THE SCAFFOLDING OF SIN Essays - English-language Films,

THE SCAFFOLDING OF SIN For thousands of years, humans have confronted their sinfulness. Some trust in their religious faith to help with their struggles, some sin more to hide the truth. But in the end, man must stand alone ? as a sinful creature before God. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale has a difficult time finding a place to relieve his sin. The Scarlet Letter's scaffold is a place for the protagonist to find peace with himself. That scaffold holds more importance than just somewhere to condemn prisoners. It is the one place where Dimmesdale felt liberated to say anything he wishes. In Puritan culture, the scaffold is used to humiliate and chastise prisoners, be it witches at the stake, thieves in the stocks, or a murderer hanging from the gallows. In The Scarlet Letter, the scaffold was viewed more as a place of judgement. ?Meagre ... was the sympathy that a transgressor might look for, from such bystanders, at the scaffold.? (p. 63) Indeed, it was used for castigation, but it was also a place of trial: Hester's trial was held at the scaffold. Standing upon the platform opens oneself to God and to the world. ?They stood in the noon of that strange and solemn splendor, as if it were the light that is to reveal all secrets, and the daybreak that shall unite all who belong to one another.? (p. 186) Being on the scaffold puts oneself in a feeling of spiritual nakedness- where you feel exposed to God, but cleans ed. It was the one place where Dimmesdale could find complete reconciliation. Witnessing such an event as reconciliation is quite a fascinating experience. But without knowing what is going on, it can also be quite horrifying. ?Without any effort of his will, or power to restrain himself, he [Dimmesdale] shrieked aloud: an outcry that went pealing through the night, and was beaten back from one house to another, and reverberated from the hills in the background; as if a company of devils, detecting so much misery and terror in it, had made a plaything of the sound, and were bandying it to and fro.? (pp. 178-9) Indeed, the townsfolk felt the latter. ?Drowsy slumberers mistook the cry either for something frightful in a dream, or for the noise of witches.?(p. 179) They did not understand that this was his reconciliation. Both Governor Bellingham and Mistress Hibbens had awoken to the frightful sound and looked from their house in investigation. When they perceived it was the Reverend in another of his midnight vigils rather than a cry for help, they stumbled rig ht back to their sleeping chambers. Along with this inquisitive attention from onlookers, came the looks of disdain, from Chillingworth and others. ?Smiling on her [Hester]; a smile which -- across the wide and bustling square, and through all the talk and laughter, and various thoughts, moods, and interests of the crowd -- conveyed secret and fearful meaning.? (p. 284) Chillingworth might of had other plans, but after hearing what Dimmesdale had to say, Chillingworth thrust himself to his knees and admit defeat. Although he was a sick man, Dimmesdale's struggle was not for life, but for repentance. In fact, his mental anguish of sin is what had caused his illness. Dimmesdale would spend some nights scourging himself, just himself and a whip-like punishment device. He felt it critical to admit his sin to himself and to his community and brethren ?... The Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale turned to the dignified and venerable rulers; to the holy ministers, ... as knowing that some deep life-matter -- which, if full of sin, ... was now to be laid open to them.? (pp. 306) This act of declaring his sin is one step closer to salvation. The scaffold provides a perfect venue to stand before God with everything before oneself. Dimmesdale stood before God and his community and chose to ?sink upon the scaffold. Hester partly raised him, and supported his head against her bosom. Old Roger Chillingworth knelt down beside him, with a blank, dull countenance, out of which the life seemed to have departed." (p. 308) On the scaffold, Dimmesdale openly brought his sin to light and felt restored.

Aztlan, The Mythical Homeland of the Aztec-Mexica

Aztlan, The Mythical Homeland of the Aztec-Mexica Aztln (also spelled Aztlan or sometimes Aztalan) is the name of the mythical homeland of the Aztecs, the ancient Mesoamerican civilization also known as the Mexica. According to their origin myth, the Mexica left Aztlan at the behest of their god/ruler Huitzilopochtli, to find a new home in the Valley of Mexico. In the Nahua language, Aztlan means â€Å"the Place of Whiteness† or â€Å"the Place of the Heron.† Whether it was a real place or not is open to question. What Aztlan Was Like According to the various Mexica versions of the stories, their homeland Aztlan was a luxurious and delightful place located on a large lake, where everyone was immortal and lived happily among abundant resources. There was a steep hill called Colhuacan in the middle of the lake, and in the hill were caves and caverns known collectively as Chicomoztoc, where the ancestors of the Aztec lived. The land was filled with vast quantities of ducks, herons, and other waterfowl; red and yellow birds sang incessantly; great and beautiful fish swam in the waters and shade trees lined the banks. At Aztlan, the people fished from canoes and tended their floating gardens of maize, peppers, beans, amaranth, and tomatoes. But when they left their homeland, everything turned against them, the weeds bit them, the rocks wounded them, the fields were filled with thistles and spines. They wandered in a land filled with vipers, poisonous lizards, and dangerous wild animals before reaching their home to build their place of destiny, Tenochtitlan. Who Were the Chichimecas? In Aztln, the myth goes, the Mexica ancestors dwelled in place with seven caves called Chicomoztoc (Chee-co-moz-toch). Each cave corresponded to one of the Nahuatl tribes which would later leave that place to reach, in successive waves, the Basin of Mexico. These tribes, listed with slight differences from source to source, were the Xochimilca, Chalca, Tepaneca, Colhua, Tlahuica, Tlaxcala and the group who were to become the Mexica. Oral and written accounts also mention that the Mexica and the other Nahuatl groups were preceded in their migration by another group, collectively known as Chichimecas, who migrated from the north to Central Mexico sometime earlier and were considered by the Nahua people less civilized. The Chichimeca do not apparently refer to a particular ethnic group, but rather were hunters or northern farmers in contrast to the Tolteca, the city dwellers, the urban agricultural populations already in the Basin of Mexico. The Migration Stories of the battles and interventions of the gods along the journey abound. Like all origin myths, the earliest events blend natural and supernatural events, but the stories of the migrants arrival at the Basin of Mexico are less mystical. Several versions of the migration myth include the story of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui and her 400 Star Brothers, who attempted to kill Huitzilopochtli (the sun) at the sacred mountain of Coatepec. Many archaeologists and historical linguists support the theory of an occurrence of multiple in-migrations to the basin of Mexico from northern Mexico and/or the southeastern United States between 1100 and 1300 CE. Evidence for this theory includes the introduction of new ceramic types in central Mexico  and the fact that the Nahuatl language, the language spoken by the Aztec/Mexica, is not indigenous to Central Mexico. Moctezumas Search Aztlan was a source of fascination for the Aztecs themselves. The Spanish chroniclers and codexes report that the Mexica king Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (or Montezuma I, ruled 1440–1469) sent an expedition to search for the mythical homeland. Sixty elderly sorcerers and magicians were assembled by Moctezuma for the trip, and given gold, precious stones, mantles, feathers, cacao, vanilla and cotton from the royal storehouses to be used as gifts to the ancestors. The sorcerers left Tenochtitlan and within ten days arrived at Coatepec, where they transformed themselves into birds and animals to take the final leg of the journey to Aztlan, where they re-assumed their human form. At Aztlan, the sorcerers found a hill in the middle of a lake, where the inhabitants spoke Nahuatl. The sorcerers were taken to the hill where they met an old man who was the priest and guardian of the goddess Coatlicue. The old man took them to the sanctuary of Coatlicue, where they met an ancient woman who said she was the mother of Huitzilopochtli and had suffered greatly since he left. He had promised to return, she said, but he never had. People in Aztlan could choose their age, said Coatlicue: they were immortal. The reason the people in Tenochtitlan were not immortal was that they consumed cacao and other luxury items. The old man refused the gold and precious goods brought by the returnees, saying these things have ruined you, and gave the sorcerers waterfowl and plants native to Aztlan and maguey fiber cloaks and breechcloths to take back with them. The sorcerers transformed themselves back into animals and returned to Tenochtitlan. What Evidence Supports the Reality of Aztlan and the Migration? Modern scholars have long debated whether Aztln was a real place or simply a myth. Several of the remaining books left by the Aztecs, called codexes, tell the story of the migration from Aztlan- in particular, the codex Boturini o Tira de la Peregrinacion. The tale was also reported as oral history told by Aztecs to several Spanish chroniclers including Bernal Diaz del Castillo, Diego Duran, and Bernardino de Sahagun. The Mexica told the Spanish that their ancestors had reached the Valley of Mexico about 300 years before, after having left their homeland, traditionally located far north of Tenochtitlan. Historical and archaeological evidence shows that the migration myth of the Aztecs has a solid basis in reality. In a comprehensive study of the available histories, archaeologist Michael E. Smith found that these sources cite the movement of not just the Mexica, but several different ethnic groups. Smiths 1984 investigations concluded that people arrived in the Basin of Mexico from the north in four waves. The earliest wave (1) was non-Nahuatl Chichimecs sometime after the fall of Tollan in 1175; followed by three Nahuatl-speaking groups who settled (2) in the Basin of Mexico about 1195, (3) in the surrounding highland valleys about 1220, and (4) the Mexica, who settled among the earlier Aztlan populations about 1248. No possible candidate for Aztlan has yet been identified.   Modern Aztlan In modern Chicano culture, Aztln represents an important symbol of spiritual and national unity, and the term has also been used to mean the territories ceded to the United States by Mexico with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848, New Mexico and Arizona. There is an archaeological site in Wisconsin called Aztalan, but it is not the Aztec homeland.   Sources Edited and updated by K. Kris Hirst Berdan, Frances F. Aztec Archaeology and Ethnohistory. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.Elzey, Wayne. A Hill on a Land Surrounded by Water: An Aztec Story of Origin and Destiny. History of Religions 31.2 (1991): 105-49. Print.Mundy, Barbara E. Place-Names in Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Ethnohistory 61.2 (2014): 329-55. Print.Navarrete, Federico. The Path from Aztlan to Mexico: On Visual Narration in Mesoamerican Codices. RES: Anthropology and Aesthetics.37 (2000): 31-48. Print.Smith, Michael E. The Aztecs. 3rd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013. Print.-. The Aztlan Migrations of the Nahuatl Chronicles: Myth or History? Ethnohistory 31.3 (1984): 153-86. Print.Spitler, Susan. Mythic Homelands: Aztlan and Aztlan. Human Mosaic 31.2 (1997): 34-45. Print.

Annie Dillard The Chase

In the first paragraph of â€Å"The Chase†, the narrator of the story a seven year old girl is informing the audience about the game of football. She says â€Å"It was all or nothing† (Dillard 121). Basically stating that in football you have got to give all of your effort and not hesitate at all if you want to make the tackle and stop the offense. This do or die attitude is reflected later in the story during the chase scene. It is also the climax of the story. Being that a bunch of kids are together unsupervised, there is going to be some trouble. That is exactly what happens next. The children are all gathered during a winter snowy day making snowballs next to a street throwing them at passing cars. Its wide black door opened; a man got out of it running. He didn’t even close the car door. † This kind of unexpected thrill we can all relate to. Dillard adds even more by putting in the little details that make the reader feel the anger of this man and the feeling of we’re caught by the children that we have all felt as a kid is described in that same quote. By using these details in the story the re ader can put themselves into the shoes of the characters. Dillard uses lots of active descriptions that are very real throughout the chase scene. She uses actual street names like Edgerton Avenue, Lloyd Street, Willard and Lang. This use of actual real names of streets makes the story. The reader can almost get lost in the chase itself with Dillard’s use of rapid transitions like up, around, under, through, down some, across, smashed. After the chase is over and the children are caught the reader feels tired Annie Dillard The Chase In the first paragraph of â€Å"The Chase†, the narrator of the story a seven year old girl is informing the audience about the game of football. She says â€Å"It was all or nothing† (Dillard 121). Basically stating that in football you have got to give all of your effort and not hesitate at all if you want to make the tackle and stop the offense. This do or die attitude is reflected later in the story during the chase scene. It is also the climax of the story. Being that a bunch of kids are together unsupervised, there is going to be some trouble. That is exactly what happens next. The children are all gathered during a winter snowy day making snowballs next to a street throwing them at passing cars. Its wide black door opened; a man got out of it running. He didn’t even close the car door. † This kind of unexpected thrill we can all relate to. Dillard adds even more by putting in the little details that make the reader feel the anger of this man and the feeling of we’re caught by the children that we have all felt as a kid is described in that same quote. By using these details in the story the re ader can put themselves into the shoes of the characters. Dillard uses lots of active descriptions that are very real throughout the chase scene. She uses actual street names like Edgerton Avenue, Lloyd Street, Willard and Lang. This use of actual real names of streets makes the story. The reader can almost get lost in the chase itself with Dillard’s use of rapid transitions like up, around, under, through, down some, across, smashed. After the chase is over and the children are caught the reader feels tired

Revolutionary Era Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Revolutionary Era - Essay Example Although the paper deals with significant aspects of the Revolution in connection with the African Americans, it fails to present the topic in an effective, organized way. One of the essential features of the paper is that it incorporates several essential facts in relation to this topic and attempts to establish the vital connection between the American Revolution and the African Americans. Thus, it suggests how the African Americans contributed to the revolution in America and vice versa. In order to substantiate the arguments, the paper makes reference to online textbooks such as digitalhistory.uh.edu, which enhances the relevance of the paper. The website used in the paper is authentic and reliable on the topic, especially relating to ‘Slavery, the American Revolution, and the Constitution’. It is also important to maintain that the paper effectively incorporates quotes from these sources, which include a book source. However, the paper is lacking in organization and effective presentation of the arguments. The thesis of the paper is vague and it is not presented in connection with the supportive arguments. Even the references from the websites and book are not presented in a way as to support the main arguments in the paper. It also does not use the scholarly information in reinstating the main arguments and fails to merge the material from the sources effectively in the paper.

Feature Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Feature Writing - Essay Example I cry sometimes, because it hurts. It does. To be honest, I guess you could say that it hurts to be me.? (ImDB) He had a failed marriage with the daughter of another famous singer in his time, Elvis Presley. His marriage with Liza Presley shocked the world, and yet many were happy to see him married. This marriage lasted only for nineteen months, and ended with a divorce. He did not have a child with Liza Presley. (BBC news, 2004) He wanted children and likes to have children of his own, so he married Debbie Rowe to become the mother of his children. Michael paid Debbie a handsome amount of money to bear him children. Debbie bore her two children thru artificial insemination and did not have physical sex relation with her. Prince Jackson and Paris Jackson are now ten and nine years old and remain to be in the custody of Michael. Michael managed to keep his children away from the press for a long time, but a picture has been sneaked in and shown in this report. A dramatic scene was reported when wife Rowe delivered the second baby and Michael took the baby right away even when she was still bloodied and umbilical cord still intact. Michael divorced Debbie when he was told she could no longer give him another child after two years of marriage. (Witheridge, Annette, 2008) â€Å"I have spent my entire life helping millions of children across the world. I would never harm a child. It is unfortunate that some individuals have seen fit to come forward and make a complaint that is completely false. Years ago, I settled with certain individuals because I was concerned about my family and the media scrutiny that would have ensued if I fought the matter in court. These people wanted to exploit my concern for children by threatening to destroy what I believe in and what I do. I have been a vulnerable target for those who want money.(IMdb) The admiration of his fans did not diminish in spite of these charges; however, different

Relationship influence relationships Essay Example for Free

Relationship influence relationships Essay Physical attraction is based on peoples appearances. Often a caring, kind, and affectionate person will go unrecognized among others. Mostly such people find their partners due to physical proximity, ones actual physical nearness to others, in terms of housing, work, school, and so forth. On the other hand, an attractive person usually would have far more attention from others. Mills had an experiment which showed that most important determinant of desire to continue relationship was physical attractiveness. (1982) However, in Todays Magazine, the article read : according to a new study, [men are] willing to overlook a womans body shape and weight if shes friendly and likeable. But, consider that the article, if you read it, doesnt present other important information, such the percentage of people who are in the category, and to what extreme were those studies true: its likely that men can overlook minor unattractive traits, but it doesnt totally disprove the study mentioned above. Even though the point if this study may have changed slightly, it is not a secret that attractive people seem to be more of everything, since with beauty, person seems happy, healthy, successful, interesting, even if it isnt necessarily so, which is called the halo effect. Another kind of attraction is romantic attraction. It is love that is associated with high levels of interpersonal attraction, heightened arousal, mutual absorption (with regard to romantic love, the nearly exclusive attention lovers give one another.), and sexual desire. Romantic attraction has a like scale and a love scale, that Zick Rubin brought up to measure the attitude towards friends and love partners. In result, love usually included passion and commitment, whereas liking lacked those things. Estimated by these scales, type of attraction can be described by the chosen attitude towards each other, as to what the two people think of each other, and whether they are intimate or not, and so on. Just as there are different reasons for forming our personalities, there are different causes which bring people together. The reason some people choose to date who they date is partially due to homogamy -the attraction of people who are alike and heterogamy the attraction of opposites. A person may seek to find someone with similar qualities or with the opposite ones to balance out. To some degrees, love may be just a mere excitement. This love (which is also something like secret love) is determined by different situations, such parents disapproval, or when fleeing the country with someone. Just as in secret love, those events may lead to feel even stronger attraction. But even if such situations can be an attribute to the relationship, it can also bring conflict. Those relationships can be affected by uncertainty of whether there is any kind of attraction between the two people. (As Kenrick wrote, it is sometimes hard to tell the difference among sex, love, and infatuation (1989). There are also two problems: excitement that adds to attraction and boredom that decreases it; the influenced behavior may not be the cause of attraction. (Homans 1961) Similarly, I am sure there have been times when youve known or heard of someone who, for example, embraced everyone he or she was friends with. His or her behavior doesnt necessarily mean deep attraction, but it may just be a way in culture, personal way of showing friendship, or a habit, or may be the fact that he or she misses his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. Any of those reasons may be the factor, why due to body language, a woman may take such action for affection, or, from another point, a man can misunderstand womans warning signals. References Homans, G.C. (1961) Social Behaviour: Its Elementary Forms, New York, Harcourt, Brace and World. Kenrick, D.T. and Trost, M.R. (1989) ‘A reproductive exchange model of heterosexual relationships’ in Hendrick, C. (ed) Close Relationships (Review of Personality and Social Psychology 10) Newbury Park, CA, Sage. Miell, D. Croghan, R. (1996) ‘Examining the wider context of social relationships’ in Dallos, R. Miell, D. (eds) Social Interaction and Personal Relationships, Milton Keynes, Open University. Mills, J. and Clark, M.S. (1982). ‘Communal and exchange relationships’ in Wheeler, L (ed.) Review of Personality and Social Psychology (Vol 3), Beverley Hills, CA, Sage

A Rose for Emily Essay -- essays research papers

A Rose for Emily: Antebellum South vs. Modern South   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Faulkner wrote, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In the gothic, short story he contrasted the lives of the people of a small Southern town during the late 1800’s, and he compared their ability and inability to change with the time. The old or â€Å"Antebellum South† was represented by the characters Miss Emily, Colonel Sartoris, the Board of Aldermen, and the Negro servant. The new or â€Å"Modern South† was expressed through the words of the unnamed narrator, the new Board of Aldermen, Homer Barron, and the townspeople. In the shocking story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Faulkner used symbolism and a unique narrative perspective to describe Miss Emily’s inner struggles to accept time and change The main character, Miss Emily, was born into a prominent Southern family, the Grierson’s. The Grierson family represented the era of the Old South; and to the people of Jefferson, Mississippi, the family stood as a monument of the past. Miss Emily held on to the ways of this bygone era and would not change. Because of her inability to change, she was considered vulnerable to death and decay and, therefore, a â€Å"fallen monument† (71). Miss Emily had no intentions of changing her ways to please the people of her town. During her generation she â€Å"†¦had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (71). The new generation felt no hereditary obligations to her and her reputation in town was â€Å"dying and decaying.†. Miss Emily’s relationship with Homer Barron was also a conflict of the past and the present. Homer was described as, â€Å"A Yankee --- a big, dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face† (74). Miss Emily, a Southern Aristocrat, represented the traditions of the past. Homer, a Northern construction worker, was part of the constantly changing present. In the summer after her father’s death, they were seen by the townspeople â€Å"on Sunday afternoons driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy† (74). Miss Emily would sit with her â€Å"head high.† She represented the past. Homer would sit with his â€Å"hat cocked.† He represented the present (75). Homer entered her life by courting her publicly; by not wanting to marry her, he would have robbed her of her dignity and high-standing in the community. The ladies of the town felt that Miss Emily was not setting a good example... ...or her, and received in reply a note on paper†¦to the effect that she no longer went out at all. The tax notice was also enclosed, without comment,† (71-72). Faulkner’s effective use of narration was a key asset in this story. He used the narrator not only to report the events, but the narrator became the observer for the town as well. This omniscient narrator had the ability to view the inner minds of the characters and used â€Å"we† instead of â€Å"I†. The narrator translated the words, thoughts, and suspicions of an entire small town community, and he was completely aware of its ways. The time sequence skipped around, as if someone was randomly remembering the events. William Faulkner effectively used symbols in the story to allow the reader to develop their own views of Emily. The cane represented her physical weakness and the invisible ticking watch illustrated her inability to face and deal with time and change. Miss Emily wore her mourning clothes which connected her to the Antebellum South. She would not live in the Modern South because she could not handle change. Instead, she embraced the past, became trapped in the past, and then died in the past.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Rose for Emily Essay -- essays research papers A Rose for Emily: Antebellum South vs. Modern South   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Faulkner wrote, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In the gothic, short story he contrasted the lives of the people of a small Southern town during the late 1800’s, and he compared their ability and inability to change with the time. The old or â€Å"Antebellum South† was represented by the characters Miss Emily, Colonel Sartoris, the Board of Aldermen, and the Negro servant. The new or â€Å"Modern South† was expressed through the words of the unnamed narrator, the new Board of Aldermen, Homer Barron, and the townspeople. In the shocking story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily,† Faulkner used symbolism and a unique narrative perspective to describe Miss Emily’s inner struggles to accept time and change The main character, Miss Emily, was born into a prominent Southern family, the Grierson’s. The Grierson family represented the era of the Old South; and to the people of Jefferson, Mississippi, the family stood as a monument of the past. Miss Emily held on to the ways of this bygone era and would not change. Because of her inability to change, she was considered vulnerable to death and decay and, therefore, a â€Å"fallen monument† (71). Miss Emily had no intentions of changing her ways to please the people of her town. During her generation she â€Å"†¦had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (71). The new generation felt no hereditary obligations to her and her reputation in town was â€Å"dying and decaying.†. Miss Emily’s relationship with Homer Barron was also a conflict of the past and the present. Homer was described as, â€Å"A Yankee --- a big, dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face† (74). Miss Emily, a Southern Aristocrat, represented the traditions of the past. Homer, a Northern construction worker, was part of the constantly changing present. In the summer after her father’s death, they were seen by the townspeople â€Å"on Sunday afternoons driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy† (74). Miss Emily would sit with her â€Å"head high.† She represented the past. Homer would sit with his â€Å"hat cocked.† He represented the present (75). Homer entered her life by courting her publicly; by not wanting to marry her, he would have robbed her of her dignity and high-standing in the community. The ladies of the town felt that Miss Emily was not setting a good example... ...or her, and received in reply a note on paper†¦to the effect that she no longer went out at all. The tax notice was also enclosed, without comment,† (71-72). Faulkner’s effective use of narration was a key asset in this story. He used the narrator not only to report the events, but the narrator became the observer for the town as well. This omniscient narrator had the ability to view the inner minds of the characters and used â€Å"we† instead of â€Å"I†. The narrator translated the words, thoughts, and suspicions of an entire small town community, and he was completely aware of its ways. The time sequence skipped around, as if someone was randomly remembering the events. William Faulkner effectively used symbols in the story to allow the reader to develop their own views of Emily. The cane represented her physical weakness and the invisible ticking watch illustrated her inability to face and deal with time and change. Miss Emily wore her mourning clothes which connected her to the Antebellum South. She would not live in the Modern South because she could not handle change. Instead, she embraced the past, became trapped in the past, and then died in the past.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes Essay

An analysis of Langston Hughes’s poem Dream Deferred will reveal a significant commentary on the driving force in America today. It is undeniable that every one of us has dreams or goals that we want to pursue and achieve. Although all of us have their own little dream, this poem reiterates that in some cultures, it will be (and is) harder to achieve their goals. In this particular poem, Langston Hughes expressed his dreams and how they become during a hard time. The fact that he is a black man during the height of the African-American oppression, his ambitions and dreams was really hard to achieve—thus, he became frustrated. He expressed on how and what he really feels about a dream that he has had. Because he was succumbed under a great deal of frustration, he was unable to accomplish that dream. Each line in the poem symbolizes a typical moment in the author’s life. Furthermore, he was also very bitter about the conditions of his group because of their skin color. Hughes used many a great deal of simile in achieving his points. But perhaps the most powerful line in his poem is the â€Å"Or does it explode? †(Hughes) It is an influential conclusion of what could happen to a dream if they are neglected or is not pursued. In conclusion, this is a collective poem that articulates what could happen to dreams that left un-pursued even in times of struggles and oppression. This poem reflects the difficulties not just of African-American but moreover, it is also applicable to people (especially certain ethic groups that are discriminated) who experiences the same situation. This poem will never be obsolete. Works Cited: Hughes, Langston. â€Å"Dream Deferred. † March 2, 2008.

Presentation on the Kimpton Hotel’s Eco-friendly Initiative

The key elements of the Kimpton Hotels Earth Care Program are outlined in its eco-mission statement. These include â€Å"company-wide commitment towards water conservation; reduction of energy usage; reduction of energy usage; elimination of harmful toxins and pollutants; recycling of all reusable waste; building and furnishing hotels with sustainable materials; and purchasing goods and services that directly supports these principles† (Murray and Thomas 2005). It should be noted that all of these elements should be implemented in order to attain the goal of the Earth Care program.However, aside from these direct efforts that the company must engage in, it is also recognize that a key element in embarking in the program is the communication strategy which is used internally and externally. Inside the business organization, it is very essential to align the company’s workforce in this new strategy by letting them know and giving them an active role for the implementation of the program. In the part of the external stakeholders, Kimpton also had to communicate its eco-friendly efforts and their advantages.Is there a `business case` for the Earth Care Program?There is a strong business case for the Earth Care Program. It should be noted that implementing this eco-friendly strategy will benefit Kimpton in the long run. Looking at the current trend in the business environment, it becomes notable that most companies not only in the hotel industry are becoming more and more active in the preservation of the environment by supporting sustainable development efforts and by establishing a â€Å"greener† image.It should be noted that company image is now a more serious issue than the product itself. Consumers are becoming more and more concerned about the influences of a business organization to communities and environment. Also, the Earth Care Program is consistent with the corporate social responsibility effort of Kimpton which is very much importan t in the global business arena nowadays.Can you describe the costs and benefits associated with the Earth Care Program? The Earth Care Program conveys various benefits to Kimpton Hotels. One of the most obvious advantages is the huge potential improvement in the bottom line of the company. The efforts of the company to become more eco-friendly also implies shifting from less energy and resources consuming processes which will definitely push down the level of costs.The company’s effort of eliminating toxic substances will also benefit employees who are handling these chemicals on a daily basis. It should be noted that toxic substances often have detrimental effects to the person handling them and eliminating this can possibly improve the sense of well being of employees and make them more productive. The Earth Care Program also posts opportunities to Kimpton as it will now belong to the list of eco-friendly hotels which are highly preferred by government organizations. In som e ways, customers can perceive the eco-friendly image as a new attraction which can generate more revenue for the company.However, the company also faces the challenges involved in this new strategy. First, the Earth Care Program requires monetary investment which should be financed long before any cost benefit is attained. Kimpton Hotel also needs to align its entire chain with the effort thus necessitating negotiation and giving out the risk of rejection from local managers who feel threatened by the new system. Third, the company needs to pay more for the organic materials which are needed to make hotels eco-friendly. As the case states, these costs are very high compared to the traditional materials.Are there risks to the company with this program?The company is facing a huge risk in implementing the Earth Care Program. First, Kimpton Hotel is not sure whether this program will be perceived by customers as value-adding. Experience of the customers are seen to be indirectly relat ed with the materials or equipments used in delivering services.Since the benefits of the program are not reaped in the short-run, the company also takes in the risk of possible change in consumer taste before cost savings are realized. If in the long run, customers perceive that eco-friendly efforts are not important, then Kimpton runs the risk of not benefiting from its investment. Lastly, the Earth Care Program threatens the autonomy of local branches which can make employees hesitant in implementing changes.What is the weakness of the Kimpton Hotel?The autonomy of the branches of the Kimpton Hotel can be perceived both as a strength and weakness of the organization. On the positive side, the decentralized operation facilitates fast decision making and customization. However, Kimpton Hotel is having difficulty in implementing company-wide strategies because possible rejection from its branches. It should also be noted that as each hotel is unique, integrating them to join the Ear th Care Program is quite hard. The difference in the values of each branch also makes it difficult for them to pursue a single strategy. What might work in a branch might not necessarily have the same effect on another.ReferencesSilverman, M &Thomas, T. 2005, â€Å"Kimpton Hotels: Balancing Strategy and Environmental Sustainability.† San Francisco State University, USA

Free Essays on Hassan II

â€Å"Leaders who trust their co-workers are, in turn, trusted by them. Trust, of course, cannot be acquired, but can only be given. Leadership without mutual trust is a contradiction in terms. Trust resides squarely between faith and doubt. The leader always has faith in himself, his abilities, his co-workers, must believe in him, themselves, and their combined strength, but they must feel sufficiently confident to question, challenge, probe, and test, too, Maintaining that vital balance between faith and doubt, preserving that mutual trust, is a primary task for any leader. â€Å" â€Å"Deploying Yourself: Strike Hard, Try Everything† Page:141 The significance of this paragraph to me is that it goes nicely along with my moral principles and values about people. I believe that one should (when working with other people) have trust and belief in order to maximize the production possibilities and production itself by trusting your co-workers. The people get personal satisfaction when they feel that they are trusted, first of all then they are less likely to trick you or betray you in business. Therefore, trusted co-workers are likely to produce more and more work more willingly and harder. It is extremely important to trust your co-workers. The examples of proper leadership can be seen in the Virgin Airline Company founded by Richard Branson. He explicitly displayed all the mentioned characteristics of a great Leader that are mentioned in this book. He treated all workers well and he trusted them. That kind of attitude that Richard Branson adapted led to his extreme popularity amongst his co-workers/ labor force. Trust creates a great sense of responsibility and most importantly, loyalty, which true leaders enjoy. The examples of proper leadership can be seen in the Virgin Airline Company founded by Richard Branson. He explicitly displayed all the mentioned characteristics of a great Leader that are mentioned in this book. He tre... Free Essays on Hassan II Free Essays on Hassan II â€Å"Leaders who trust their co-workers are, in turn, trusted by them. Trust, of course, cannot be acquired, but can only be given. Leadership without mutual trust is a contradiction in terms. Trust resides squarely between faith and doubt. The leader always has faith in himself, his abilities, his co-workers, must believe in him, themselves, and their combined strength, but they must feel sufficiently confident to question, challenge, probe, and test, too, Maintaining that vital balance between faith and doubt, preserving that mutual trust, is a primary task for any leader. â€Å" â€Å"Deploying Yourself: Strike Hard, Try Everything† Page:141 The significance of this paragraph to me is that it goes nicely along with my moral principles and values about people. I believe that one should (when working with other people) have trust and belief in order to maximize the production possibilities and production itself by trusting your co-workers. The people get personal satisfaction when they feel that they are trusted, first of all then they are less likely to trick you or betray you in business. Therefore, trusted co-workers are likely to produce more and more work more willingly and harder. It is extremely important to trust your co-workers. The examples of proper leadership can be seen in the Virgin Airline Company founded by Richard Branson. He explicitly displayed all the mentioned characteristics of a great Leader that are mentioned in this book. He treated all workers well and he trusted them. That kind of attitude that Richard Branson adapted led to his extreme popularity amongst his co-workers/ labor force. Trust creates a great sense of responsibility and most importantly, loyalty, which true leaders enjoy. The examples of proper leadership can be seen in the Virgin Airline Company founded by Richard Branson. He explicitly displayed all the mentioned characteristics of a great Leader that are mentioned in this book. He tre...

An individual reflection about the course of Advanced Project Essay

An individual reflection about the course of Advanced Project Management - Essay Example Some other authors also define project management in a different and impressive way that the use of expertise, skills and the most important intellectual capital for the execution of any task (What is Project Management 2012). Therefore, it is clear that either a project manager or a team member both require certain set of strengths and expertise. If they have any weakness then at least they should be capable to find out ways to overcome that particular weakness. Projects may fail or may achieve their goals and objectives. There might be a list of reasons behind success and failure of any project. It is important to sort out these reasons so that project managers can behave accordingly. In this essay, the main objective is to find out the ways of implications of different models and theories, which we learn in the course work of advance project management, in our personal daily life projects as individual and as a project manager. The course work increases our self-awareness about our own strengths and weaknesses. In addition to that, it is also important to know that how we can use our skills, expertise and talents to handle all the coming hurdles and challenges. It is also necessary to know that how we can overcome our weakness and thus facing the world and their challenges. Project management is a vast field covering many aspects, which are really needed for the success of the task or the project. The importance of personal strengths and weaknesses is vital for the success and failure of the task (Palmer 2014). Here it is to be noted that personal strength and weakness analysis is necessary for both the workers and the project manager. A project manager should be strong enough to command and control the whole team of workers and the activities. If a project manager fails to control the project and the activities then there is always a risk of resource wastage and ultimately the failure of the

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing plan - Essay Example Akin to olive oil in terms of function, tea seed oil is very effective for hair care. Not only does it strengthen hair and protect it from damage, it also provides moisture to the hair. Shiseido now intends to sell Tsubaki in Australia as it sees tremendous potential for that product in that market. Competitive Landscape in Australia Procter & Gamble Australia Pty Ltd, Unilever Australia Ltd, L'Oreal Australia Pty Ltd, Hans Schwarzkopf & Henkel GmbH & Co KG, Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd and Alberto-Culver Pty Ltd. In addition to these there are many other, domestic as well as international players, vying for a chunk of the shampoo market in the country. Demographic Environment The total population of Australia stood at 22 million in 2010. The gender-wise break-up of the Australian population is depicted in table below: Population (Gender Wise)    2010 2020    in '000 % in '000 % Male 10998 49.76 12591 49.86 Female 11102 50.24 12663 50.14 Total 22100 100 25254 100 Source: Euromonitor International The table shows that the male female population is almost equal and is likely to remain so by 2020. The ethnic composition of the country includes 92 percent Whites, 7 percent Asians and 1 percent Aboriginal and others (Euromonitor 2011). Thus females of Asian origin residing in Australia are approx .7 million. The Tsubaki shampoo would be targeted at this section of the society. It is imperative that the age-wise break up of the female population is considered while developing/modifying the product for the Australian market.    Female Population Age-Wise ('000) Age 2009 2010 2015 (E) 2020 (E) % Growth 0-14 2033 2052 2173 2326 13.3 15-64 7327 7415 7763 8095 9.2 65+ 1591 1635 1925 2242 37.1 Total 10951 11102 11861 12663 15.6 Source: Euromonitor International The above table clearly demonstrates that a drastic shift in Australia‘s demographic profile is imminent as a considerable chunk of the population is set to grow old in the coming future. This growth in the number of older consumers is likely to propel the demand for products that make people feel and look younger (Data Monitor 2011). The life expectancy in the country is 81.81 years for the total population. While it is 79.40 years for men, the life expectancy for the average Australian woman is 84.35 years. Economic Environment The Australian economy has registered a steady growth in the GDP in the last few years. The economy is estimated to grow by 3.7 percent this year. The inflation rate has also been below the 3 percent mark since 2010. The unemployment rate which has been steady at a shade above 5 percent is the brightest spot. Compare this to the unemployment rates in other developed countries where the joblessness has reached double digits. Key Economic Indicators    2009 2010 2011 2012 (E) GDP Growth (%) 1.3 3 3.5 3.7 Inflation 1.8 2.9 2.8 2.9 Unemployment Rate 5.6 5.3 5.2 5.1 Source: Data Monitor 2011 Australia is primarily a middle-class society. Close to 5 million, or 6 1 percent of the households in the country had an annual disposable income of more than US $45,000 in 2009. During the same time period, 36 percent of the Australian households had an annual disposable income of more than US $75,000. At the same time, more than 95 percent of the country is above the poverty line (Data Monitor 2011). The table below depicts that the average annual gross income has steadily risen across income brackets. The growth is considerably higher than