Moderate Drinking Essay - 814 Words

Moderate Drinking Alcoholism is a serious subject that relates to everyone in our society. The question of whether alcoholism should be allowed or not, forms an argument whether alcohol if drank in moderation is good for recovery or not. Many people drink in moderation to control their drinking problems, but the counter argument says its addictive. Not only are they destroying their liver, but they are also taking a risk of getting in trouble by the law. There are a lot of issues that come up about drinking, but maybe these people can not stop one day to the next. It doesnt make them bad people if they are trying to quit by drinking in moderation. It seems that in our society, a person is either a social drinker or an†¦show more content†¦If people were offered a more moderate approach to their problem drinking, they would seek help earlier and have a better chance to moderate their drinking and avoid becoming an alcoholic. Most drinkers do not have a genetic predisposition for alcoholis m. They develop a drinking problem in response to the ups and downs of daily life. Most drinkers suffer from years of alcohol abuse before they cross the line to alcoholism. If people drink light it can reduce stress and the risk of heart disease. Sensible alcohol consumption can factor into longer life expectancy. Moderate drinkers have also been shown to outlive heavy drinkers. On the other side of the argument, society complains that the legal alcohol consumption needs to be stopped. They complain without realizing the reason why people consume alcohol. The reasons behind consuming alcohol could be problems that the person is having in their life. The alcoholic wants to get over alcoholism but it just takes time. Doctors do not know the real reason why alcoholics drink. Studies indicate many people drink alcoholic beverages to escape from tensions, frustrations, and anxieties. Some people handle everyday tensions by developing psychological defenses. The alcoholic tolerance for daily stress is so low that he or she resorts to alcohol as a drug for relief. The alcoholic usually believes that only by drinking alcohol can he make hisShow MoreRelatedDefinition Of Moderate Drinking For Women Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesCurrent State By current and supportive research, the definition of moderate drinking for women is a maximum of three to four standard drinks per drinking episode, and no more than nine drinks per week. By this standard, it is important to define what a standard drink is by measurement. A standard drink is any drink that contains approximately fourteen grams or one point two tablespoons of pure alcohol. So for example this would mean that a twelve ounce beer that is five percent alcohol or a fiveRead MoreSports Drinks, Or Carbohydrate Electrolyte Beverages1034 Words   |  5 PagesMany people believe that it is a perfect alternative to water. Theses drinks are appealing to the eye, which is mainly the reason people consume the product. They get people to buy the product by advertising stars like, LeBron James and Steph Curry, drinking the products while playing or they shoot a commercial. The makers of theses drinks also likes to combine, old Gatorade commercials Michael Jordan made, with the new s ones to show how long the product has been supported. Seeing stars consume the productRead MoreAlcohol As A Beneficial Resource945 Words   |  4 Pagesfestivities and rituals within a religion as well as with health benefits. These two ideas continue to influence the patterns related to alcohol use. For starters, amongst the Catholics there is an emphasis on moderate drinking, because it is believed that alcohol is a gift from God, but that excessive drinking that results in intoxication is considered to be a sin (Hanson, p. 7). As well as, some churches use wine during rituals such as during the Holy Communion, and these traditions continue today. SecondlyRead MoreFavors for and Against Lowering the Legal Drinking Age771 Words   |  4 PagesFactors In Favor of and Against Khimley Young Critical Thinking and Problem Solving/ Hum 200 AOS Instructor Dr. Steven Mathews October 24, 2012 Lowering the Legal Drinking Age to 18: Yea or Nay Argument in Favor of Lowering the Legal Drinking Age The age of 18 is a transitional point in life. An 18-year=old can vote, marry, enlist in the military and buy cigarettes. To some it’s absurd that an 18-year-old can vote politicians into office and fight wars for the country but cannotRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol On Alcohol Consumption1373 Words   |  6 Pagesincreases as well. In fact, it has been found that the more violent a crime is, the greater the likelihood that alcohol has been involved. Researchers have found that adults who were convicted at the time were either drinking or under the influence. However, there is not enough evidence that drinking alcohol necessarily causes a person to commit to a crime. Additional factors, such as sleep deprivation, psychological disorders, and physical conditions, may play an important role. Furthermore, rates of violentRead MoreAssessmentofEvelynC Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagesmarriage, who is now married to John, a retail manager (Butcher, Hooley, Mineka, 2014). Evelyn dri nks excessively after she and John have intense arguments. Evelyn’s drinking has developed to the point that she drinks during times her children are away at school, and on occasion has been drunk when the children return home. Evelyns drinking caused her to forget her daughter at school because she was inebriated. Evelyn’s daughter reached out to her step-father for a way home. Her step-father was out ofRead MoreDrinking Age Should Be Lowered937 Words   |  4 PagesDrinking Age should be lowered from twenty one to eighteen There is no taboo subject in America quote like underage drinking. The principal problem is not the age of drinking, but the hidden binge side of it. When it comes to the law, there is always an opinion. A reform should be made about the age of drinking for numerous reasons in my personal viewpoint. In the U.S, at the age of eighteen, one can legally vote, buy cigarettes, and join the army, to cite a few things. Going against the law, criticsRead MoreBinge Drinking and College Students777 Words   |  3 PagesBinge Drinking Binge Drinking is a problem for college students who are expose to an unlimited access of alcohol for the first time ever. Studies have found that an individual’s critical thinking ability is impaired because of alcohol consumption. â€Å"Binge drinking means drinking so much within about 2 hours that blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels reach 0.08g/dl.† As the CDC reports â€Å"One in six U.S. adults binge drinks about four times a month, consuming about eight drinks per binge† . AlcoholRead MoreAdverse Effect Of Alcohol Consumption1321 Words   |  6 Pagesof Alcoholism† 1). According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, â€Å"Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21. Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive drinking, is defined as consuming: for women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion, and for men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion. Heavy drinking, however, is defined as consuming: for women, 8 or more drinks per week, and for men, 15Read MoreMotivational Model Of Alcohol Use A Drinking Consumption Of Over 5 Drinks926 Words   |  4 PagesBinge drinking is defined as a drinking consumption of over 5 drinks at a time (Presley, Meilman and Lyerla, 1995; Wechsler, Davenport, Dowdall, Moeykens, Castillo, 1994, cited in Fillmore, M.T. 2001), and there is an increase in frequent drinking and alcohol-related problems among students (Mohr et al 2005). With this severe impact, Kuntsche, Knibbe, Gmel and Engels (2006) points out that there is a long tradition about research on drinking motivations for young people. Broadly speaking, there

Women and Deception in Homers Odyssey Essay - 1986 Words

Women and Deception in the Odyssey As Agamemnon tells Odysseus, â€Å"Let it be a warning even to you. Indulge a woman never, and never tell her all you know. Some things a man may tell, some he should cover up† (Book XI 199). This is not news to Odysseus, who treats all women with caution ever since he was betrayed by his wife Helen, who acted in a way that defiled all womankind. Agamemnon did not come to this realization all by himself, however; his statement represents the common sentiment that existed throughout all ancient Greece. Even before Odysseus speaks with Agamemnon, he exhibits a similar attitude in his many encounters with women during his long journey home. Every major female character that Odysseus comes across†¦show more content†¦Both of these transgressions are against the natural order. â€Å"Although the Gods in Greek times were much more human than in other cultures, it was not tolerated for them to behave with mortals in this way, as explained by Kalypso’s arguments wit h Hermes about why the two should have to separate† (Lefkowitz 23). Odysseus for his part is not without a lie of his own; although in this particular case it may be that it is more a self-delusion than an outward lie. Odysseus cries every morning on the shores of the island, longing for home. But he also goes back to bed with Kalypso every night, showing an apathetic nature that constitutes a rare weakness on the part of the King. Very seldom is he shown in such an unflattering light. This self-delusion is a part of his need to deceive. A Goddess is not as susceptible to a lie as a mortal woman, and so Odysseus deceives himself to compensate. Most of his other confrontations are not as subtle. His encounter with Kirke, for instance, is a much cleaner deception, on the part of the adventurer and the Goddess. Kirke lures the men into her cave with promises of food and treasure, but then transforms them into animals. Odysseus’ men, famished from their days at sea, let down their guard and approach the cave. When they are trapped, Odysseus does not hesitate to come and rescue them. His answer to the Goddess is another deception, a similar tactic to that of all the various encounters that he has, both with womenShow MoreRelatedDeception Amongst Women in Greek Mythology Within the writings of Greek mythology women commonly600 Words   |  3 PagesDeception Amongst Women in Greek Mythology Within the writings of Greek mythology women commonly display certain attributes that the Greek society associated with women or femininity back in the day. A common quality demonstrated amongst the women in Greek society, and more specifically in Greek mythology, is deception. Throughout the Greek literature discussed in class, women have commonly showed their deception and trickery in different ways and for numerous different reasons. The Odyssey,Read MoreThe Odyssey And Trojan Women1684 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween them Greek poet Homer and tragedian playwright Euripides explore many of the same themes in their works the Odyssey and Trojan Women (written by each respectively). Both works are inspired by the events of 12th Century BCE Trojan War that Homer previously explored in the Iliad. The two examine the worth of cunning over brute strength, the dangers of temptation and the role of women in their respective time periods. Despite having extremely similar central ideas, th e techniques employed by eachRead More Comparing the Deceitful Women of Homers Odyssey and the Bible1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe Deceitful Women of Homers Odyssey and the Bible Across all barriers, women have always brought pain, suffering, and aguish to the men as demonstrated in both Homers Odyssey and the Bible. With their beauty and grace, temptresses like the Sirens and Delilah lure men into their grasps, only to later steer them to their ruin. Other times, they use their cunning abilities and deception, as Circe and Jezebel did, in order to entice men into doing things that they normally would neverRead MoreThe Aeneid and The Odyssey1324 Words   |  6 PagesAre there similarities between Homers The Odyssey and Virgils The Aeneid? There are many similarities that could be examined indepth. The lovers encountered in both plays can lead to the idea of ancient plagarism. The games held by the greeks and trojans are similar to the Olympic Games. The downfall of characters, cities or monsters can be seen often in many stories. Maybe rewriting history is the effort of a plagarist to cheat true historical events. The lovers Aeneas and Odysseus encounterRead MoreThe Elements Of Foils In Homers Odyssey942 Words   |  4 PagesFoiling in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary characters actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastsRead MoreEssay Homers Women: Empowerment from an Unlikely Feminist1959 Words   |  8 Pages Women have always been treated unfairly in society. Even in the modern era, women have just begun to receive their rights, many of which their male counterparts received long before. Women have their unique history and when looking back and learning of the histories behind people, including the background on women, the first place historians look are written works. Greek society is no different since much is known ab out it through Greek literature, such as the epics the Iliad and the Odyssey. HoweverRead MoreThe Similarities Of Foils In Homers Odyssey950 Words   |  4 PagesFoils in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary character’s actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature, conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastRead More Reflective essays1316 Words   |  6 Pagesincongruity can be found throughout classical as well as modern comedy. Lysistrata involves this idea of incongruity through the play. The idea of women taking the akropolis was quite incongruent with the position of women at that time. This, along with the use of the elderly chorus of men, provides several comical scenes in Lysistrata, such as the one where the women empty the pitchers over the men’s heads. Incongruity is used throughout mo dern comedies such as the Naked Gun movies with Leslie Neilson. SomeRead MoreEssay on Deceptive Females of Homers Odyssey1613 Words   |  7 PagesThe Deceptive Females of Homers Odyssey      Ã‚   Homers Odyssey is probably the most famous and well-known epic of all time. This tale relates the adventures of the archetypal hero, Odysseus. Odysseus long journey home takes him to many different places where he encounters many different monsters and creatures, but there are certain recurrent elements throughout. The most common themes in the Odyssey are forgetfulness, willingness to risk pain for pleasure, and sexual temptation.    Read MoreThe Value of Cunning over Strength Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagesunthinkable idea it seemed like back then. Women found in this book also had to have cunning and strength of character to not be pushed around like a sex slave and become an object more than a human being. They displayed as much cunning as Odysseus throughout The Odyssey. They have to rely on the power of cunning over strength because they are weaker than the men as it has been for centuries. Homers majority of minor characters it seems like are women. He is using all these minor characters to

International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development Free Essays

The last decade has witnessed the emergence of an array of increasingly vibrant movements to harness science and technology (ST) in the quest for a transition toward sustainability. These movements take as their point of departure a widely shared view that the challenge of sustainable development is the reconciliation of society’s development goals with the planet’s environmental limits over the long term. In seeking to help meet this sustainability challenge, the multiple movements to harness science and technology for sustainability focus on the dynamic interactions between nature and society, with equal attention to how social change shapes the environment and how environmental change shapes society. We will write a custom essay sample on International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development or any similar topic only for you Order Now These movements seek to address the essential complexity of those interactions, recognizing that understanding the individual components of nature society systems provides insufficient understanding about the behaviour of the systems themselves. They are problem driven, with the goal of creating and applying knowledge in support of decision making for sustainable development. Finally, they are grounded in the belief that for such knowledge to be truly useful it generally needs to be â€Å"coproduced† through close collaboration between scholars and practitioners. The research and applications program that has begun to emerge from these movements has been called sustainability science by the National Research Council. This Special Feature high-lights this emerging program and some of the new results it is beginning to produce. The need for sustainable development initiatives to mobilize appropriate science and technology has long been recognized. Early research on sustainable yield management of renewable resources provided the foundation for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s seminal World Conservation Strategy, published in 1980. The case for making appropriate research and development (RD) an integral component of sustainable development strategies was broadened by a number of international scientific organizations during the mid-1980s, promoted by the Brundtland Commission’s report Our Common Future in 1987, and enshrined in the Agenda 21 action plan that emerged from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. Over the succeeding decade, the discussion of how ST could contribute more effectively to sustainability intensified, involving numerous researchers, practitioners, scientific academies, and development rganizations from around the world. By the time of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in Johannesburg in 2002, a broadly based consensus had begun to take shape on the most important ways in which ST has already contributed to sustainability, on what new RD is most important, and on what stands in the way of getting it done. Many of the most valuable contributions of ST to sustainable development predate the term itself. These range from the â€Å"mundane technologies† that have improved delivery of basic needs for sanitation and cooking, through the yield enhancing, land saving accomplishments of the international agricultural research system, to the fundamental scholarship of geographers and anthropologists on nature society interactions. In more recent times, a host of RD efforts explicitly aimed at promoting sustainability have been launched. These extend from a rich tradition of work on energy systems and ecosystem resilience to new initiatives in industrial ecology and earth system complexity. A feel for the breadth and scope of relevant RD now underway around the world is suggested by the rapidly growing list of entries on the virtual â€Å"Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainability†. However, much remains to be done. Perhaps the strongest message to emerge from dialogues induced by the Johannesburg Summit was that the research community needs to complement its historic role in identifying problems of sustainability with a greater willingness to join with the development and other communities to work on practical solutions to those problems. This means bringing our ST to bear on the highest-priority goals of a sustainability transition, with those goals defined not by scientists alone but rather through a dialogue between scientists and the people engaged in the practice of â€Å"meeting human needs while conserving the earth’s life support systems and reducing hunger and poverty†. At the international level, the Johannesburg Summit, building on the United Nations Millennium Declaration, has defined these priorities in terms of the so-called â€Å"WEHAB† targets for water, energy, health, agriculture, and biodiversity. A more systematic study of internationally sanctioned goals and targets for a sustainability transition, together with an evaluation of the state of reporting and assessment on progress in attaining those goals, is provided by Parris and Kates in their contribution to this Special Feature. As important as this international consensus on goals and targets may be for targeting problem-driven research in support of a sustainability transition, however, it is not sufficient. A joint workshop held by the International Council for Sciences, the Third World Academy of Science, and the Initiative on Science and Technology for Sustainability concluded that â€Å"agenda setting at the global, continental, and even national scale will miss a lot of the most important needs. The transcendent challenge is to help promote the relatively `local’ (place- or enterprise-based) dialogues from which meaningful priorities can emerge, and to put in place the local support systems that will allow those priorities to be implemented†. Where such systems exist, the production of usable, place-based knowledge for promoting sustainability has been impressive indeed. The commitment of sustainability science to problem-driven agenda setting does not mean that it has been confined to â€Å"applied† research. Indeed, pursuit of practical solutions to the pressing challenges of sustainability has driven the field to tackle an array of fundamental questions. The Friibergh Workshop on Sustainability Science identified a half-dozen such core conceptual questions that have been further developed through the virtual Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainability and are beginning to appear in the context of emerging agendas in other more established fields, such as global environmental change. Examples of the new sorts of research now beginning to emerge on several of those core questions are reported elsewhere in this Special Feature: Kates and Parris on â€Å"How are long-term trends in environment and development reshaping nature–society interactions in ways relevant to sustainability†; Turner et al. on â€Å"What determines the vulnerability or resilience of the nature–society systems in particular kinds of places and for particular types of ecosystems and human livelihoods? ; and Cash et al. on â€Å"How can today’s relatively independent activities of research planning, observation, assessment, and decision support be better integrated into systems for adaptive management and societal learning? † The sustainability science program is also beginning to address a range of fundamental observational and methodological challenges. For example, H.  J. Schellnhuber and his colleagues at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research have developed innovative new answers to the question â€Å"How can the dynamic interactions between nature and society—including lags and inertia—be better incorporated in emerging models and conceptualizations that integrate the Earth system, human development, and sustainability. Wolfgang Lucht, writing in the IHDP Update, summarizes current work on answering â€Å"How can today’s operational systems for monitoring and reporting on environmental and social conditions be integrated or extended to provide more useful guidance for efforts to navigate a transition toward sustainability and a number of groups are calling for re-examination of national and international social account measures to include sustainability considerations. Activities to advance the sustainability science program are moving forward on a number of fronts and at scales from the global to the local. One of the more up-to-date lists of programs and projects is maintained on the Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainability. As an indication of the range of activities underway internationally, the International Council for Science, Third World Academy of Sciences, Initiative on Science and Technology for Sustainability, and other organizations have formed a Consortium for promoting a coordinated international program of research, capacity building, and applications. The Earth System Science Partnership of the Global Environmental Change Programmes has launched a series of â€Å"Joint Projects on Sustainability† focused on problems of food security, water, and carbon management. An increasing number of international science assessments for environmental protection (e. g. , the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Millennium Ecosystem Assessments) are incorporating sustainability concerns. And a rapidly expanding set of multi-stakeholder â€Å"Partnerships for Sustainable Development† are developing in the wake of the Johannesburg Summit. An even greater variety of ST-based efforts are underway at the local, regional, and national levels around the world. The research products of some of these efforts are beginning to appear in the published literature, although many of the relatively local results remain largely unknown beyond their places of origin and application. Sustainability science is not yet an autonomous field or discipline, but rather a vibrant arena that is bringing together scholarship and practice, global and local perspectives from north and south, and disciplines across the natural and social sciences, engineering, and medicine. Its scope of core questions, criteria for quality control and membership are consequently in substantial flux and may be expected to remain so for some time. Nonetheless, as the papers included in this Special Feature are meant to suggest, something different is surely â€Å"in the air,† something that is intellectually exciting, practically compelling, and might as well be called â€Å"sustainability science. † How to cite International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development, Essay examples

Effective Social Media Communication-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Use of the Social Media for Workplace Communication. Answer: Introduction Effective communication is one of the essential activities that needs to be incorporated within the workplace. Lack of effcetive communication makes it difficult to deal with the technical and high level of challenges that are involved within the workplace. It is also not possible to implement the proper strategies of decision making system (Meredith, 2012). This prospal aims to focus upon the use of social media that will be used as a part of the communication strategy within the workplace. The purpose of the report from the proposal is to identify the communication issues that are encountered within the Commonwealth Bank. The following report will thereby help to implement the newcommunication strategy that is based upon the use of the tool of social media. The intended audience for the report will be the stakeholders and the employees of the Commonwealth Bank. The report will thereby help the internal stakeholders of the organization to make proper use of the tool of social media as an important part of the communication strategy. The Common Wealth Bank is one of the top financial organization within region of Australia and NewZealand with the total number of employees of 45,129 (Commbank.com.au, 2017). This makes the organization one of the top recruiter within the region. The communication strategy of the bank is focused upon improving better level of customer service and better work performance within the employees. With the help of the strategy of integrated marketing campaign, it is possible for the bank to improve upon the networking communication. Discussions The report will discuss about the communication information strategy that is being implemented within the bank. This helps them to maintain high level of clarity within the stakeholders. The report will highlight information about the communication strategy that will be implemented within the workplace of the Commonwealth Bank. It is also important to discuss about the importance and the popularity of the social media that can help to deal with the cases related with the communication issues. Importance and ease of the use of the social media will also be an important part of the discussion. The information of the total percentage of people, who make use of the social media will be used as a part of the report. This is also one of the most important part of implementing new communication strategy. It can be said that due to the popularity of the social media, it is possible to make use of the same as part of business communication. This is also one of the major implications that can help in the matters related to providing important companyinformation to the stakeholders. The banks policy needs to consider few of the important matters related with communication process (Qualman, 2010). The main aim of the communication strategy is to ensure that workers at all level of the bank are able to share their work related thoughts. In the context, it can be said that with the use of the social media it is possible to easily to develop the network with the organization (Edosomwan et al., 2011). Conclusion The conclusion part will provide the justification for using the tool of social media as part of the communication strategy. It will also help to focus on the strategies that can be used as a part of the communication strategy and thereby highlight the importance of the same. Recommendations Recommendations need to be provided such that effective social media communication is carried out in the Common Wealth Bank. Effective use of social media, for the purpose of business, along with ensuring improved level of social media communication strategy is also recommended. References Commbank.com.au. (2017). Commonwealth Bank provides an update on customer and employee review and remediation actions. [online] Available at: https://www.commbank.com.au/guidance/newsroom/customer-and-employee-review-and-remediation-201708.html [Accessed 7 Nov. 2017]. Edosomwan, S., Prakasan, S. K., Kouame, D., Watson, J., Seymour, T. (2011). The history of social media and its impact on business. Journal of Applied Management and entrepreneurship, 16(3), 79. Meredith, M. J. (2012). Strategic communication and social media: An MBA course from a business communication perspective. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), 89-95. Qualman, E. (2010). Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. John Wiley Sons.

Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Analysis Essay Example

Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Analysis Paper Act IV scene 1 is an intense scene in the play where we see many of the play’s main themes such as justice and mercy, money and status, revenge, loyalty, love and prejudice and tolerance. Shakespeare presents a harsh character in Shylock the Jew, but the fact that he also gives him the chance to speak more than any other European playwright preceding him would suggest that his portrayal is not conventional but much more complex for example in his words in Act III scene 1, lines 57-58: â€Å"I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions?† Much of Shakespeare’s enduring appeal has been in his amazing portrayal of the complexities of the human condition for example Hamlet or Macbeth. Traditionally Jews were the evil villains of Elizabethan drama, frequently Machiavellian or greedy but unlike his contemporaries Shakespeare’s characters were never simply ‘good’ or ‘evil’ but embody the complex mix within each of us that makes us human. Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Essay Sample We will write a custom essay sample on Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Act 4 Merchant Of Venice Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Analysis of Act IV scene 1, in three different versions of The Merchant Of Venice Analysis of Act IV scene 1, in three different versions of The Merchant Of Venice Analysis of Act IV scene 1, in three different versions of The Merchant Of Venice The main dilemma in staging this play today is in the consideration of Shakespeare’s possible anti-semitism and/or sympathies towards his character and indeed whether Shylock only represents the Jewish people or whether he is symbolic of oppression of minority races in general. Through Shylock’s forced conversion in this scene we are reminded of the conversions of other religions according to the ruler of the time such as Henry VIII. This would suggest that Shakespeare is using Shylock as more than a symbol of ‘Jewishness’. In this piece of coursework I will be examining mainly how sympathetic or unsympathetic the various versions seem to be and how each Director has succeeded in making the character of Shylock worthy of Shakespeare’s realism. Jews were traditionally viewed as outsiders and were not citizens. Christians as far back as the 11th century could not lend money without interest and many Jews earned a living from this ‘profession’ as they could not join the artisan guilds. As they became their own debt collectors they soon became the target of resentment. A myth was born; with which Shakespeare’s audience would have been familiar, of ritual murder or ‘blood libel’ that Jews would kill adult Christians. It is to this myth to which Shakespeare seems to allude in the ‘pound of flesh’ incident in this scene. Shakespeare is original in showing us the extent to which Shylock is oppressed by Christians surrounding him and it is through this that Shakespeare succeeds in drawing out sympathy from his audience. Analysis of Act IV scene 1 In the text of Act IV scene 1 before we meet Shylock he is described as â€Å"a stony adversary, an inhuman wretch, incapable of pity, void and empty from any dram of mercy†. Antonio describes Shylock’s spirit as being full of â€Å"tyranny and rage†. When Shylock enters into the scene the Duke challenges him saying â€Å"The world thinks, and I think so too, that thou but leadest this fashion of thy malice To the last hour of act, and then ’tis thought Thou’lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange than is thy strange apparent cruelty†. At this point the audience is immediately drawn into the suspense of the scene. The Duke speaks for everyone in hoping that Shylock will back down. The combination of the Duke’s speech on mercy and his hope for â€Å"a gentle answer† with Shylock’s contemptuous reply serves to further provoke the audience. Calling Shylock ‘Jew’ instead of using his name also manipulates the audience’s reactions into thinking of the stereotype rather than the individual. At this point the Duke says â€Å"Let him stand before our face† suggests Shylock should stand centre stage for this speech. Shylock’s reply to the Duke and onlookers is so long winded that he immediately loses favour. This speech would be effective if he was standing up as he speaks about his values. It is a central point in the scene as it is his first opportunity to defend himself but he does not elicit sympathy from his onlookers. He is instead twisting, evasive and difficult: â€Å"So can I give no reason, nor I will not, more than a lodged hatred and a certain loathing I bear Antonio†. He ends this key speech in his defence with an open admission of his hatred. His illustrations of animals, later paralleled in Antonio’s speech, are deliberately offensive. He plays with the words of Bassanio, twists them and turns them back on the speaker providing a quickfire dialogue which builds up the tension from the outset. The repeated references to â€Å"the Jew† suggest an element of anti-semitism. The imagery of the wolf and the lamb is very effective as it evokes both blood lust for an innocent creature and also the key theme of religion in the form of the lamb of God. His â€Å"Jewish heart† again evokes the stereotype of the unfeeling moneylender. The Duke’s repeated pleas for mercy, a key theme in the scene, serve only to enforce Shylock’s determination to have exactly what he is owed: the pound of flesh. Ironically this steadfast and unrelenting desire to have his ‘bond’ is what ultimately results in his downfall at the end of the scene. There is a certain irony in Shylock’s swearing on â€Å"our holy Sabbath† to have his bond as God teaches forgiveness. His demand of â€Å"What judgement shall I dread, doing no wrong?† conveys his arrogance as he seems utterly convinced of being in the right. When Shylock challenges his onlookers as to their treatment of slaves, this could suggest a defence of those oppressed and support the view that Shakespeare’s position was not only pro-Jewish but more globally in support of oppressed minorities in general. The climax of Shylock’s claim is spoken with great force and evokes some sympathy finally when he alludes to how the pound of flesh â€Å"is dearly bought†. I would exploit this line as a key point in his speech. When he demands the fatal reply from the Court it is ironic as it is the intricacies of the law of Venice which eventually condemns him. He could conceivably be holding his ‘bond’ in his hand at this stage for maximum visual impact. Bassanio’s words â€Å"The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all† are somewhat reminiscent of Shylock’s earlier words in Act III scene I: â€Å"I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions?† His reference to â€Å"one drop of blood† also sets the scene for what will unfold and heightens the audience’s suspense as to a possible blood libel. Gratiano’s pun on ‘sole’ and ‘soul’ indicate for us how Shylock is sharpening his knife. At this point sympathy for Shylock must be at its lowest as he does indeed come across as having ‘bloody’ and ‘ravenous’ desires and he again seems to dismiss Bassanio’s words with contempt. Antonio and Bassanio must surely end this section feeling thoroughly pessimistic. Their speech would surely be filled with tension and a desperate sense of urgency. With Portia’s arrival, however, the mood immediately lightens. As a symbol of Christianity her determined pleas for mercy provide hope for a more positive outcome and compel the audience further. Even Portia refers initially to Shylock as â€Å"the Jew†. Her lyrical and moving speech regarding the â€Å"quality of mercy† dropping â€Å"as the gentle rain from heaven† contrasts sharply with Antonio’s earlier speech on Shylock’s lack of mercy: â€Å"You may as well forbid the mountain pines to wag their high tops and to make no noise when they are fretten with the gusts of heaven†. It also contrasts with Shylock’s short punctuated sentences. When Portia suggests that Shylock will be blessed in return for showing mercy it is loaded with irony as at the end he is granted mercy regardless of not having done the same. Shylock’s patience seems to be running out when he challenges Portia’s words: â€Å"My deeds upon my head, I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond†. I imagine this said with controlled anger. Throughout this speech Shylock remains determined and unmoved. He continues to make religious references and begins to compliment Portia on her apparent wisdom. He recites passages from his bond one imagines in a tone of expectation at things going his way. When Bassanio and Gratiano speak with great emotion of their own wives whom they would sacrifice for Antonio’s sake, their words are contrasted with Shylock’s to great effect: â€Å"I have a daughter†. This for the first time really underlines the pain that Shylock has been caused and shows that rather than being a man incapable of emotion, that he too has suffered greatly and that this is at the root of his determination to have what he is rightfully owed. The change in mood at this point makes Portia’s verdict even more shocking and sudden. Ironically Shylock who seemed earlier to know every word of his bond now seems somewhat uncertain for the first time as Portia recites the word of the law to him: â€Å"Is that the law?† He then persists in demanding â€Å"the bond thrice† and seems suddenly unsettled, edgy and in a hurry to depart. This is conveyed through his short, punctuated speech. Towards the end of the scene in a dramatic and ironic role reversal we see Shylock begging for his livelihood and his life: â€Å"Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that. You take my house, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my house; you take my life, When you do take the means whereby I live†. His poignant words â€Å"I am content† in reply to the verdict granted by the Court I imagine being said with utmost humility. His claims of being ‘not well’ could elicit sympathy from the audience. We are reminded here of him as not only being a cantankerous man but primarily an old man, fragile and ephemeral like other humans. It is on this note that Shakespeare chooses to herald Shylock’s exit. Discussion of version 1 The Channel 4 television version was produced and directed by Alan Horrox and starred Bob Peck as Shylock and Benjamin Whitrow as Antonio. This version was very traditional it was set in Venice in the sixteenth century and was filmed both in studio (Millennium studios) and on location in Venice. Music is also used in this version both during Portia’s speech on mercy and again when Shylock is going to cut Antonio this adds to the suspense of the scene. This version portrays Shylock in parts as a harsh character for whom you would show less sympathy. He is portrayed as a haughty character and points his finger at Antonio saying â€Å"The pound of flesh which I demand of him is dearly bought, ’tis mine and I will have it†. In a later part of the scene his haughty attitude is reinforced when he is again asked to show mercy he replies â€Å"On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.† Close up camera work was used effectively at this point. Shylock’s character changes when he feels things are going his way, he grovels to Portia and praises her, he has a look of pleasure on his face when he unsheathes his knife and is ready to cut Antonio. When Shylock is about to cut Antonio he notices that he has a cross around his neck and so he pushes it over his shoulder demonstrating his dislike of Christianity. However, his attitude changes to one of shock when Portia stops him. From this point onward one is inclined to feel sorry for Shylock as he goes from being quite wealthy to losing everything because of his own stubborn attitude and lack of sympathy. At the very end of the scene when Shylock is on his knees you are inclined to feel sympathetic towards him. Discussion of version 2 Trevor Nunn directed this version and it starred Henry Goodman as Shylock and David Bamber as Antonio. It was filmed at Pinewood Studios. The setting was very stark with most actors wearing dark suits and it was set in the 1920s in between the two World Wars. Through this version we see the many different sides to Shylock’s character. At the start of the scene he appears as an old man who has difficulty in walking which elicits a little sympathy. However, Shylock’s character is strong and when he is insisting on his bond the previous feeling of sympathy changes to one of abhorrence. His dislike of both Christianity and Antonio is noted early in the scene by his facial expression when he states, â€Å"More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing I bear Antonio, that I follow thus†. Antonio further emphasises Shylock’s Jewishness when he states â€Å"As seek to soften that – than which what’s harder? – His Jewish heart.† here showing how Shylock is viewed as hard hearted. Feelings change again when Shylock says with regard to his daughter â€Å"dearly bought† as this evokes sympathy for him and close up camera work is used effectively at this point. Shylock speaks with anger refusing to show mercy and insisting on his bond. When Bassanio said â€Å"Yes, here I tender it for him in the court, Yea, twice the sum, if that will not suffice, I will be bound to pay it ten times o’er On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart. If this will not suffice, it must appear That malice bears down truth† applause was used effectively to show support for Antonio and to isolate Shylock. Shylock goes on to appear very happy and excited at the prospect of receiving his bond. However, when the tables are turned he is stubborn and refuses to beg for mercy this could evoke anti-semitic feelings as he is portrayed standing alone while Antonio has the support of his Christian friends. Although Shylock remained seated at the end I still felt sorry for him as he looked old and frail especially when he removed his Jewish hat and cloth placing them on the scales as he left. Discussion of version 3 This version was directed for television by John Sichel and starred Laurence Olivier as Shylock, Anthony Nichols as Antonio. The actors all wore Victorian costumes and the setting was like a board meeting with all in attendance sitting round it and the furniture was very ornate. This created a highly pressurised environment. Shylock was more confident and walked round the table, his voice was strong and facial expressions were used effectively to portray his emotions. Again we see the confident, stubborn man in early scenes when Shylock is demanding his bond. He shows his disgust and hatred of Antonio both by his facial expression and tone of voice, when he says â€Å"a certain loathing I bear Antonio†. He shows his confidence in his demands when he walks about saying â€Å"What judgement shall I dread, doing no wrong?† His feelings show pleasure as he smiles when sharpening his knife to cut his pound of flesh. He speaks with great arrogance when he says, â€Å"On what compulsion must I?† showing his determination to have what is owed. There is sarcasm in his voice when he refers to Christian husbands willing to sacrifice their wives for Antonio by saying â€Å"These be the Christian husbands.† The lighting was impressive throughout the scene and there was effective close up camera work during Portia’s speech, for example, when she said, â€Å"It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.† and also when Shylock made the statement â€Å"I have a daughter† because this focused on Shylock’s suffering for the first time.. In this version Shylock is a more arrogant character. He raises his voice and gets extremely angry and looks shocked and surprised when he asks the question â€Å"Is that the law?† At the very end of the scene you feel sorry for Shylock, as he seems old, fragile and weak. He looks as though he has lost everything in the world and he has to hold onto a pillar for support. He falls to the ground and is helped out of the room. The scene ends with just the sound of Shylock crying outside which is very effective as it emphasises his isolation. Comparison of versions and personal opinions Although all three versions told exactly the same story they all had very different settings and portrayed Shylock in a slightly different way although each one elicited sympathy for him. The Channel 4 version was very colourful and used traditional Shakespearean costumes. Lighting and music were used effectively and the setting gave the impression of a real courtroom. I felt some sympathy for Shylock in this version The Trevor Nunn version was simplistic, with most actors dressed in dark suits. It gave me the impression of rival mafia style gangs. The final version, which was done by the National Theatre Company, was my favourite. Laurence Olivier portrayed Shylock as a strong confident character who moved around the room making him appear more arrogant than in the other two versions but also eliciting sympathy. I felt this version was the best as it succeeded in conveying the complexities of Shylock’s character. We saw both arrogance and frailty and I thought it conveyed the story as Shakespeare was trying to put it across in the text.

French people Essay Example

French people Essay Example French people Essay French people Essay The representatives of the French people, constituted into a National Assembly, considering that ignorance, forgetting or contempt of the rights of man are the sole causes of public misfortunes and of the corruption of governments, are resolved to expose [i.e., expound], in a solemn declaration, the natural, inalienable and sacred rights of man, so that that declaration, constantly present to all members of the social body, points out to them without cease their rights and their duties; so that the acts of the legislative power and those of the executive power, being at every instant able to be compared with the goal of any political institution, are very respectful of it; so that the complaints of the citizens, founded from now on in simple and incontestable principles, turn always to the maintenance of the Constitution and to the happiness of all. The opening line of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen enunciates the primary motivation for its creation.   A fundamental document that was the product of the French Revolution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen espouses what the National Assembly considered as the natural and inalienable rights of man.   Arguing that the individual and collective rights of all of the individuals in all the estates of the realm are universal, this declaration is the answer of the National Assembly against the abuse of power that occurred during the French Revolution.   It was a crucial declaration that paved the way for the institution of a Constitutional Monarchy. : It must be remembered that the French Revolution was major turning point in European History as it signaled the end of aristocracy and marked the age of western Democracy.   The citizens of a nation were no longer to be regarded as servants but as a dominant political force in determining policies of a nation (Doyle, 2002).   There are many interrelated causes for the French Revolution.   Perhaps the single most obvious cause was the rising ambition of bourgeoisie class who were allied with the lower class folk in their attempt to overthrow what was then perceived as an oppressive monarchy in France during that period (McPhee, 2002).   With the hardships that the peasant class experienced during those times, the bourgeoisie was easily able to manipulate them and gain their support.   The fiscal crises that ensued due to the insolvency of the French monarchy led to massive poverty and hunger in France and further attempts to remedy the situation by imposing higher taxes fina lly caused the lower classes to overthrow the rulers of France (Doyle, 2002). The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was important for the National Assembly to issue because it was the first step in creating the constitution of France.   Prepared by Marquis de Lafayette, this Declaration spearheaded the efforts for reform and was later replaced by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1793.   It also defined the individual and collective rights that all Estates of the Realm were to be granted.   Since it was influenced heavily by the Doctrine of Natural Rights, the rights that were granted through the Declaration were argued to be universal in its application, being granted to everyone, even to those who were not from the nobility or the clergy. This removal of any distinctions as to class was critical at this juncture in the French Revolution because this was one of the main causes for the revolution in the first place.   The abuses that the nobility and certain members of the clergy committed against those of lower stature had become too much that the citizens decided to revolt.   â€Å"Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good.†Ã‚   It is clear that the declaration manifested several of the sentiments that the citizenry had for the nobility and accordingly addressed them by making the declarations contained therein. As the first step in paving the way for a constitutional monarchy, the National Assembly saw it as imperative that such a declaration be issued; â€Å"All the citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally admissible to all public dignities, places, and employments, according to their capacity and without distinction other than that of their virtues and of their talents†.   The principles that are contained in the declaration clearly show this was an essential preparatory step to the establishment of a new type of government.   As such, it was also essential that certain important provisions be included so that the public would be more accepting of such. Drawing on several political philosophies, the Declaration of the rights of man and citizen, was influenced by the philosophical and political principles that were prevalent during the Age of Enlightenment, more particularly individualism and the social contract of John Locke.   This radical re-ordering of society was necessary according to the National Assembly.   The Doctrine of Popular Sovereignty and Equal Opportunity had struck a pleasing chord among the masses and the National Assembly realized that for any change to take place it had to have overwhelming public support. Another reason why it was important to issue the declaration of the rights of man and citizen was because of the fact that it was to be used as the framework for the new government that the National Assembly sought to establish.   In the French Model, the nobility existed for the sole purpose of governance so that there would be a common factor that united the people and helped them progress in a singular direction.   These governments exhibited a certain structure wherein there was a single ruler or head that gave the decrees and orders and determined what laws were to be established.   There was no separation of powers as is characterized by the more modern forms of government that exist around the world at the present.   All powers, executive, legislative and judicial, were more often embodied in a single person or head.   As the events leading up to the French Revolution have shown, this was a bad precedent and has been corrected by the separation of powers to prevent t he abuse by the solitary head or ruler. As such, the declaration clearly set out to define the principle of sovereignty.   It was crucial that the principle of sovereignty was defined as being inherent in the Nation.   To prevent further abuses of power, the declaration made provisions to ensure that nobody was deprived of their sovereign rights.   Being inherent, it recognized that everyone was equal.   This was in stark contrast to the previous assertions concerning the divine right of kings.   The French Monarchy claimed that the authority that the ruler or head exercised was said to have been derived from a much higher being or one form of deity or another.   The power to rule over the people was never claimed, until later years, to be from the common will of the masses but rather was authority that was handed down from God and therefore unquestionable.   This practice was common in most governments until after the Middle Ages when the European societies gave rise to new religions and the birth of the Ame rican civilization.   As such, this provision was included in order to prevent further abuses.   By arguing that power lay with the people and was not bestowed upon a certain class, it protected the masses from future abuses by those in power. Historically, the lower class of French society had few rights, if any.   They did not have the same privileges as the upper classes and were frequently the victims of abuse.   In order to institute the reform that was needed, the National Assembly had to provide this class of society with a sense of identity.   As such, the declaration made sure that these individuals could no longer be trampled on or taken advantage of by those of the First and Second Estates.   The abolition of any distinction and the establishment of sovereignty as being inherent in the members of the States provided the former members of the Third Estate with the identity to participate in the determination of the their nation’s political identity. Rights such as Fair Hearing and Due Process were no longer reserved for the privileged few but were inalienable rights inherent in every citizen.   In cases wherein they would not be properly represented, the National Assembly provided the declaration to ensure that they would be able to freely exercise their right to be heard.   Regarding the issue of taxation, the Third Estate were also protected so that everyone was subject to such tax equally.   As laborers, the Third Estate were also granted protections under law to prevent them from being abused. The declaration of the rights of man and citizen was a crucial piece of legislation that the National Assembly needed to issue in order to facilitate the transition into a Constitutional Monarchy.   By granting the members of the Third Estate with a new identity and with more rights under the law, the National Assembly radically changed the political landscape and thus made it possible for the French Revolution to finally end. References: Doyle, W. (2002) Oxford history of the French Revolution, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press Furet, Francois (1996) The French Revolution 1770-1814 2nd Edition Oxford Blackwell, pp 3-101 944.04 Fur. McPhee, P. (2002) The French Revolution, 1789-1799, Oxford: Oxford University Press Owen, Connelly (1999) The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era 3rd Edition; London, Thompson Learning, Chapters 1-3 Palmer, R. (1959) The Age of the Democratic Revolution: A Political History of Europe and America, 1760-1800. vol 1 nbsp;

PARAPHRASE chapter 14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PARAPHRASE chapter 14 - Essay Example As a result, these technological changes influence the phasing out of some highly regarded popular models. Conversely, global beverages manufacturers such as Coke and Pepsi operate in an industry that is not influenced by technological changes to necessitate the need for a formula change. For this reason, the two continually divest while the recurrent expenditure for the auto manufacturers continually rises to ensure production. Brand equity has been crucial to Pepsi and Coke since consumers valued the brands and identify with them consequently purchasing products from the two firms continually. For this reason, the two companies have created unique brands unlike companies such as Detroit. Indeed, what the two companies rely on is the brand equity since consumer studies indicate that Coke and RC have no different taste. Conversely, creating brand equity has evaded Ford and GM for long. Furthermore, the choice of selecting a particular brand of beverage arises from personal considerations that make consumers stick to the particular brand. On the other hand, facts related to features and prices of a model guide consumers to choose the brand of choice. Factors such as imitations and employee turnover, affect General Motors and Ford’s sustainability since they are a threat to the firms’ advantages in technology and economies of scale. In this case, the copyrights held by the firms at times expire while other firms imitate them and come up with similar products. On the other hand, the formula used to manufacture products by Coke and Pepsi is unique and thus inimitable. To end with, automobile manufacturers have an unlimited access to a wide market enabled by the internet and the option to engage in dealership with other countries for their products. On the other hand, beverage manufacturers and producers of perishable goods entering the market face a challenge to identify shelf

The relationship between HRM and business performance Literature review

The relationship between HRM and business performance - Literature review Example First, the review suggests that human resource practices have synergistic and performance enhancing influences when used in conjunction with empowerment-enhancing practices that boost employee responsibility and autonomy. Secondly, study attempts to explore the link between HRM and firm performance by studying frameworks that link HRM to financial performance despite the various studies that claim there is no link between HRM and Firm performance. The literature offers overview on research regarding HRM and Businesses performance and subsequently shows the relation between HRM and performance in organizations. Business strategy and the integration of HRM practices form an essential factor in organizational effectiveness because the use of business strategy as a contingent factor moderates the relation between human resources practices as el as firm performance. Therefore, business strategies paired together with proper HRM activities have positive influences on the firm’s perf ormance. According to Ahmad and Schroeder(2003) and their counterparts Youndt and Snell(2004), the impact of HRM to organizational outcomes became an essential topic in early 1990s because it attaches significance to motivational aspects of organizational practices in developing and utilizing human capital. HRM involves development of people’s abilities and attitudes in way that the individual can develop personally and contribute toward the organization’s goals. According to Youndt and Snell(2004), other studies consider HRM practices to be pay and reward, recruitment and selection, training and development, health and safety as well as work expansion or reduction. However, various studies suggest that six essential HRM practices that are likely to positively influence a firm’s performance include training and development, teamwork, incentives, HR planning, performance appraisal as well as employment security (Sels, Winne, Delmotte, Maes, Faems and Forrier, 200 6; Seibert,Silver and Randolph, 2004). According to Sels et al (2006), training and development involves the amount of formal training offered to employees, although organizations can offer extensive training, organizations also rely on acquired skills through selection and socialization. Training in businesses influence performance in two key ways the first one being, that training improves on the relevant skills, capabilities, and secondly training compliments employees’ satisfaction in their prevailing job and workplace. Teamwork in businesses contributes to business performance because it results in effective achievement, facilitates flow of ideas resulting in innovative solution and helps in saving administrative costs associated with paying specialists in order to watch people (Sels et al 2006). Incentives in businesses rely on performance and remain one of the usual means for organizations to enhance employee motivation through provision of performance-contingent incen tive in order to align employee and shareholder interests. According to Chiang(2004), although compensation is categorised into financial and non-financial incentives, some incentives like pay incentives in form of bonuses and profit sharing or even indirect compensation like health insurance and vacation all influence the performance of firms. According to Gill and Meyer(2008), HR planning in enterprises involves forecasting

One page sammary Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

One page sammary Quality - Essay Example Customer Focus - This category deals with how the organization captures and holds on to its customers for long-term success. The strategies for this category include how the organization creates a customer-focused environment, and how the organization listens to the needs of their customers. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management - The focus of this category is how the organization selects, gathers, analyzes, manages, and improves upon its current data and information. It also delves into how an organization implements reviews into their practices to improve its performances. Workforce Focus - The purpose of this category is to examine how the organization develops the workforce to make use of its full potential in regard to the overall mission and strategy of the organization. The goal is to have a workforce environment that is working on its highest performance. Process Management - This category looks at how the organization designs its work systems and how it manages and improves the key processes for executing these work systems to benefit customer value and to obtain organizational success. Results - This category looks at every aspect of the organization’s performance and improvement, from product outcomes and customer-focused outcomes, to financial and workforce-focused outcomes. Performance levels are taken into consideration and examined in regard to those of

The Metamorphosis Symbolism

The Metamorphosis Symbolism The opening line of the story is shocking and bizarre. One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin. In other words, Gregor is transformed overnight from a human being into a bug. Although it is unclear whether this metamorphosis is literal or figurative, this transformation is undoubtedly the focus of the entire story. Gregors lack of anxiety or panic upon recognizing his dreadful predicament is noteworthy. His conclusion that taking a later train to work will solve his problem is amusing. Taken literally, becoming an insect is reason to panic. His reaction suggests that the metamorphosis was subconscious; he did not literally change into a bug but rather gradually realized his status and felt like a bug. Eventually, however, Gregor realizes that he is just being used by his family. After this reality sinks in, symbolized by his agitated dreams, Gregory actually feels like a bug. He recognizes his isolation and alienation from society. The grand metamorphosis takes place, and eventually Gregor experiences a complete role reversal. He tries to catch the next train to work and to continue as he had before his realization. However, Gregor is so distraught that he cannot bring himself to get out of bed. Subconsciously he can no longer tolerate his familys treatment of him. However, it is only after his oversleeping that Gregor can begin to acknowledge his wasteful existence. Gregors oversleeping through agitated dreams represents his resentment of his pathetic situation. Before his transformation he would quickly jump out of bed to continue his miserable life without considering an alternative lifestyle. In his sleep however he is afforded the opportunity to momentarily escape life to contemplate his inner turmoil. The agitated dreams represent his pitiable existence; the oversleeping serves as the initial stage of Gregor recognizing this existence. Gregor is not the only character in this story that experiences a transformation. His parents and his sister are forced to change as well in order to adapt to their new circumstances. Upon realizing Gregors metamorphosis, his family leaves him in his room and isolates him, just as they had done in the past. His mother cant stand the sight of him, and they separate further. Gregors father is forced to return to work and thereby assumes the role of supporting the family. As long as Gregor was working, his father was unwilling to pursue a career; rather, he was content to let Gregor support the family all by himself. Thus, Gregors working allows Mr. Samsa to sit home all day doing nothing. It is only through Gregors inability to work that his father is forced to assume the role of supporting the family. Consequently, Gregors sickness and death facilitates his fathers career development. In his sickness, even his father cannot stand the sight of him and in disgust fatally wounds Gregor by throwing an apple at him. Kafka uses the apple to make a biblical allusion to symbolize the apple from the tree of knowledge. The apple represents Gregors awareness of his pitiful existence. His father throws the apple at him to show that Gregor is being rejected by his family. This new reality of alienation and isolation drives him to his ultimately fatal mental state. His fathers unhealthy dependence on his son leads Gregor to feel estranged. This alienation causes Gregor to manifest his feelings of worthlessness and isolation in a way that would affect his body. This mental breakdown eventually drives Gregor mad leading to his untimely death. Unlike Mr. Samsa, Gregorys sister cares for him and attempts to nurse him back to health by providing him with food and encouragement. However, even she is unable to put up with him after a while. She comments that the bug cannot possibly be Gregor as if it were he would have realized long ago that human beings cannot possibly live with such an animal and he would have left of his own accord. At that point, being completely stripped of his humanity and being, completely rejected by his family, Gregors transformation to a bug is complete. Ironically, Gregors miserable life of serving his family is better than the alternative. Once he can no longer provide for his family, life was not worth living. After Gregor is dead, the Samsas are relieved, and they make plans for their daughter to get married. As long as Gregor was alive, his family is unable to proceed through life and move on. Rather, they depended on Gregor for everything and made no effort to be productive. Their troubled relationship with Gregor was thereby harmful to the entire family. The numerous transformations in The Metamorphosis emphasize the importance of maintaining healthy relationships. The dysfunctional Samsa household relies on their son Gregory to support the entire family. This ridiculous role reversal not only causes Gregor to have a mental breakdown, but also prevents the rest of his family from pursuing their own careers. Only after Gregorys death is his family able to move on with life. Kafka uses the transformations in The Metamorphosis to reinforce the importance of maintaining healthy relationships. When people get caught in abusive relationships, their entire families fall apart. The important lessons that Kafka teaches in The Metamorphosis continue to have relevance today.

Cathy Ames as the Devil in John Steinbecks East of Eden Essay

Cathy Ames as the Devil  in East of Eden    East of Eden was a novel that explored the roots of evil in its most primal form. Through intricate plot lines and complex characters, John Steinbeck weaved a tale of brutality, cruelty, and isolation. One important character that helped to illustrate the presence of evil throughout the book was Cathy Ames, an intelligent woman who ruthlessly used other people to serve her own needs. When reflecting upon East of Eden, a debate that often surfaces is whether Cathy's evil was a result of nature or nurture. Arguments for and against both sides are in the book. At some times, Cathy is portrayed as a wicked fiend who's aggression stems from nowhere but her own empty heart. Other times, Cathy appears weak and afraid of people who aren't the least bit intimidating. Those are the moments in the book where one must question whether Cathy is truly evil, or just an impatient and self-centered individual.    Cathy's upbringing did not seem to be a likely place to foster dissent and animosity in the young girl. Her pa...