*Cost of equity+ D/ (E+D)* Cost of debt * (1-Tax rate) Where, Cost of equity is 1.510+0.35*7.5 %= 4.135 % Cost of Debt = 4120 / 103992.5 = 3.9618% Average tax rate based on the tax rate of last two years is 34.4 % This indicates that the company has been successful in generating greater return from the investment than that of the costs needed to raise such capitals. In other words the company is earning excess returns. Based on the discussion as carried out in the above section it may be opined that ATT has been able to operate successfully and to meet the needs and expectations of the different stakeholders (He et al, 2006). Trends of Strengths Weaknesses (financial) The data as deciphered in the above section can be used in ascertaining certain trends for the company. The revenue over the four year period for the entity has increased from 127,434 million to 146, 801 million. Other than revenue operating income, net income, dividends and payout ratio have all increased in this four year window. Ratio analysis has also illustrated that the company has been successful in extracting greater returns from the market (Seo et al, 2008). Some of the crucial elements that have enabled the company to bolster its performance are effective cost management strategies, repurchase of shares and innovative product offering. The company has invested significantly in upgrading the services for expanding the LTE services. However some of the issues that have cropped up can be described as the tepid wireless subscriber trends, discount plans, declining Average Revenue per User (ARPU) and increased spending on infrastructure (Dittrich and Duysters, 2007). Transmission speed of data and overall usage of it has increased drastically over the years that have resulted in exponential cost rise. The features of a good telecommunication service are transmission speeds, accessibility and price. The company, in order to increase capacity and spectrum, has incurred more than $ 40 billion in metropolitan areas like Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles and Dallas. Moreover, the continuous tussle between the telecommunication provider resulted in decline of margin and AT T is no different (Cricelli et al, 2011). The operational scale of ATT is essentially vast and the company has a complex structure that has made it more difficult to be flexible as compared to some smaller companies. Greater spending by the company on LTE networks and infrastructure has also increased its debt obligation. Consolidated revenues for the company grew at a rate of 23 % over the year to $ 40.5 billion. When Earnings per share metrics (EPS) are compared it indicates to an increase of 10.8 % (Morning Star, 2016). Moreover free cash flow for the company increased to $3.2 billion signifying an increase of 17% when metrics from the FY 2012 are compared. Some of the grey areas that have emerged from analysis of the company are the decline of U-Verse consumers, post-paid customers and decline in video subscribers. To sum up, it may be opined that there are pros and cons for the company. The positives as decoded from the annals far outweigh the weaknesses. With vast operational experience ATT is expected to bridge the shortcomings and gaps in the future and bolster the organisational standings (Owczarczuk, 2010) Competitor and Industry Analysis The aspect of rivalry is omnipresent and companies irrespective of their nature are constantly engaged in competition so as to enhance operational sphere and subsequent revenue. The American telecommunication sector is characterised by a large number of companies vying with each other for tapping this ever growing sector (Dholakia et al, 2013). Some of the notable competitors of ATT include Verizon Communications Inc., Vodafone Group, Deutsche Telekom, BT Group, Telefonica and other numerous smaller companies. All these companies have their USPs and loyal customers. Moreover, the process of globalisation has also led to entry of foreign entities intensification of the competition (Hanif et al, 2010). Highlights of the performances of some of the key players have been carried out in the subsequent section. Verizon Communications has a market capitalisation value of $218, 693 million with net income of $ 14,441 million. The dividend yield % for the company was 4.2 with interest coverage ratio of 6.7. The debt to equity ratio of the company was 4.8 with Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) % over a five year period being 4.3. Vodafone group has a market capitalisation of $82889 million with net income figures of $ (4024) million (Morning Star, 2016). The % dividend yield of the company was 5.0 and interest coverage ratio of -1.6. Again, the debt to equity ratio of the company was 0.4 coupled with 5 year CAGR % being -2.2 %. For Deutsche Telekom market capitalisation value was $ 80,062 million and a net income of $ 5592 million. As a % the dividend yield of the company was 3.5. The compounded annual growth rate of the company over a span of five years was 2.1 %. The interest coverage ratio of the company was 2.8 and debt to equity ratio being 1.6 (Berg et al, 2012). BT Group posted a market capitalisation value of $ 51178 million along with a net income figure of $ 2665 million. The dividend yield as a % was 3.6 along with an interest coverage ratio of 6.9. The D/E ratio for the company was 1.1 with CAGR % of -1.4. Telefonica has a market capitalisation value of $50,000 million USD and net income value of $1844 million. Dividend yield, expressed as a percentage, for the company was 4.4 %. Interest coverage ratio for Telefonica was 1.1 % and a D/E ratio of 3.2. The growth rate o9f the company as expressed by the CAGR was -6.6 % (Battistella, 2014). In light of the above discussion the performance of AT T can be stated to be fairly positive. The company has operated efficiently and some of the metrics of the company are significantly better than that of its rivals. The industry average in the telecommunication sector in US is: market capitalisation of $17292 million, net income of $ 119,412 million, 3.5 % dividend yield, CAGR 8.3 %, debt to equity ratio 0.9 %. Thus some of the metrics for ATT is higher than the industry average as well as the rivals (Malhotra and Kubowicz, 2013). Due to sheer volume of the company the CAGR may be lower than some of the newer entrants but the overall scenario is favourable. Future trends All over the world the telecommunication sector is growing rapidly. However such growth rate is lesser in developed markets like that of US. Experts have pointed out that service fees will keep diminishing over the years with content and service being projected to rise significantly. Another significant trend is spurt of internet connectivity and the world is poised to enter the era of zettabytes (Merritt, 2011). Another significant trend is that there will be an incursion of boomers and the US market will be thoroughly saturated. Carriers and service providers will be expected to provide more exhaustive security measures and telecommunication companies have to include greater technical finesse and innovation. For ATT these developments will provide challenges and growth opportunities alike. There will be massive consumption of data coupled with spurt of wearables. It is expected that fifth generation mobile networks (5G) along with internet of things (IoT) will bring a wave of chang e (Paulrajan and Rajkumar, 2011). Challenge for ATT lies in providing quality and affordable services in a market that is witnessing increased usage, failing rates and sparse spectrum. Recommendations Owing to the volatility of the money market it is difficult to predict precisely. For the same reason forecasts are made only for the next one/two quarters. From observations of the analysts few trends have been depicted that have been used for drawing valid recommendations. The 12 month price target of the shares of the company comprises a median of $45.00, high estimate of $48.00 and low estimate of $26.00. When compared to the last price, the median represents an increase of 7.24 % (Financial Times, 2016). Overall view of the analysts on the stock prices of AT T is that they are overweight. In other words the stock of ATT offers better value for money than others. As such investing in the stock of the company will be a good option. The 2016 dividend of the company is expected to be around $1.928 and 2017 dividends of $ 1.973. These predictions show that dividend of the company will grow at a rate of 2.01 %. From this criterion too the company has performed well. Revenue for the company for the second quarter of 2016 was $40.52 billion. For the third quarter the revenue is expected to go up to $41.15 billion. Finally the fourth quarter revenue is slated to be $ 42.39 billion with an average growth rate of 5.59 %. According to the analysts overall revenue of the company for the FY 2016 and FY 2017 will be $164.62 billion and $167.86 billion respectively with growth rates of 3.83 % (Financial Times, 2016). Conclusion The paper has illustrated history and brief description of one of the largest telecommunication companies in the world with relevant discussion on the services. The financial performance of the past four years have been analysed by the help of the annual reports. Discounted free cash flows have been used for determining the enterprise value (EV), equity value and value per share. Moreover the weighted average cost of capital has also been ascertained and appropriate trends have been discussed. It has been observed that the company has performed better than many of the rivals and is poised to expand further (Cricelli et al, 2011). Future trends within this industry have been stated along with effective recommendations that the company will find useful in augmenting its position. References: ATT (2016): Online accessed from https://www.att.com/gen/investor-relations?pid=9186 accessed on 13/8/2016 Battistella, C. (2014). The organisation of Corporate Foresight: A multiple case study in the telecommunication industry.Technological Forecasting and Social Change,87, 60-79. Berg, S. V., Jiang, L., Lin, C. (2012). Regulation and corporate corruption: new evidence from the telecom sector.Journal of Comparative Economics, 40(1), 22-43. Cricelli, L., Grimaldi, M., Ghiron, N. L. (2011). The competition among mobile network operators in the telecommunication supply chain.International Journal of Production Economics,131(1), 22-29. Dholakia, R. R., Mundorf, N., Dholakia, N. (2013).New infotainment technologies in the home: Demand-side perspectives. Routledge. Dittrich, K., Duysters, G. (2007). Networking as a means to strategy change: the case of open innovation in mobile telephony.Journal of product innovation management,24(6), 510-521. Financial Times (2016): Online accessed from https://markets.ft.com/data/equities/tearsheet/forecasts?s=T:NYQ accessed on 17/8/2016 Hanif, M., Hafeez, S., Riaz, A. (2010). Factors affecting customer satisfaction.International Research Journal of Finance and Economics,60(1), 44-52. He, Z. L., Lim, K., Wong, P. K. (2006). Entry and competitive dynamics in the mobile telecommunications market.Research Policy,35(8), 1147-1165. Karmarkar, U. S., Apte, U. M. (2007). Operations management in the information economy: Information products, processes, and chains.Journal of Operations Management,25(2), 438-453. Malhotra, A., Kubowicz Malhotra, C. (2013). Exploring switching behavior of US mobile service customers.Journal of Services Marketing,27(1), 13-24. Merritt, C. (2011). Mobile money transfer services: the next phase in the evolution of person-to-person payments.Journal of Payments Strategy Systems,5(2), 143-160. Morning Star (2016): Online accessed from https://financials.morningstar.com/competitors/industry-peer.action?t=T accessed on 13/8/2016 Owczarczuk, M. (2010). Churn models for prepaid customers in the cellular telecommunication industry using large data marts.Expert Systems with Applications,37(6), 4710-4712. Paulrajan, R., Rajkumar, H. (2011). Service quality and customers preference of cellular mobile service providers.Journal of technology management innovation,6(1), 38-45. Seo, D., Ranganathan, C., Babad, Y. (2008). Two-level model of customer retention in the US mobile telecommunications service market.Telecommunications Policy,32(3), 182-196. Shin, D. H., Bartolacci, M. (2007). A study of MVNO diffusion and market structure in the EU, US, Hong Kong, and Singapore.Telematics and Informatics,24(2), 86-100.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Lifestyle of Salvador Dali

Introduction Salvador Dali has always been referred to as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Due to his great paintings and other works of art, some people have regarded Dali as the greatest Surrealist artist to ever live. However, when he was asked personally whether he considered himself the greatest artist in the world, Dali denied any allegations.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Lifestyle of Salvador Dali specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Actually, he used to refer himself as a bad artist and painter because of the fact that he was too intelligent (Hesse 41). Dali had a belief that for someone to become a good artist, he/she needs to be a bit insane (Hesse 41). Dali acknowledged the fact that the society loved his works. In one of his interviews, Dali stated that people regarded him as the best artist in the world because the other artists who were creating during the time he lived i n were doing a very bad work (Hesse 45). After having a successful career as an artist, a filmmaker, and a photographer, Dali retired, and went to his home town of Figueres in Spain, in a castle where his wife, Galo, had been buried (Genzmer 65). During this time, there was no clear inventory of his works. At the same time, the speed at which people were selling the replicas of his works in the world was very high. However, Dali was not highly concerned with the success. At that time, he had lived an isolated and lonely life away from the public and his friends who he was close with during the early years of his life. This was perhaps because his mentor and the love of his life, Gala, was no longer there with him. As such, this paper will expound on the life of Salvador Dali, namely, it will focus on his early life, the impacts that he had on Surrealism, the success of his works, the way the society regarded Dali as well as his works and, finally, the criticisms that he received reg arding his personal life as well as his paintings; the paper will also highlight on his personal life, how he developed his talent in art, the factors that influenced him and led him to join the Surrealist movement, the impact his wife Gala had on his life as an artist, and his life after leaving Surrealism. The Early Days of Dali Salvador Dali was born on 11 May, 1904. He shared the same name with his father and elder brother who had died in 1903 because of meningitis. His father was the only solicitor in Catalina. As a result of the influence that he had and the respect that he had earned from the community, he hoped that his son, Dali, would take up his profession, and continue with his work to enhance his legacy. However, this never came to be true as Dali pursued other interests in life. Consequently, the two had a tense relationship. His mother, Felipa Domenech, was a strong Christian professing the Roman Catholic faith. To ensure that her children had strong foundations in li fe and developed desirable morals, she raised them in accordance with the practices of the church.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Dali was enrolled in the Christian school in Figueres. It is in this school that he discovered his passion for art. In his book, The Shameful Life of Dali, he highlights one of his earliest memories while at school. He is in class; he closes his eyes to come up with a spontaneous image. The vision that comes to his mind is of two tall cypress trees that were of relatively the same height. From his desk, he sees two more paintings. One of these paintings was a picture of a fox that was coming out of a cabin. The other picture was a replica of Millet’s Angelus that was originally done by Jean-Franà §ois in the 19th century. The theme and concepts behind this painting astonished young Dali, especially the motionless images of the man and the woman. His imagination pictured the context and the main idea of this image that consisted in the fact that the woman is a virgin who is waiting to be married, and the man who is sexually attracted to the woman, is excited which is why he hides his arousal by the hat that he is holding in his hands. Millet’s Angelus played a critical role in the future works of Dali. He used such a concept in some of his works as a central theme to express his imagination (Genzmer 77). Accompanied by his parents, Dali visited the gravesite of his brother when he was about five years old. Although the two had actually never met, there was an immense connection between Dali and his late brother. The two shared the same name. Due to the connections that both of them had, Dali used images of his brother in most of the works that he painted during his entire life. For instance, in 1963, Dali painted an image that was dedicated to his brother, Portrait of My Dead Brother (Genzmer 79). In his b ook, the Secret Life of Dali, he stated that, â€Å"†¦we resembled each other like two drops of water, but we had different reflections. He was probably a first version of myself but conceived too much in the absolute† (Dali 2). As a young boy, Dali suffered from asthma. His condition became worse with time, perhaps due to the environment of his home area. To make sure their son lived in a good environment, his parents took Dali to live with one of their family friends, Ramon Pichot, who lived in the country. Pichot was a modern painter; his house was a converted mill with a tower. During the time spent together with the Pichot family, Dali’s imagination and talent were at his zenith. He loved to spend most of his time at the top of the tower. There, he would imagine himself as a dictator or a tyrant. Being the leader in his dreams, Dali regarded all the subjects surrounding him as slaves for the fulfillment of his personal and egocentric thirst for power, control of people and respect.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Lifestyle of Salvador Dali specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Dali had been having these imaginations since the time he lived with his parents in Figueres. Other than having these imaginations, it is at the Pichot’s house that Dali’s talent in art was discovered. The dining room of the Pichot home was decorated with art paintings, all of which were originals. The family was also renowned for their eccentric work in music and art. Under the influence and the directions of Ramon Pichot, Dali started painting. According to Dali, the fact that he attended a drawing school gave him the opportunity to explore his imagination that was earlier not very bright and vivid due to the absence of an academic education. In his earlier days when he was living with his parents, his mother had noticed his passion for art and had encouraged him to dra w. However, the excellence that Ramon identified in his works was remarkable. It is due to this fact that the Pichot family persuaded Dali’s father to enroll him in the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid for the teenager to fully identify, develop and explore his talent in art. His father was always reluctant to this idea probably because he wanted his son to follow his career steps. However, after a number of Ramon Pichot’s persuasions, he agreed for Dali to join the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid in 1922 (Creed 14) Prior to his enrolment in the Academy of Fine Arts, Dali faced another challenge in his life, the death of his mother. Felipa Domenech died in early 1921 from breast cancer. She was Dali’s mentor in life. She believed in him and supported him in almost everything that he did. Dali had a profound love for his mother, and the fact that she had gone had a huge psychological impact on the teenager. Dali described the death of his mother as, â€Å"†¦th e greatest blow I had experienced in my life. I worshipped her†¦ I could not resign myself to the loss of a being on whom I counted to make invisible the unavoidable blemishes of my soul† (Dali 153). His greatest fear, however, was the fact that his mother would be completely forgotten by people by the people. As a result, Dali vowed that he would go out of his length to ensure that his name would never be forgotten. This was perhaps the main source of motivation that made him become a successful artist in his later life leaving behind a career of solicitor his father had always wanted him to follow. In 1922, Dali moved to Madrid where he joined the Academy of Fine Arts. It is in this institution that the life of Dali both as an individual and as an artist began to take form. While interacting with other students, he developed strong friendship bonds with people who would later become influential figures in Spain and the world at large.Advertising Looking for research paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the friendship that he made with Luis Bunuel and Federico Garcia Lorca was the most important since they played a critical role in establishing his future life (Rodriguez 34). Luis Bunuel was a student of the Natural History Department. He would later on end up becoming one of the most successful filmmakers and directors in Spain. Federico Garcia, on the other hand, was a writer and a poet. By the time Dali met him, Spain had already commenced recognizing his talent in writing. While living in the campus of the Academy of Arts in Madrid, Dali reported that there was present segregation based on academic excellence and career among students. Given the fact that he was from a small village in Spain and the fact that his works were not renowned at the time, most students regarded Dali as a backward individual with a funny taste and style (Creed 87). Despite this fact, the relationship that Dali had with Luis Bunuel and Federico Garcia led to the development and creation of a s mall group of artists united by their immense talents. When studying at the Academy, Dali was working on a cubist canvass. He was not familiar with the cubist movement, or its ideologies. He only had a vague idea of the movement from the information that he had gathered from the magazines and books he was given by Ramon Pichot while he was living with his family. Nonetheless, Dali had fully mastered the artistic concepts of the cubic movement. Thus, while working on one of the cubic canvasses in his room, a student noticed this piece of painting. He was amazed by the painting and Dali’s talent in general. Immediately after that, he disseminated the information on the potential that Dali possessed. It is at this point that the other students accepted Dali into their realm of intellectual students because he was talented as they were. With his new friends, Dali became aware of the feeling of success. He also had a sense of belonging since he was constantly interacting with stud ents and people of the same intellectual level. Although Dali was good at school and had started to establish a strong base for his future career, his attitude and traits of character failed him on several occasions. As a result of his conduct, Dali was expelled twice from the Academy of Fine Arts. In the last case occurred, Dali was expelled because of the unrest that he had caused developed. He believed that he was better and more highly qualified than his professors were (Gibson 149). Dali was supposed to expound on Raphael Sanzio, a Renaissance painter from Italy. Raphael was one of the artists that Dali looked up to. Therefore, he told his professors that he knew much more about Raphael as compared to all three of them put together (Rodriguez 65). These utterances enraged the professors that caused Dali’s expulsion from the Academy of Fine Arts. As a result, Dali never sat for his final exams. This incident also played a critical role in destroying the relationship that Dali had with his father who felt bitter because of his son’s actions. Dali’s father had now given up hope that his son would ever have an official career. On his arrival back home, Dali made a pencil drawing of his father and sister. From the drawing, the bitterness that his father was feeling at that moment clearly imprinted on his face. This drawing became one of his most successful works during those times. Entry into Surrealism and Rise to Success After being expelled from the Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid, Dali returned to his home in Figueres, where Dali continued to pursue his passion for painting despite his father’s disapproved. The Basket of Bread, a painting that Dali made in the year 1926 is one of his early works that were successful and gained him a lot of recognition as an artist. Dali, however, changed some styles and design of his paintings during the late 1920s. The concepts of his new paintings followed quite a different style called Surreal ism. Dali initial paintings had a modern concept or a classical concept. In some of his early works, a mixture of the two concepts was present. He always stressed on the fact that his passion for art was influenced by great artists of the Renaissance period, in particular, such artists as Raphael Sanzio and Diego Velazquez, after whom he grew his iconic mustache. Dali regarded these individuals as the greatest painters of all times. In an interview, Dali stated that Velazquez was a genius as well as a great painter (Target 114). The quality of his works was always magnificent. As a result, he believed that he would never make paintings that would reach the levels of Velazquez. He said as a joke that if he would manage to make a painting that was as good as Velazquez’s, then he would definitely die. Thus, since he wanted to live longer, he would continue to make paintings that are of a lower quality than those of Diego Velazquez. Dali’s interest in Surrealism grew after reading several editions of La Revolution Surrealiste, a surrealist magazine that covered the works of people who were part of movement and believed in it. In the magazine, Dali saw the works painted by Catalonian artists. The concepts and styles found on the canvasses presented in the magazine touched Dali’s emotions and feelings. Within time, Dali adopted the concept that enabled him to explore his creativity and imagination to deeper depths. It is due to this influence that Dali developed an iconic style of his own, being the style of painting that he was recognized with for the rest of his life. When he was a student, some of Dali’s early works were presented in several exhibitions in the Catalan capital that were situated in Barcelona. It is in that place that the works of other great artists of the time, such as Pablo Picasso and Joan Miro were also displayed. The great success that they enjoyed from the works of renowned artists, such as Picasso and Miro, the C atalonian art promoters wanted to develop the talents of upcoming artists to guarantee the sustainability of their art culture as well as their movement in the long run. Therefore, presenting the works of a young artist, such as Dali was one of their main motives. In the art galleries, Dali’s work caught the attention of the public. According to JA Maragal, a Catalonian art dealer, the work of Dali was extraordinary; it was realistic with a lot of sense (Torok 141). Maragal exhibited Dali’s work in his art gallery during the fall of 1926. During this time, the public was astonished by the quality of work as well as the talent that the young writer had. The public tried to determine the message that Dali’s work was trying to convey. There were demonstrations as well as protests regarding Dali’s work. Press posted cartoons in newspapers and magazines as a means of trying to fully understand the ideas presented by Dali. As a result, all his works were sold o ut. The success of Dali’s work in Catalina played a significant role in developing his reputation and credibility. Joan Miro became familiar with the works of Dali because of the success during the exhibition. He had a lot of admiration for the talent of the young artist. As a result, he introduced Dali to Pablo Picasso who was living in Paris at that time. In the same year, Dali went to Paris for the first time in his life. There, he had the chance to finally meet Picasso. With the guidance and directions of these two artists, Dali managed to develop his talent to a greater extent. It is in Paris that Dali finally understood Surrealism and the idea behind the movement. During the 1920s, Paris was regarded as the cultural city of the world. It is also during this time that Surrealism was at its heights, and it is in Paris where its impacts were felt the most. Andre Breton headed the movement (Creed 91). Surrealism was a movement that explored the functioning of thought. The f ollowers of the movement achieved this goal through the different forms of writing as well as their works of art. All these works explored their imagination and creativity. As the leader, Breton was responsible for coming up with the ideologies and guidelines that the followers of the movement were to follow. In 1924, for instance, Breton developed the surrealist manifesto that was used to define Surrealism, its goals and objectives, and the overall purpose of the group (Bokay 45). By means of surrealism and the directions of Picasso and Miro, Dali developed a new style of art. Prior to his introduction into Surrealism, Dali’s work had been mainly based on impressionism, futurism and cubism (Bokay 45). However, after he had become a follower of the Surrealist movement, his painting concepts changed totally. The main themes that were present in his new works included an extensive of use of collage, sexual symbolism, and imagery. The idea behind his paintings originated from hi s dreams. In an interview, Dali once told that he loved to sleep because it is through his dreams that he managed to get the ideas to work on and, consequently, develop them (Torok 140). To enhance on his ideas, Dali utilized classical techniques that were present in the works of artists such as Raphael and Velazquez to enhance his own hallucinatory thoughts. Therefore, with the help of Surrealism, Dali came up with a completely new style of art. This style not only led to his success but also differentiated him from other surrealist painters. With the help of his works, Dali made a huge contribution to Surrealism; he developed the paranoiac-critical method, a technique that artists can use to capture images from their subconscious mind (Target 119). This concept was effective as it enhanced the development of creativity and originality in the works of artists under the surrealism movement. With this concept, Dali and other Surrealist artists managed to transform their dreams and su bconscious thoughts into reality. Through this technique, Dali believed that he had the power to determine what reality could and could not exist. As a result of his work and contributions to the art, in general, Dali ended up being one of the most influential figures of the Surrealism movement between 1929 and 1934. In addition to the paranoiac-critical method, the works of Dali employed other features and techniques. For instance, in one of his works titled, The Weaving of Furniture Nutrition that Dali painted in 1934, several techniques are presented. At a glance, the picture looks normal. However, after a close investigation, one realizes that the picture has surreal components. The first thing that one notes is the crutch that has been used to support the back of the woman in the picture. This concept represents reversed laws of nature, one of the main features of Surrealism. Consequently, juxtaposition is presented by the fact that there are two chests in the picture. The Ghos t of Vermer of Delft is another marvelous work of art by Salvador Dali painted in 1934. In this work, several features of Surrealism are also vividly expressed. First, the leg of the man is elongated, at the same time, representing the leg of the table. This concept is referred to as metamorphosis (Freud 26). The painting also has a strange form of lighting that has been used as a transformation technique to scare and surprise the viewer at the same time. However, the most successful work that Dali created during this time was the Persistence of Memory. Before completing this painting, Dali and Gala (who later became his wife and mentor) were to watch a motion film together in the theater. However, Dali changed his mind and decided to stay in, while Gala and her friends went to the theater. While at the dining table, Dali was thinking about the super-soft nature of the cheese that they had just eaten. After that he went to the studio to have one last look at the painting, a routine check that he always had. The painting represented the landscape of Port Llegat with an olive tree that had neither branches, nor leaves. He felt at that very moment that something was missing in the painting that would surely give it an element of surprise. Suddenly, he came up with an idea, and added three soft watches, one of them hanging on the olive tree. When Galo came back from the theatre, Dali showed her the painting and asked her if she would forget this image after three years time. Gala said that no one would ever forget it once they had laid eyes on it. Surprisingly, she told the truth, and the painting was a success. Reaction to his Work and Personality Despite the success that Dali was enjoying as a surrealist painter, he also experienced a lot of criticism for his work and paintings, especially from his fellow Surrealists. In 1934, Dali painted a controversial picture, The Enigma of William Tell. The main theme of this painting was sexuality and death that were prese nted by the enlarged buttocks of Lennon leading to his disfiguration. The alteration of this character questioned Dali’s motives amongst other Surrealist, and he was summoned to the Surrealism headquarters for a trial (Freud 26). Other than his paintings, Dali’s political ideologies were also questionable. It was believed at this time that he embraced fascism under the Nazi movement. At the same time, Dali supported Francisco Franco who was the leader of the rebel army during the Spanish Civil war of 1936-1939. Under the leadership of Breton, Surrealists were leftist supporters. Therefore, the fact that Dali supported Franco proved that his ideologies did not match the ones professed by the movement. Because of these encounters, Dali was formally expelled from the Surrealist movement. However, it is believed that there were other personal differences between Breton and Dali that might have led to his expulsion from the movement. Despite all these, Dali still maintained Surrealist ideologies in his later paintings. However, when he moved to the United States of America, Dali changed his style to classicism. With its techniques, Dali explored new ideas that enabled him to maintain his success. In the early 1940s, the Museum of Modern Art in New York displayed the work of Dali. This exhibition had a positive appraisal from American painters as well as the public. In 1942, Dali released his book, The Secret Life of Dali. In USA, Dali became a celebrity; he was even featured in The Time Magazine as the greatest artist of the first half of the 20th century. However, another aspect of his personality started to develop slowly, his notoriety. While people in Spain were familiar with this, the Americans were surprised when Dali smashed the window of a shop in New York that had altered the design that he had come up with. However, despite this, he continued to gather public support, for instance, some of his fans, Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds Morse played a cruci al role in founding the Salvador Dali Museum. During the 1960s and 1970s, Dali spent much of his time developing the Dali Theatre and Museum in Figueres where he was later buried. Conclusion Dali has been one of controversial artists of all times. From the very beginning, he became the most renowned artist of the 20th century. With his talent and imaginations, he used different techniques and developed several methods that not only made him a leading figure of the surreal movement, but also played a critical role in the financial success and fame that he managed to gain. As a result, Dali has been regarded as one of the most successful artists of all times. Works Cited Bokay, Antal. â€Å"Psychoanalysis and Surrealism: Dali’s visit at Freud.† International  Journal of Art and Design 3.1 (1997): 44-48. Print Creed, Barbara. The Monstrous-Feminine, Routledge: London, 1993. Print Dali, Salvador. The Secret Life of Salvador Dalà ­, New York: Dover, 1942. Print Freud, Si gmund. The Interpretation of Dreams, Budapest: Helikon Kiadà ³, 1993. Print Genzmer, Herbert. Dali, Budapest: Vincze Kiadà ³, 2000. Print Gibson, Ian. The Shameful Life of Salvador Dali, New York: Norton, 1999. Print. Hesse, Hermann. A Little Theology, Madrid: Cartaphilius, 2001. Print Rodriguez, Perera. Geniuses of Art: Dali. London: Sage, 2001. Print. Target, Mary. â€Å"Phantoms of the Unconsciousness.† Thalassa, 3.9 (2000): 112-123. Print Torok, Maria. â€Å"Hidden Mourning and Secret Love.† Thalassa 1.9 (1998): 123-157. Print This research paper on The Lifestyle of Salvador Dali was written and submitted by user Brielle U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli

Introduction This paper presents a detailed review of an interesting book titled â€Å"The Prince† that convey vital principalities of leadership. The book was a masterpiece work of an Italian who was a renowned historian, and a diplomat called Niccolo Machiavelli. The writer was also known as a strong politician who had noble political ideals and theories.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite developing his writing skills from a humble background, his insightful narratives have been instrumental in transforming individual’s social and political lifestyle. This explains why the book that has been branded as a traditional peace of work by critics due to its â€Å"mirrors of prince style† remains one of the innovative political narrations of the day. Imperativeness of the book and its theme Indeed, the information conta ined in the book has been instrumental in transforming political activities in various settings. It has been helpful in inculcating noble ruling guidelines and principles among leaders. It adopted a political theme with an aim of enhancing leadership by fostering democracy and understanding through integration of effective ruling principalities (Machiavelli, 2004). The author focuses on the theme due to the unfair experiences and treatment that he was facing because of bad governance and oppressive rule. The book’s ideals and key concerns or areas The book focuses on leadership ideals and effective principalities that shape good governance or political practice. Its aim is to convey credible information about political issues and the role of leaders in the development of cohesive societies (Landon, 2005). Machiavelli opens his narration or political observation by stating that all forms of dominion in various jurisdictions are republics or principalities. He asserted that, an y leader who seeks to exercise good leadership should adopt noble principalities (Machiavelli, Skinner Price, 1988). Such leaders should ensure that the set rules that guide operations in their territories are favorable and acceptable. That is the rules should be ideological, socially relevant and economically viable. In the book, the author’s concern is seen to be exclusively with principalities. He noted that ethical ruling principalities are the primary virtues that leaders are under obligation to practice or adopt especially in the current environment. He innovatively concentrated on the best techniques of governance and holding up to the noble principalities in the first eleven chapters of the book (Machiavelli, 2004). This shows how individuals can achieve greatness in their respective areas of operation.Advertising Looking for book review on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Discussions Impe ratively, the author provided educative information that seeks to foster unity and excellent leadership. He distinguishes the three types of principalities in the first eleven chapters. He also analyzed the best techniques of acquiring the principalities and the process of achieving their absolute maintenance. Firstly, he considers hereditary principality that pose minimal difficulties in various settings. Marriott (2012) noted that hereditary principalities are consistent ruling ideals that â€Å"princes† or territory leaders acquire through experiences, historical studies and predecessors. Secondly, he considers mixed cases that explain the process through which rulers’ annexes new possessions in their territories. He asserted that this is where key issues that threaten political integration begin. This is because the annexing process leads to unfair acquisition or expansion of territorial setting by some leaders. This happens especially in territories whose leaders lack democratic ideals and regard for other peoples basic rights (Machiavelli Rebhorn, 2003). In this regard, the author insists that leaders or rulers should hold and practice complete composite principalities. This is essential in ensuring that they foster peaceful coexistence and political stability. It is also vital in ensuring that they exercise total political control in their territories. Other chapters of the book focus on the procedures of acquiring new principalities and its consequences. The chapters state that individuals can acquire new principalities or control ideals by their own arms, ability or good lack. They also convey essential information on the consequences of obtaining leadership principalities through wickedness. This is why the author emphasizes on the need for civilization and adoption of civil principalities (Landon, 2005) Notably, leaders should get full acquaintance with the way one can measure ruling principalities and potential leadership ideals. The measurement guidelines are crucial in providing them with a viable benchmark through which they can gage their performance. It is also significant to ensure that their actions are executed with good intentions to boost social and economic integration.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the author affirmed that ruling principalities affect human affairs and productivity. They influence communication and understanding between individuals especially leaders and the public. This hinders progress since inferior operating principles impede sharing of ideas and development of innovative concepts through teamwork (Marriott, 2012). Lack of noble principles in leadership also compromises liberty and execution of activities under democratic guidelines. Conclusion Indeed, the book provides insightful information that has been significant in shaping individuals perception on the significance of good leadership in our societies. It gives essential leadership principalities that leaders should adopt to foster unity among locals where democratic ideals have been cited. It also recognizes that rulers should exercise composite guiding principles within their territories. References Machiavelli, N. (2004). The prince: And, the art of war. London: Collector’s Library. Machiavelli, N., Skinner, Q., Price, R. (1988). Machiavelli: The prince. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Machiavelli, N., Rebhorn, W. A. (2003). The prince and other writings. New York: Barnes Noble Classics. Marriott, K. (2013). The Prince.  Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1232Advertising Looking for book review on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Landon, W. J. (2005). Politics, patriotism and language: NiccoloÌ€ Machiavelli’s â€Å"secular patria† and the creation of an Italian national identity. New York [u.a.: Lang. This book review on The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli was written and submitted by user Paulina Mcclure to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Theoretical Perspective - Definition Examples in Sociology

Theoretical Perspective s in Sociology A theoretical perspective is a set of assumptions about reality that inform the questions we ask and the kinds of answers we arrive at as a result. In this sense, a theoretical perspective can be understood as a lens through which we look, serving to focus or distort what we see. It can also be thought of as a frame, which serves to both include and exclude certain things from our view.  The field of sociology itself is a theoretical perspective based on the assumption that  social systems  such as society and the family actually exist, that culture,  social structure, statuses, and roles are real. A theoretical perspective is important for research because it serves to organize our thoughts and ideas and make them clear to others. Often, sociologists use multiple theoretical perspectives simultaneously as they frame research questions, design and conduct research, and analyze their results. Well review some of the major theoretical perspectives within sociology, but readers should bear in mind that there are many others. Macro versus Micro There is one major theoretical and practical division within the field of sociology, and that is the division between macro and micro approaches to studying society. Though they are often viewed as competing perspectiveswith macro focused on the big picture of social structure, patterns, and trends, and micro-focused on the minutiae of individual experience and everyday lifethey are actually complementary and mutually dependent. The Functionalist Perspective The functionalist perspective  also called functionalism, originates in the work of French sociologist Émile Durkheim, one of the founding thinkers of sociology. Durkheims interest was in how social order could be possible, and how society maintains stability. His writings on this topic came to be viewed as the essence of the functionalist perspective, but others contributed to and refined it, including Herbert Spencer, Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton. The functionalist perspective operates on the macro-theoretical level. The Interactionist Perspective The interactionist perspective was developed by American sociologist George Herbert Mead. It is a micro-theoretical approach that focuses on understanding how meaning is generated through processes of social interaction. This perspective assumes that meaning is derived from everyday social interaction, and thus, is a social construct. Another prominent theoretical perspective, that of symbolic interaction, was developed by another American, Herbert Blumer, from the interactionist paradigm. This theory, which you can read more about here, focuses on how we use as symbols, like clothing, to communicate with each other; how we create, maintain, and present a coherent self to those around us, and how through social interaction we create and maintain a certain understanding of society and what happens within it. The Conflict Perspective The conflict perspective is derived from the writing of Karl Marx  and assumes that  conflicts arise when resources, status, and power are unevenly distributed between groups in society. According to this theory, conflicts that arise because of inequality are what foster social change. From the conflict perspective, power can take the form of control of material resources and wealth, of politics and the institutions that make up society, and can be measured as a function of ones social status relative to others (as with race, class, and gender, among other things). Other sociologists and scholars associated with this perspective include Antonio Gramsci, C. Wright Mills, and the members of the Frankfurt School, who developed critical theory.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Leadership Communication..Q5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leadership Communication..Q5 - Essay Example We saw this especially with the BP oil sill in the Gulf of Mexico. Describe at least three pros and three cons of rationalizing. Propose a method to deal with the cons of rationalizing. 1. In organizations, rationalizing at the intra-organizational levels may help in understanding the dynamics and changes in leadership development through a continuous learning process. This sort of rationalization can be related to Gestalt psychology (Day and Zacarro, 2004) and can be used by higher management to study the new leaders among the managers. 2. In some situations, ethical practices may undermine an organization’s public image since such practices may leak information on internal problems. Rationalizing may be used to keep the appearance of the organization upbeat vis-à  -vis public relations practitioners and media. 2. The leader may indulge in tricky reasoning with the help of rationalization. This increases the risk of exploitation and exhaustion of the confused subordinates, which will eventually lead to decreased productivity. 3. Psychoanalytical aspects of rationalizing activities in business may give rise to contradiction between beliefs, thought processes, and attitudes within the management. This will create an â€Å"uncomfortable state of tension† (Smith and Mackie, 2007, p. 277-8). Since rationalizing involves a tactical use of lies, it cannot be ethically justified and hence it is quite a problematic behavior in the course of leadership development. Smith and Sharma (2002, p. 197) have stated that â€Å"organizations currently operate with a faà §ade of rationality, ignoring emotional reality.† Ethical practices and emotional intelligence must be encouraged to counter tendencies to avoid truth and create excessive workload from the perspective of the leader. In order to bring about responsible behavior on the part of the leaders (e.g. departmental bosses), the organization itself must behave in a socially responsible way. Day, D.V.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Intoducing my self to the class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Intoducing my self to the class - Essay Example We arrived with the impression that we would be brainstorming about getting industrial hemp more widely used as a renewable resource. Even the government knew that it doesn't make people high, it doesn't have enough THC in it.1 But faced with the reality that the major powers that be are against renewable resources in this way, from a lawyer who was supposed to be working on our side, was like a slap in the face. I thought about all of the hours I'd devoted to the cause of renewable resources, seeing the need, the desperate need of our planet for our help. I thought of all the times I had enjoyed the splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sheer force of Nature with a tenuous balance that is being tipped out of kilter. I have fought for what I have thought is right; but what do I know, I'm just another 20 year old! And now, here is Lance, needing his diaper changed as I think about this meeting gone wrong and what it could implicate. I reach for a fresh cloth diaper, feeling its softness in my hands as I look at my little son. His eyes meet mine and I wonder what he will be like when he is my age.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Is rape a product of sexual desire, or the exercise of power Essay

Is rape a product of sexual desire, or the exercise of power - Essay Example Having this in mind, this paper examines the issue with a view of examining the motivation of rapists as either sexually aroused or as men or women who have decided to exercise their perceived powers over their victims through intimacy. It will also look in into the matter of a continuously broadening side of criminality and violence within sexual relationships. The aim is to examine the various elements that come into play when handling matters dealing with rape in the society today. Rape can be generally defined as the use of violent means or threatening words to lead someone into submitting to sexual intercourse (Smart 1995). This act can therefore result into serious violation of the victim’s dignity as well as loss of self confidence among other physiological side effects (Kelly 1998). There are various theories that have been proposed to explain this inhuman act. One of these theories will be discussed in the section that follows. One of the long found theories of sexual assault was based on the belief that rapists were mentally ill or had some biological imbalances in their body that contributed to inability for any proper control of their impulses. This theory is referred to as the psychopathology model. It proposes that rapists were medically unfit individuals that were acting in an inhuman manner because of their bodily imbalances (Terry et al 2010). This theory thought that rape was a rare occurrence and hence could be effectively handled by medically proven means like hormonal injection, psychotherapy or even castration. When looked at in the view of the two divides that are being examined by this paper, the theory supports the view that rape may be as a result of sexual desire or the inability to control such desires. However, this model may only apply to a few cases of rape that has been a growing concern in the moral foundations of the society we live in today. The

Friday, November 15, 2019

Weak Governance and Social Cohesion

Weak Governance and Social Cohesion Weak Governance and Social Cohesion and Its Impact on Violent Conflict in the Domestic Politics of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan By Tasneem Winkler Assignment Question: Domestic politics in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are often marred by violent conflicts. Explain why this is so. It is no secret that the South Asian region is one of the most dangerous places on earth for its inhabitants with over 5000 fatalities in 2008 alone (Paul 2010, 113). Whilst rich in multiethnicity, culture and tradition, internecine violence over class systems, religion and virulent nationalism have been a constant presence in some provinces. Underlying these identity politics is a structural framework of a weak governance apparatus, stemming from initial political foundations laid in the region. These frail multidimensional devices provide conditions for the powerful and urban elite to manipulate regional rivalry for their own political interests thus, perpetuating a never-ending cycle of violent struggle, with an absence of national unity. I argue that a weak foundation of governance structures and an absence of national identity is the underlying cause for the chronic insecurity in India, Pakistan and Afghanistans domestic politics. This essay will first provide a brief definition of governance. I will then explain how the failure to establish a unifying social strategy from the outset, has made it difficult for each state to forge a common identity. Finally, I will show how a lack of national unity has prevented governance structures to be strengthened. Communal support of government policies is reliant on the masses trust in the political system to provide security, services and infrastructure without bias, corruption or self-interest. In exchange, an active and enfranchised population engages together to resolve conflicts without violence. This state device is recognised as good governance. The World Bank defines governance as a series of norms and rules exercised by actors in the development of social and economic structures, and good governance as the mechanisms which operate this process (World Bank 1992, 1). Poor or weak areas of political stability, security, infrastructure and rule of law amongst others, are the antithesis of this definition, and in Indias case has been exacerbated by political actors such as Bharatiya Janata Partys use of agitational politics, to rouse ethnoreligious tension (Ganguly 2016, 124). Insecurity is heightened in all states by the Pakistan military and elites interventionist politics taking advant age of the border and intra-tribal disagreements (Ganguly 2014, 19; Karim 2013, 3; Yamin 2015, 4). As well, the absence of effective law and order mechanisms in Afghanistan continues to encourage terrorism, insurgency and intervention by external powers (Ganguly 2014, 19). Further, the vast tracts of poverty in rural areas, widen the gap and create identity politics between provincials and political elite (20). As a result, this mistrust leads to a disconnected community with hostilities towards each other and the state, not helped when self-interested state responses to counter social friction is often ad hoc (Paul 2010, 7). Thus, the social fabric has no confidence in the state to peacefully resolve conflict and address the disparity between the populations. From Kashmir and Punjab to the Pashtun and Baluchistan regions, ethnic divisions are rampant and numerous. With weak to non-existing policies to foster social cohesion, state capacity to manage ethnoreligious conflict peacefully continues to be evasive. While there is merit to the argument that the irredentist conflict has links to ethnoreligious and secessionist concerns, a deeper examination reveals that in each state exists a fractured political structure and an all-encompassing national disunity (Ganguly and Fair 2013, 125-17; Weinbaum 2009, 76, 86; Jones 2008, 11). It is this lack of social interconnection which undermines governance measures and contributes to a non-extant national political identity. Moreover, the fissures in these foundations can be led back to the formation of the region into independent states. Following the partition of British India in 1947, unlike its neighbour who inherited the British systems of governance, Pakistan was left to its own devices in polit icising an identity (Ganguly and Fair 2013, 124). With the early demise of its founder, the fledgeling state began its foray into state building on a weak footing thus, always failing to reach the potential to strengthen a distinct identity. Whilst India, with its fractured ethnic and class divides, has fared considerably healthier economically (Ganguly 2007; 46), it continues to struggle with Naxalite militant violence in the northeast (Ahuja and Ganguly 2007, 252). In this exploited and impoverished rural area, land reforms are slow in repairing the fractured ethnic and class divide left over from British rule (257). The adopted British systems of governance built on colonial control failed to recognise that transitioning into autonomous governance by the states of a multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian and ethnoreligious society would require a uniform social rehabilitation. Consequently, in absence of a cohesive and unifying political strategy to construct an individual but connecting identity, each provinces capacity to govern their multi-dimensional society was weakened and continues to be destabilising for the state. Both India and Pakistans national discourse grew out of the remnants of British India. Whilst Western nations have successfully adopted peaceful means of conflict resolution, in the South Asian context, a similar approach has failed to construct institutions which allow multi-ethnic communities a collective voice in the national polity. Similarly, the troubled Afghan regions have had too many influences from dissimilar demographics, such as the Soviet occupation through to the US invasion and interventionist politics from Pakistan, to adequately its own develop peaceful domestic instruments of law and order (Jones 2008, 11). The absence of essential infrastructure in rural areas has made it is difficult to summon those institutions for assistance during times of complex intra-tribal insecurity (20). As such, a fissured state apparatus will continue to crack under the pressure of violent conflict. In sum, what the states of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan have in common is the fault line of a missing identity in the formation of their governance structure. Without a collective and unifying governance apparatus, violence will continue to be a solution for a population disenfranchised and isolated from its elite. As shown, the mechanisms to form unity amongst the multi-dimensional demographics of the region has always been shaky due to the foundations laid at the outset. Appropriated governance measures from external societies prevented a unified political identity. This fractured instrument allowed the political actors to show their strength through acts of self-interest, further exacerbating the conflicts. Until such time unity with a national outlook encompassing all ethnic divisions is found, violence will continue to provide results for the political elite in all three states. Combined with the rise of religious fundamentalism, an impoverished and isolated society will cont inue to create recidivist violence to resolve differences. Lastly, the capacity to prevent violent recidivism lies in reconstructing the political foundation and security for each nation. Reference List Ganguly, Rajat, 2007. Democracy and Ethnic Conflict. In The State of Indias Democracy, edited by Sumit Ganguly, Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner, 45-66. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Ganguly, Rajat. 2016. Politics, Security and Foreign Policy. In Routledge Handbook of Contemporary India, edited by Knut Axel Jacobsen, 121-134. London: Routledge. Ahuja, Pratul., and Rajat Ganguly. 2007. The Fire Within: Naxalite Insurgency Violence in India. Small Wars and Insurgencies 18 (2): 249-274. doi:1080/09592310701400861 Ganguly, Rajat, 2014. Security Issues in South Asia. In Europa Regional Surveys of the World: South Asia, edited by Europa Publications,15-27. London and New York: Routledge. Ganguly, Sumit., and C. Christine Fair. 2013. Structural Origins of Authoritarianism in Pakistan. Commonwealth and Comparative Politics 51 (1): 122-142. doi:10.1080/14662043.2013.750064 Jones, Seth G. 2008. The Rise of Afghanistans Insurgency: State Failure and Jihad. International Security 32 (4): 7-40. JSTOR. Karim, Mahin. 2013. The Future of South Asian Security: Prospects for a Nontraditional Regional Security Alliance. National Bureau of Asian Research. http://www.nbr.org/downloads/pdfs/PSA/NTS_projectreport_April2013.pdf Paul, T. V. 2010. South Asias Weak States: Understanding the Regional Insecurity Predicament. California: Stanford University Press. ProQuest Ebook Central. Weinbaum, Marvin G. 2009. Hard Choices in Countering Insurgency and Terrorism Along Pakistans North-West Frontier. Journal of International Affairs 63 (1): 73-88. ProQuest. World Bank. 1992. Governance and Development. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/604951468739447676/pdf/multi-page.pdf Yamin Saira. 2015. Pakistan: National Security Dilemmas and Transition to Democracy. Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs 2 (1): 1-26. 10.1177/2347797014565289

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Correlation of Climate Change to Tourism Industry

Topic: Correlation of Climate change to Tourism Industry What are the impacts of climate change to Tourism Industry? How to market tourism industry by protecting the tourism industry/destination against climate change? Tourism Industry is one of the sources of our economic growth. However, the condition of climate is a very important factor in the tourism industry of a country. Climate has changed tremendously over the last few decades mostly due to pollution, greenhouse gases and depletion of the ozone layer that protects the earth.There are sector affecting the climatic condition, primarily worldwide concern of transportation. Climate change is an urgent issue that can affect the tourism industry in the future. Climate change also has an influence on the environmental condition of a tourist destination. Tourism destination is mostly linked in the natural environment and it is the most critical attractions for tourism. This Climate change can destroy our tourism destinations and the future tourism site which can affect the economic condition of a country. There are many tourism destinations, attractions that are already extinct because of climate change.It is important to know the correlation of climate change to the tourism industry for us to know the effects of it not only to our tourism destinations but also to our economy. Understanding the correlation of climate change in tourism industry is quite difficult. Tourism industry will grow but the patterns of travel will continuously change and some destinations will be negatively affected by these changes. It is to the interest of the researches to know the effects of climate change to the tourism industry to decisive possible techniques to market the tourism industry despite of climate change.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Mrs. Dalloway Study Questions

Discussion questions: 1. In the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† both Clarissa and Septimus repeat a line from Shakespeare, what is the line and what is its importance to the characters? 2. In â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† Septimus is created as Clarissa’s double, why do you think Woolf did this? 3. How are Clarissa and Septimus alike and how are they different? 4. Woolf uses Clarissa to convey her idea of social class and women’s wole within it; how does she achieve this? 5. WWI is a major part throughout the story. What ways did Woolf show this? . At the end of the novel Clarissa is informed of Septimus’ death. How does she feel about this and why is it important? 7. Who are Sally Seton and Peter Walsh and how does their appearance in the novel help with the plot? 8. Woolf uses a lot of flash backs to move the plot along. Do these flash backs help or hurt the novel? 9. From Woolf’s use of flash backs can you infer what the characters were like before? 10. What was the point of view in the novel? Why do you think Woolf chose this? Excerpt: (pg. 11-14)She would not say of any one in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything; at the same time was outside, looking on. She had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day. Not that she thought herself clever, or much out of the ordinary. How she had got through life on the few twigs of knowledge Fraulein Daniels gave them she could not think.She knew nothing; no language, no history; she scarcely read a book now, except memoirs in bed; and yet to her it was absolutely absorbing; all this; the cabs passing; and she would not say of Peter, she would not say of herself, I am this, I am that. Her only gift was knowing people almost by instinct, she thought, walk ing on. If you put her in a room with someone, up went her back like a cat's; or she purred. Devonshire House, Bath House, the house with the china cockatoo, she had seen them all lit up once; and remembered Sylvia, Fred, Sally Seton — such hosts of people; and dancing all night; and the waggons plodding past o market; and driving home across the Park. She remembered once throwing a shilling into the Serpentine. But every one remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then, she asked herself, walking towards Bond Street, did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that death ended absolutely? ut that somehow in the streets of London, on the ebb and flow of things, here, there, she survived, Peter survived, lived in each other, she being part, she was positive, of the trees at home; of the house there, ugly, ram bling all to bits and pieces as it was; part of people she had never met; being laid out like a mist between the people she knew best, who lifted her on their branches as she had seen the trees lift the mist, but it spread ever so far, her life, herself. But what was she dreaming as she looked into Hatchards' shop window? What was she trying to recover?What image of white dawn in the country, as she read in the book spread open: Fear no more the heat o' the sun Nor the furious winter's rages. This late age of the world's experience had bred in them all, all men and women, a well of tears. Tears and sorrows; courage and endurance; a perfectly upright and stoical bearing. Think, for example, of the woman she admired most, Lady Bexborough, opening the bazaar. There were Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities; there were Soapy Sponge and Mrs. Asquith's Memoirs and Big Game Shooting in Nigeria, all spread open.Ever so many books there were; but none that seemed exactly right to take to Evelyn Wh itbread in her nursing home. Nothing that would serve to amuse her and make that indescribably dried-up little woman look, as Clarissa came in, just for a moment cordial; before they settled down for the usual interminable talk of women's ailments. How much she wanted it — that people should look pleased as she came in, Clarissa thought and turned and walked back towards Bond Street, annoyed, because it was silly to have other reasons for doing things. Much rather would she have been one of those eople like Richard who did things for themselves, whereas, she thought, waiting to cross, half the time she did things not simply, not for themselves; but to make people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew (and now the policeman held up his hand) for no one was ever for a second taken in. Oh if she could have had her life over again! She thought, stepping on to the pavement, could have looked even differently! She would have been, in the first place, dark like Lady Bexborough , with a skin of crumpled leather and beautiful eyes.She would have been, like Lady Bexborough, slow and stately; rather large; interested in politics like a man; with a country house; very dignified, very sincere. Instead of which she had a narrow pea-stick figure; a ridiculous little face, beaked like a bird's. That she held herself well was true; and had nice hands and feet; and dressed well, considering that she spent little. But often now this body she wore (she stopped to look at a Dutch picture), this body, with all its capacities, seemed nothing — nothing at all.She had the oddest sense of being herself invisible, unseen; unknown; there being no more marrying, no more having of children now, but only this astonishing and rather solemn progress with the rest of them, up Bond Street, this being Mrs. Dalloway; not even Clarissa anymore; this being Mrs. Richard Dalloway. Multiple choice questions for excerpt: 1. What is the attitude throughout the passage? a. Negative tow ard her future. b. Hopeful for her future. c. Positive toward her past. d. Resentful of the choices of her past. 2. Which of the following best describes the purpose of the passage? . To show Clarissa’s hopefulness for the future. b. To show Clarissa’s longing for acceptance and importance in high class society. c. To show how Clarissa wants to help the elderly. d. To show Clarissa’s admiration for Mrs. Bexborough. 3. Clarissa talks about Mrs. Bexborough to show: a. How she wants to be portrayed in society. b. How much she dislikes her. c. How they are alike. d. How they are different. 4. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following qualities is most important to the speaker: a. Independence. b. Being man- like. . Dressing well. d. Respect. 5. In the passage what does Woolf mean by â€Å"did it matter that she must inevitably cease completely; all this must go on without her; did she resent it; or did it not become consoling to believe that d eath ended absolutely? † a. That life goes on after death. b. That she finds comfort in the fact that death stops all human problems, but resents the fact use lose the pleasures also. c. That she is scared of death. d. That none of the things she has done matter after death. Essay prompt for novel: Woolf’s writing style in Mrs.Dalloway is described as â€Å"stream of consciousness,† why do you think Woolf chose this writing style for the novel and would it be less effective if it were written in a different style? The Yellow Wallpaper by: Charlotte Perkins Gilman It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer. A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity–but that would be asking too much of fate! Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it.Else, why should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenan ted? John laughs at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage. John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience with faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs openly at any talk of things not to be felt and seen and put down in figures. John is a physician, and perhaps–(I would not say it to a living soul, of course, but this is dead paper and a great relief to my mind)–perhaps that is one reason I do not get well faster. You see he does not believe I am sick! And what can one do?If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression–a slight hysterical tendency– what is one to do? My brother is also a physician, and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. So I take phosphates or phosphites–whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to â€Å"work† until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good.But what is one to do? I did write for a while in spite of them; but it does exhaust me a good deal–having to be so sly about it, or else meet with heavy opposition. I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus–but John says the very worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So I will let it alone and talk about the house. The most beautiful place! It is quite alone standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village.It makes me think of English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people. There is a delicious garden! I never saw such a garden–large and shady, full of box-bordered paths, and lin ed with long grape-covered arbors with seats under them. There were greenhouses, too, but they are all broken now. There was some legal trouble, I believe, something about the heirs and coheirs; anyhow, the place has been empty for years. That spoils my ghostliness, I am afraid, but I don't care–there is something strange about the house–I can feel it.I even said so to John one moonlight evening but he said what I felt was a draught, and shut the window. I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes I'm sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think it is due to this nervous condition. But John says if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self-control; so I take pains to control myself– before him, at least, and that makes me very tired. I don't like our room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on the piazza and had roses all over the window, and such pretty old-fashioned chintz hangings! but John would not hear of it.He said there was only one window and not room for two beds, and no near room for him if he took another. He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction. I have a schedule prescription for each hour in the day; he takes all care from me, and so I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more. He said we came here solely on my account, that I was to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. â€Å"Your exercise depends on your strength, my dear,† said he, â€Å"and your food somewhat on your appetite; but air you can absorb all the time. So we took the nursery at the top of the house. It is a big, airy room, the whole floor nearly, with windows that look all ways, and air and sunshine galore. It was nursery first and then playroom and gymnasium, I should judge; for the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls. The paint and paper look as if a boys' school had used it. It is stripped off–the paper in great patches all around the head of my bed, about as far as I can reach, and in a great place on the other side of the room low down. I never saw a worse paper in my life.One of those sprawling flamboyant patterns committing every artistic sin. It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide–plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting; a smouldering unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow-turning sunlight. It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in others.No wonder the children hated it! I should hate it myself if I had to live in this room long. There comes John, and I must put this away,–he hates to have me write a word. ———- We have been here two weeks, and I haven't felt like writing before, since that first d ay. I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, and there is nothing to hinder my writing as much as I please, save lack of strength. John is away all day, and even some nights when his cases are serious. I am glad my case is not serious! But these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing.John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, and that satisfies him. Of course it is only nervousness. It does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way! I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already! Nobody would believe what an effort it is to do what little I am able,–to dress and entertain, and order things. It is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby. Such a dear baby! And yet I cannot be with him, it makes me so nervous.I suppose John never was nervous in his life. He laughs at me so about this wall-paper! At first he meant to repaper the room, but afterwards he said that I was letting it get the better of me, and that nothing was worse for a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies. He said that after the wall-paper was changed it would be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and then that gate at the head of the stairs, and so on. â€Å"You know the place is doing you good,† he said, â€Å"and really, dear, I don't care to renovate the house just for a three months' rental. â€Å"Then do let us go downstairs,† I said, â€Å"there are such pretty rooms there. † Then he took me in his arms and called me a blessed little goose, and said he would go down to the cellar, if I wished, and have it whitewashed into the bargain. But he is right enough about the beds and windows and things. It is an airy and comfortable room as any one need wish, and, of course, I would not be so silly as to make him uncomfortable just for a whim. I'm really getting quite fond of the big room, all but that horrid paper.Out o f one window I can see the garden, those mysterious deepshaded arbors, the riotous old-fashioned flowers, and bushes and gnarly trees. Out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf belonging to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that runs down there from the house. I always fancy I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors, but John has cautioned me not to give way to fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative power and habit of story-making, a nervous weakness like mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, nd that I ought to use my will and good sense to check the tendency. So I try. I think sometimes that if I were only well enough to write a little it would relieve the press of ideas and rest me. But I find I get pretty tired when I try. It is so discouraging not to have any advice and companionship about my work. When I get really well, John says we will ask Cousin Henry and Julia down for a long visit; but he says he would as soon put fireworks in my pillow-case as to let me have those stimulating people about now. I wish I could get well faster. But I must not think about that.This paper looks to me as if it knew what a vicious influence it had! There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down. I get positively angry with the impertinence of it and the everlastingness. Up and down and sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking eyes are everywhere There is one place where two breaths didn't match, and the eyes go all up and down the line, one a little higher than the other. I never saw so much expression in an inanimate thing before, and we all know how much expression they have!I used to lie awake as a child and get more entertainment and terror out of blank walls and plain furniture than most children could find in a toy-store. I remember what a kindly wink the knobs of our big, old bureau used to have, and the re was one chair that always seemed like a strong friend. I used to feel that if any of the other things looked too fierce I could always hop into that chair and be safe. The furniture in this room is no worse than inharmonious, however, for we had to bring it all from downstairs. I suppose when this was used as a playroom they had to take the nursery things out, and no wonder!I never saw such ravages as the children have made here. The wall-paper, as I said before, is torn off in spots, and it sticketh closer than a brother–they must have had perseverance as well as hatred. Then the floor is scratched and gouged and splintered, the plaster itself is dug out here and there, and this great heavy bed which is all we found in the room, looks as if it had been through the wars. But I don't mind it a bit–only the paper. There comes John's sister. Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful of me! I must not let her find me writing.She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeepe r, and hopes for no better profession. I verily believe she thinks it is the writing which made me sick! But I can write when she is out, and see her a long way off from these windows. There is one that commands the road, a lovely shaded winding road, and one that just looks off over the country. A lovely country, too, full of great elms and velvet meadows. This wall-paper has a kind of sub-pattern in a, different shade, a particularly irritating one, for you can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then.But in the places where it isn't faded and where the sun is just so–I can see a strange, provoking, formless sort of figure, that seems to skulk about behind that silly and conspicuous front design. There's sister on the stairs! ———- Well, the Fourth of July is over! The people are all gone and I am tired out. John thought it might do me good to see a little company, so we just had mother and Nellie and the children down for a week. Of course I didn't do a thing. Jennie sees to everything now. But it tired me all the same. John says if I don't pick up faster he shall send me to Weir Mitchell in the fall.But I don't want to go there at all. I had a friend who was in his hands once, and she says he is just like John and my brother, only more so! Besides, it is such an undertaking to go so far. I don't feel as if it was worth while to turn my hand over for anything, and I'm getting dreadfully fretful and querulous. I cry at nothing, and cry most of the time. Of course I don't when John is here, or anybody else, but when I am alone. And I am alone a good deal just now. John is kept in town very often by serious cases, and Jennie is good and lets me alone when I want her to.So I walk a little in the garden or down that lovely lane, sit on the porch under the roses, and lie down up here a good deal. I'm getting really fond of the room in spite of the wall-paper. Perhaps because of the wall-paper. It dwells in my mind so! I lie h ere on this great immovable bed–it is nailed down, I believe–and follow that pattern about by the hour. It is as good as gymnastics, I assure you. I start, we'll say, at the bottom, down in the corner over there where it has not been touched, and I determine for the thousandth time that I will follow that pointless pattern to some sort of a conclusion.I know a little of the principle of design, and I know this thing was not arranged on any laws of radiation, or alternation, or repetition, or symmetry, or anything else that I ever heard of. It is repeated, of course, by the breadths, but not otherwise. Looked at in one way each breadth stands alone, the bloated curves and flourishes–a kind of â€Å"debased Romanesque† with delirium tremens–go waddling up and down in isolated columns of fatuity. But, on the other hand, they connect diagonally, and the sprawling outlines run off in great slanting waves of optic horror, like a lot of wallowing seaweeds in full chase.The whole thing goes horizontally, too, at least it seems so, and I exhaust myself in trying to distinguish the order of its going in that direction. They have used a horizontal breadth for a frieze, and that adds wonderfully to the confusion. There is one end of the room where it is almost intact, and there, when the crosslights fade and the low sun shines directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation after all,–the interminable grotesques seem to form around a common centre and rush off in headlong plunges of equal distraction. It makes me tired to follow it.I will take a nap I guess. ———- I don't know why I should write this. I don't want to. I don't feel able. And I know John would think it absurd. But I must say what I feel and think in some way–it is such a relief! But the effort is getting to be greater than the relief. Half the time now I am awfully lazy, and lie down ever so much. John says I mustn't lose my strength, and h as me take cod liver oil and lots of tonics and things, to say nothing of ale and wine and rare meat. Dear John! He loves me very dearly, and hates to have me sick.I tried to have a real earnest reasonable talk with him the other day, and tell him how I wish he would let me go and make a visit to Cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn't able to go, nor able to stand it after I got there; and I did not make out a very good case for myself, for I was crying before I had finished . It is getting to be a great effort for me to think straight. Just this nervous weakness I suppose. And dear John gathered me up in his arms, and just carried me upstairs and laid me on the bed, and sat by me and read to me till it tired my head.He said I was his darling and his comfort and all he had, and that I must take care of myself for his sake, and keep well. He says no one but myself can help me out of it, that I must use my will and self-control and not let any silly fancies run away with me. The re's one comfort, the baby is well and happy, and does not have to occupy this nursery with the horrid wall-paper. If we had not used it, that blessed child would have! What a fortunate escape! Why, I wouldn't have a child of mine, an impressionable little thing, live in such a room for worlds.I never thought of it before, but it is lucky that John kept me here after all, I can stand it so much easier than a baby, you see. Of course I never mention it to them any more–I am too wise,–but I keep watch of it all the same. There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will. Behind that outside pattern the dim shapes get clearer every day. It is always the same shape, only very numerous. And it is like a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. I don't like it a bit. I wonder–I begin to think–I wish John would take me away from here! ———-It is so hard to talk with John about my case, because he is so w ise, and because he loves me so. But I tried it last night. It was moonlight. The moon shines in all around just as the sun does. I hate to see it sometimes, it creeps so slowly, and always comes in by one window or another. John was asleep and I hated to waken him, so I kept still and watched the moonlight on that undulating wall-paper till I felt creepy. The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out. I got up softly and went to feel and see if the paper did move, and when I came back John was awake. â€Å"What is it, little girl? he said. â€Å"Don't go walking about like that–you'll get cold. † I thought it was a good time to talk, so I told him that I really was not gaining here, and that I wished he would take me away. â€Å"Why darling! † said he, â€Å"our lease will be up in three weeks, and I can't see how to leave before. â€Å"The repairs are not done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. Of cou rse if you were in any danger, I could and would, but you really are better, dear, whether you can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, and I know. You are gaining flesh and color, your appetite is better, I feel really much easier about you. â€Å"I don't weigh a bit more,† said 1, â€Å"nor as much; and my appetite may be better in the evening when you are here, but it is worse in the morning when you are away! † â€Å"Bless her little heart! † said he with a big hug, â€Å"she shall be as sick as she pleases! But now let's improve the shining hours by going to sleep, and talk about it in the morning! † â€Å"And you won't go away? † I asked gloomily. â€Å"Why, how can 1, dear? It is only three weeks more and then we will take a nice little trip of a few days while Jennie is getting the house ready. Really dear you are better! â€Å"Better in body perhaps–† I began, and stopped short, for he sat up straight and looked at me with su ch a stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word. â€Å"My darling,† said he, â€Å"I beg of you, for my sake and for our child's sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so? † So of course I said no more on that score, and we went to sleep before long.He thought I was asleep first, but I wasn't, and lay there for hours trying to decide whether that front pattern and the back pattern really did move together or separately. ———- On a pattern like this, by daylight, there is a lack of sequence, a defiance of law, that is a constant irritant to a normal mind. The color is hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing. You think you have mastered it, but just as you get well unde rway in following, it turns a back somersault and there you are. It slaps you in the face, knocks you down, and tramples upon you.It is like a bad dream. The outside pattern is a florid arabesque, reminding one of a fungus. If you can imagine a toadstool in joints, an interminable string of toadstools, budding and sprouting in endless convolutions–why, that is something like it. That is, sometimes! There is one marked peculiarity about this paper, a thing nobody seems to notice but myself, and that is that it changes as the light changes. When the sun shoots in through the east window–I always watch for that first long, straight ray–it changes so quickly that I never can quite believe it. That is why I watch it always.By moonlight–the moon shines in all night when there is a moon–I wouldn't know it was the same paper. At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all by moonlight, it becomes bars! The outside patt ern I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain as can be. I didn't realize for a long time what the thing was that showed behind, that dim sub-pattern, but now I am quite sure it is a woman. By daylight she is subdued, quiet. I fancy it is the pattern that keeps her so still. It is so puzzling. It keeps me quiet by the hour. I lie down ever so much now. John says it is good for me, and to sleep all I can.Indeed he started the habit by making me lie down for an hour after each meal. It is a very bad habit I am convinced, for you see I don't sleep. And that cultivates deceit, for I don't tell them I'm awake–O no! The fact is I am getting a little afraid of John. He seems very queer sometimes, and even Jennie has an inexplicable look. It strikes me occasionally, just as a scientific hypothesis,–that perhaps it is the paper! I have watched John when he did not know I was looking, and come into the room suddenly on the most innocent excuses, and I've caught him several tim es looking at the paper! And Jennie too.I caught Jennie with her hand on it once. She didn't know I was in the room, and when I asked her in a quiet, a very quiet voice, with the most restrained manner possible, what she was doing with the paper–she turned around as if she had been caught stealing, and looked quite angry– asked me why I should frighten her so! Then she said that the paper stained everything it touched, that she had found yellow smooches on all my clothes and John's, and she wished we would be more careful! Did not that sound innocent? But I know she was studying that pattern, and I am determined that nobody shall find it out but myself! ———-Life is very much more exciting now than it used to be. You see I have something more to expect, to look forward to, to watch. I really do eat better, and am more quiet than I was. John is so pleased to see me improve ! He laughed a little the other day, and said I seemed to be flourishing in sp ite of my wall-paper. I turned it off with a laugh. I had no intention of telling him it was because of the wall-paper–he would make fun of me. He might even want to take me away. I don't want to leave now until I have found it out. There is a week more, and I think that will be enough. ———- I'm feeling ever so much better!I don't sleep much at night, for it is so interesting to watch developments; but I sleep a good deal in the daytime. In the daytime it is tiresome and perplexing. There are always new shoots on the fungus, and new shades of yellow all over it. I cannot keep count of them, though I have tried conscientiously. It is the strangest yellow, that wall-paper! It makes me think of all the yellow things I ever saw–not beautiful ones like buttercups, but old foul, bad yellow things. But there is something else about that paper– the smell! I noticed it the moment we came into the room, but with so much air and sun it was not bad.Now we have had a week of fog and rain, and whether the windows are open or not, the smell is here. It creeps all over the house. I find it hovering in the dining-room, skulking in the parlor, hiding in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs. It gets into my hair. Even when I go to ride, if I turn my head suddenly and surprise it–there is that smell! Such a peculiar odor, too! I have spent hours in trying to analyze it, to find what it smelled like. It is not bad–at first, and very gentle, but quite the subtlest, most enduring odor I ever met. In this damp weather it is awful, I wake up in the night and find it hanging over me.It used to disturb me at first. I thought seriously of burning the house–to reach the smell. But now I am used to it. The only thing I can think of that it is like is the color of the paper! A yellow smell. There is a very funny mark on this wall, low down, near the mopboard. A streak that runs round the room. It goes behind every piece of furniture, except the bed, a long, straight, even smooch, as if it had been rubbed over and over. I wonder how it was done and who did it, and what they did it for. Round and round and round–round and round and round–it makes me dizzy! ———-I really have discovered something at last. Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out. The front pattern does move–and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think there are a great many women behind, and sometimes only one, and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over. Then in the very bright spots she keeps still, and in the very shady spots she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard. And she is all the time trying to climb through. But nobody could climb through that pattern–it strangles so; I think that is why it has so many heads.They get through, and then the pattern strangles them off and turns them upside down, and makes their eyes white! If those heads were covered or taken off it would not be half so bad. ———- I think that woman gets out in the daytime! And I'll tell you why–privately–I've seen her! I can see her out of every one of my windows! It is the same woman, I know, for she is always creeping, and most women do not creep by daylight. I see her on that long road under the trees, creeping along, and when a carriage comes she hides under the blackberry vines. I don't blame her a bit.It must be very humiliating to be caught creeping by daylight! I always lock the door when I creep by daylight. I can't do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once. And John is so queer now, that I don't want to irritate him. I wish he would take another room! Besides, I don't want anybody to get that woman out at night but myself. I often wonder if I could see her out of all the windows at once. But, turn as fast as I can, I can only see out of one at one time. And though I always see her, she may be able to creep faster than I can turn!I have watched her sometimes away off in the open country, creeping as fast as a cloud shadow in a high wind. ———- If only that top pattern could be gotten off from the under one! I mean to try it, little by little. I have found out another funny thing, but I shan't tell it this time! It does not do to trust people too much. There are only two more days to get this paper off, and I believe John is beginning to notice. I don't like the look in his eyes. And I heard him ask Jennie a lot of professional questions about me. She had a very good report to give. She said I slept a good deal in the daytime.John knows I don't sleep very well at night, for all I'm so quiet! He asked me all sorts of questions, too, and pretended to be very loving and kind. As if I couldn't see through him! Still, I don't wonder he acts so, sleeping under this paper for three months. It only interests me, but I feel sure John and Jennie are secretly affected by it. ———- Hurrah! This is the last day, but it is enough. John to stay in town over night, and won't be out until this evening. Jennie wanted to sleep with me–the sly thing! but I told her I should undoubtedly rest better for a night all alone. That was clever, for really I wasn't alone a bit!As soon as it was moonlight and that poor thing began to crawl and shake the pattern, I got up and ran to help her. I pulled and she shook, I shook and she pulled, and before morning we had peeled off yards of that paper. A strip about as high as my head and half around the room. And then when the sun came and that awful pattern began to laugh at me, I declared I would finish it to-day! We go away to-morrow, and they are moving all my furniture down again to leave things as they were before. Jennie looked at the wall in amazement, but I told her merrily that I did it out of pure spite at the vicious thing.S he laughed and said she wouldn't mind doing it herself, but I must not get tired. How she betrayed herself that time! But I am here, and no person touches this paper but me,–not alive ! She tried to get me out of the room–it was too patent! But I said it was so quiet and empty and clean now that I believed I would lie down again and sleep all I could; and not to wake me even for dinner–I would call when I woke. So now she is gone, and the servants are gone, and the things are gone, and there is nothing left but that great bedstead nailed down, with the canvas mattress we found on it.We shall sleep downstairs to-night, and take the boat home to-morrow. I quite enjoy the room, now it is bare again. How those children did tear about here! This bedstead is fairly gnawed! But I must get to work. I have locked the door and thrown the key down into the front path. I don't want to go out, and I don't want to have anybody come in, till John comes. I want to astonish him. I've got a rope up here that even Jennie did not find. If that woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her! But I forgot I could not reach far without anything to stand on!This bed will not move! I tried to lift and push it until I was lame, and then I got so angry I bit off a little piece at one corner–but it hurt my teeth. Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it! All those strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths just shriek with derision! I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise, but the bars are too strong even to try. Besides I wouldn't do it. Of course not.I know well enough that a step like that is improper and might be misconstrued. I don't like to look out of the windows even– there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall -paper as I did? But I am securely fastened now by my well-hidden rope–you don't get me out in the road there ! I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when it comes night, and that is hard! It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep around as I please! I don't want to go outside. I won't, even if Jennie asks me to.For outside you have to creep on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow. But here I can creep smoothly on the floor, and my shoulder just fits in that long smooch around the wall, so I cannot lose my way. Why there's John at the door! It is no use, young man, you can't open it! How he does call and pound! Now he's crying for an axe. It would be a shame to break down that beautiful door! â€Å"John dear! † said I in the gentlest voice, â€Å"the key is down by the front steps, under a plantain leaf! † That silenced him for a few moments. Then he said–very quietly indeed, â€Å"Open the door, my darling ! â€Å"I can't,† said I. â€Å"The key is down by the front door under a plantain leaf! † And then I said it again, several times, very gently and slowly, and said it so often that he had to go and see, and he got it of course, and came in. He stopped short by the door. â€Å"What is the matter? † he cried. â€Å"For God's sake, what are you doing! † I kept on creeping just the same, but I looked at him over my shoulder. â€Å"I've got out at last,† said I, â€Å"in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back! † Now why should that man have fainted?But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time! The story of an hour by: Kate Chopin Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death. It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled h ints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of â€Å"killed. He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. She did not hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow her. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair.Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west facing her window.She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams. She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought. There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfu lly. What was it?She did not know; it was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air. Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will–as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under hte breath: â€Å"free, free, free! † The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes.They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body. She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial. She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination. And yet she had loved him–sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! Free! Body and soul free! † she kept whispering. Jos ephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the keyhold, imploring for admission. â€Å"Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door–you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven's sake open the door. † â€Å"Go away. I am not making myself ill. † No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long.It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister's waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom. Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Br ently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the accident, and did not even know there had been one.He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease–of the joy that kills. Essay prompt for short story: In the short story â€Å"the story of an hour† Chopin uses the word ‘open’ repeatedly, why do you think this and what is the significance of it? Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath I have done it again. One year in every ten I manage it– A sort of walking miracle, my skin Bright as a Nazi lampshade, My right foot A paperweight, My face a featureless, fine Jew linen. Peel off the napkin O my enemy.Do I terrify? — The nose, the eye pits, the full set of teeth? The sour breath Will vanish in a day. Soon, soon the flesh The grave cave ate will b e At home on me And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty. And like the cat I have nine times to die. This is Number Three. What a trash To annihilate each decade. What a million filaments. The peanut-crunching crowd Shoves in to see Them unwrap me hand and foot– The big strip tease. Gentlemen, ladies These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. The first time it happened I was ten. It was an accident.The second time I meant To last it out and not come back at all. I rocked shut As a seashell. They had to call and call And pick the worms off me like sticky pearls. Dying Is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well. I do it so it feels like hell. I do it so it feels real. I guess you could say I've a call. It's easy enough to do it in a cell. It's easy enough to do it and stay put. It's the theatrical Comeback in broad day To the same place, the same face, the same brute Amused shout: ‘A miracle! ‘ That knocks me out. There is a charge For the eyeing of my scars, there is a chargeFor the hearing of my heart– It really goes. And there is a charge, a very large charge For a word or a touch Or a bit of blood Or a piece of my hair or my clothes. So, so, Herr Doktor. So, Herr Enemy. I am your opus, I am your valuable, The pure gold baby That melts to a shriek. I turn and burn. Do not think I underestimate your great concern. Ash, ash– You poke and stir. Flesh, bone, there is nothing there– A cake of soap, A wedding ring, A gold filling. Herr God, Herr Lucifer Beware Beware. Out of the ash I rise with my red hair And I eat men like air. Daddy by: Sylvia Plath You do not do, you do not doAny more, black shoe In which I have lived like a foot For thirty years, poor and white, Barely daring to breathe or Achoo. Daddy, I have had to kill you. You died before I had time– Marble-heavy, a bag full of God, Ghastly statue with one gray toe Big as a Frisco seal And a head in the freakish Atlantic Where it pours bean green over blue In the waters off beautiful Nauset. I used to pray to recover you. Ach, du. In the German tongue, in the Polish town Scraped flat by the roller Of wars, wars, wars. But the name of the town is common. My Polack friend Says there are a dozen or two. So I never could tell where youPut your foot, your root, I never could talk to you. The tongue stuck in my jaw. It stuck in a barb wire snare. Ich, ich, ich, ich, I could hardly speak. I thought every German was you. And the language obscene An engine, an engine Chuffing me off like a Jew. A Jew to Dachau, Auschwitz, Belsen. I began to talk like a Jew. I think I may well be a Jew. The snows of the Tyrol, the clear beer of Vienna Are not very pure or true. With my gipsy ancestress and my weird luck And my Taroc pack and my Taroc pack I may be a bit of a Jew. I have always been scared of you, With your Luftwaffe, your gobbledygoo. And your neat mustacheAnd your Aryan eye, bright blue. Panzer-man, panzer-man, O You– Not God but a swastika So black no sky could squeak through. Every woman adores a Fascist, The boot in the face, the brute Brute heart of a brute like you. You stand at the blackboard, daddy, In the picture I have of you, A cleft in your chin instead of your foot But no less a devil for that, no not Any less the black man who Bit my pretty red heart in two. I was ten when they buried you. At twenty I tried to die And get back, back, back to you. I thought even the bones would do. But they pulled me out of the sack, And they stuck me together with glue.And then I knew what to do. I made a model of you, A man in black with a Meinkampf look And a love of the rack and the screw. And I said I do, I do. So daddy, I'm finally through. The black telephone's off at the root, The voices just can't worm through. If I've killed one man, I've killed two– The vampire who said he was you And drank my blood for a year, Seven years, if you wa nt to know. Daddy, you can lie back now. There's a stake in your fat black heart And the villagers never liked you. They are dancing and stamping on you. They always knew it was you. Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I'm through.Lets hear it for the women The women oppressed by: Francis Duggan Lets hear it for women the women oppressed In patriarchal societies their human rights are transgressed By male religious zealots who hate woman kind For to trample on women's rights any excuse they will find. Lets hear it for the women who never receive a fair go Of equality in their lives they never may know They are seen as inferior where males reign supreme And this can do little for their self esteem. Lets hear it for the women who must play second fiddle to men Where to be born a female means one cannot win Promotion in work or promotion in lifeTo an arrogant and an unfaithful man expected to be a good wife. Lets hear it for women the women men do rule And many males in positions of power can b e cruel The mothers of the children in life the hardest role Equality they need and not male control. P. O. W (Poor Oprressed Women) by: Sama Wareh Hello oppressed, With that scarf around your head, That you surely must dread, Aren't you hot? Can't you see it's sunny, Aren't your ears cold, They try to be funny, But some seriously suggest, That I am oppressed, Because I can't flaunt what I got, And they look at the way that I'm dressed, All covered up, From head to toe,How am I to attract the men, Without a little show? So I tell them, I'm oppressed, Because men can't see past the fabric? They are stuck with a conversation And a brain to pick, I flaunt, Yes I do, My personality is what I flaunt, I swear, it's true, I aint no object In men's desire, Nor am I a curve size, Because I have attire, And they tell me, Well, you were forced, Obviously, Your dad had a belt, And so you agreed, No, it was my choice, I did agree, In fact, After I did cover up, Men stopped checking out my behind , And started looking at who I am on the inside, And after I did, Respect came my way,Heads didn't turn lolling as I passed men's way, But I guess some like that attention, And women, This isn't a stab at you, I'm just expressing my point of view, After dealing with stereotypes of what people tell me I am, I can even see it in their eyes, Like my attire should be banned, And especially older women, Look at me with pity, Poor child, I wish I could help her and show her the way, Cause according to Fox tv, they've gone astray, Poor abused women, dressed in black, Can't those mean men cut them a little slack? But to their surprise, I choose to wear it, To me its freedom, Freedom from fashion implications,Telling you how to talk, dress and look, Advertising the new trend, To get you on the hook, Of being what the fashion industry can make money off of, I wear what I want and dress to impress, Myself and God, And nobody else, I wear pants and I wear skirts, I wear socks and long shirts, A nd if my name callers aren't happen with that, Then come and liberate me, Which in now a day's terms, Means kill me. Discussion questions for the poems: 1. In the poems â€Å"Lets Hear It For Women The Women Oppressed† and â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Woman),† there are two different views on women’s oppression. What are these views? 2. In the poem â€Å"P. O.W (Poor Oppressed Women)†, what image does Wareh portray throughout? What words make you think this? 3. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath refers to herself as a cat with nine times to die, why do you think she chose these words and what is the importance of them? 4. After reading â€Å"lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† what do you think Duggan’s view on women’s oppression is and how does she convey this in her poem? 5. After reading â€Å"P. O. W (Poor Oppressed Women),† how do you think Wareh views oppression and how does she show this in her p oem? 6. In â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† what images does Plath use and how are they effective? . In the poem â€Å"Daddy† by Sylvia Plath, Plath uses the word ‘daddy’ instead of ‘father’, do you think this changes the way the reader views the poem? How? 8. In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† could ‘daddy’ be something besides her father? How? 9. In the poem â€Å"Lady Lazarus,† Plath chooses the word ‘Miracle’, in what tone do you think she used this? 10. In â€Å"Lets hear it for the women the women oppressed,† how do you think Duggan’s word chose sets the mood for the poem? Thomas 1 Kelley Thomas Ms. Flara AP English IV October 22, 2012 The theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by Clarissa I read the novel â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway† by: Virginia Woolf.There are many themes throughout this novel but while reading it one was most apparent and that is the theme of Women’s oppression and how it is viewed by the Clarissa. Woolf uses the novel to show how she feels about society and oppression, especially toward women. The social setting and time period set the mood for this theme. London is returning to its social normalcies and women are moving back toward being housewives instead of working in munitions factories. She often shows her dislike of this through Clarissa. It has become a sort of way of life for her and she doesn’t truly notice she is even a part of it.