International Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Management - Assignment Example The study reviews what globalization is. It depicts its various definitions, singles out its three types, and describes its constituents. The work examines how globalization influences the economies of nations. Special attention is paid to the impact of globalization in the USA, China, and India. The author explains the term global village which emerged in globalization times. It means integration of people, institutions into a shared objective. The USA, China, and India encourage their institutions to engage in foreign trade benefiting from the international commerce. At the same time the author describes negative opinions about globalization. Critics of globalization point a dim picture of this aspect. They claim that globalization erodes the sovereignty of states. The author shows why those views are invalid. Countries which have embraced the aspect of globalization are sovereign by all definitions. The work illustrates the opposite: China takes care of its domestic and foreign po licies without any interference from other countries. India is also a sovereign state, formulating and implementing its domestic policies without interference from other states, and, therefore, notion of globalization eroding the much valued state sovereignty is uncalled for. Countries which have not embraced globalization are suffering from the consequences. North Korea has closed its economy from liberalization resulting into poverty of its citizens and of the state.

The Debate About The Fall Of Rome History Essay

The Debate About The Fall Of Rome History Essay The debate about the fall of Rome and the way it happened is a centuries-old one and its vitality has been undiminished over the years. The traditional theory has the Roman Empire being violently overturned by barbarian Germanic tribes who started invading en masse during the last years of the fourth century. That wasnt the first time that the Empire had to deal with pressure on its borders, but this time it eventually collapsed because it had already declined as a civilization due to internal problems. The first scholar to support this line of thought was Gibbon in the late eighteenth century. His great, multi-volume, work goes by the title The Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, which speaks for itself as for its writers thoughts (?). He argued that the most important cause which brought about the end of the Roman Empire was the expansion and gradual predominance of Christianity. First, the new religion and the structures that came with it (such as the church and the monasteries) interfered with the distribution of wealth inside the Empire, by accumulating it in institutions that were inaccessible by the state.  [1]  Second, its pacifist ideology reduced the armys will to fight and its theology corrupted the classical ideals through the spread of superstition.  [2]   Another scholar arguing along the same lines was Rostovtzeff. He states the Late Empire was in retrogradation?, a sad and decadent remnant of its former self, partly because of the increase in absolutism during the reigns of Diocletian and Constantine and the emperors who succeeded them. Together with Gibbon, his arguments form the core of the traditional theory, which puts stress especially on the issue of decline as the main reason which made the disintegration of the empire, as a political entity, eventually inevitable.  [3]  Due to the work of these two scholars, the Fall of Rome has ended up being seen as something like the platonic idea of decline.  [4]   Along with the traditional theory, we should consider the work of a more recent scholar. Following the same methodological path as Rostovtzeff, Jones credited the barbarians with the destabilization and collapse of the Roman Empire. Their invasions, he argues, should be seen as a destructive agent which placed strain on the Roman administration.  [5]  At the same time, in a well-known passage, he speaks of a large part of the population that was consuming without producing anything, such as senators, soldiers and the clergy. These idle mouths, as he calls them, partly a result of barbarian pressure again, at least as far as the army was concerned, was the main reason for the economic waning of the Late Empire.  [6]   Jones contribution was twofold. To begin with, he proposed a new chronological period, extending further than 476, the date traditionally considered as signaling the moment of death of the Roman Empire. His ending date was 602, the year of the emperor Maurices death as he strongly believed that the Roman Empire continued its existence, albeit geographically diminished, in the East, at least until the advent of the Slavic tribes in the Balkans at the end of the sixth century.  [7]  This way, he managed to provide a connection between late- and post-Roman societies, hinting that there might have been a causal relation between the two.  [8]  Secondly, he breathed new life in a period that was all but put aside by his contemporaries as of not much particular interest and after him scholars gradually started to perceive the Late Roman Empire in its own right.  [9]   This was countered by traditionalists in 2005 with the publication of a book under the title The fall of Rome and the end of civilization. In this book, the author Bryan Ward-Perkins is arguing fervently that the fall of Rome was a violent experience for the people involved, which involved much bloodshed and catastrophe.  [10]  It was centered more on radical change than gradual transformation and was characterized by decline and resulted in a decline in civilized values which actually that a number of Roman cultural achievements were lost.  [11]   Although this view has its merits and should not be discredited without consideration, it needs to be examined carefully because it conceals the danger of oversimplification. First, it can be argued that the author has gone too far with his emphasis on violence and catastrophe. Violence, no matter how hard on a society, is not by principle an agent of radical change which rules out any chance of transformation. Human history is full of violence and it would be surprising if the fourth and fifth centuries did not involve any at all. Despite Ward-Perkins vivid depictions, much of what was considered Roman did not disappear with the Empire. Roman qualities, such as a literate culture, can be shown to have survived as late as the seventh century, proving that the devastating barbaric invasions did not actually have such a devastating effect after all.  [12]   Stemming from that, we should examine if there was a specific moment in time when Rome actually fell. If we cannot point out such an instance, then we should regard it as a more gradual process. Italy, for example, shows that society was able to maintain its order in the face of much devastation.  [13]  And if, as Ward-Perkins himself admits, there was no single moment, not even a single century of collapse  [14]  , then we should discard catastrophist theories as inadequate and try more. We should also keep in mind that the author comes from an archaeological milieu  [15]  and, as a result, most of his proof comes from the study of material evidence.  [16]  Archaeologists of the period tend to be advocates of the notion of decline more often than historians, mainly because such a decline is much more evident in the material remains of the Late Roman era.  [17]  In addition to that we have to be careful with the origin the evidence. In the case of Ward-Perkins, he doesnt hesitate to support his theory on data from Britain,  [18]  but Brittania (i.e. the part of Britain which was conquered by the Romans) had never been the archetypal Roman province. So Britain is far from being the typical example of what happened after the Romans had left the island, particularly given the fact that we can find other provinces of the Roman Empire, which shared a completely different fate, such as Egypt and Syria.  [19]  When talking strictly about the west, one has to be extremely cautious when trying to combine both the archaeological data with historical sources that might give the impression of continuity. One way approaches, such as the one only just discussed, will not do. Late Antiquity With good reason one might ask what the need of such a dramatic reassertion of the traditional view on the fall of the Roman Empire. The word traditional itself implies the existence of an opposite, neoteric theory. In 1971, Peter Brown published a book which defied all the assumptions of the traditionalist school.  [20]  His book The world of Late Antiquity: from Marcus Aurelius to Muhammad argues about continuity, transformation, cultural and religious renewal. The enthusiasm that the book was met with in academic circles, especially in the United States, resulted in the banishment of terms as catastrophe, change, crisis and decline.  [21]  Brown was influenced by the views of an earlier scholar, Henri-Irà ©nà ©e Marrou, who argued that late antique art had not deteriorated and that it should be looked at in its own terms. Brown was influenced by the work of Henri Pirenne. In his works the Belgian scholar supported that there was continuity to be found in terms of long-distance trade in the Mediterranean which was not affected by the barbarian invasions but collapsed with the great Arabic conquests of the seventh century.  [22]  Brown placed a new stress on the period resulted in a recent rethinking of Pirennes views through the prism of the newly proposed notion of continuity.  [23]   Finally, Brown could also be considered an influence because, as we saw earlier, he was the first to propose a causal connection between the Late Roman Empire and the post-Roman era. Thus, given the entailed predominance of continuity which was easily detected in themes such as art and religious belief, a new historical period has been founded with its own characteristics, that of Late Antiquity,  [24]  in which some of the basics of classical civilization still survived  [25]  . Its boundaries stress from the third to the eighth century, but they are still unfixed, with every writer proposing different dates, according to the issues they deal with. Brown relied heavily on the methods of historical psychology and psychoanalysis. This methodological innovation is a general trend among scholars of Late Antiquity, particularly those in the United States. They have more or less identified themselves with the kind of history that falls outside the scope of socio-economic history. For example, the history of Christianity has proven very fertile for studying Late Antiquity, especially the effects it has had on different aspects of human life, such as death, sexuality and the family.  [26]  Thus, this school of thought has made astonishing contributions in such fields as gender and culture history, the history of mentalities and of popular belief. Such methods, however, often tend to function with no respect to periodization and as such they lead to fragmentation.  [27]   Indeed, the work of these scholars shows more emphasis towards individuals and their perspectives than to the society they live in.  [28]  As a consequence, post-modernist theories concerning source analysis have relied heavily on the works of scholars after Brown, while, in the meantime, the old philological approach has been largely abandoned. Ancient texts are dealt with not so much for their narrative value, but as agents the mentality of their authors.  [29]  Of course, works exclusively focused on different authors have a lot to offer to the ongoing discussion of the period, but dogged commitment to them might create a handicap for our understanding of the period as a whole.  [30]   Furthermore, partly as a response to the traditional view of catastrophe, scholars of Late Antiquity have been particularly keen on seeing continuity and transformation. But this attitude can be harmful in two ways. First, the notion of continuity seems to have an overshadowing effect on the particularity of issues in a certain period. If everything is proven to carry on from the past not changed in the least, then historical periods will automatically lose their individual tone, by which it is defined.  [31]  Simultaneously, by relying to heavily historical sources (as they provide ampler evidence for continuity) we may be overturned by the findings of archaeological research (in the way Ward-Perkins was). Second, emphasis on continuity and transformation is the expulsion of their opposites from contemporary history books. Terms such as crisis and decline seem to have been anathematized in modern research and this has started to raise objections, even by scholars who are not polemicists of continuity itself.  [32]  Powerful words like these falling into disuse can only be detrimental for historiography. These terms are usually avoided because of their moral implications, and it is somehow assumed that if there is decline someone needs to be charged with it.  [33]  But we always have to bear in mind that history is a science and historians should concentrate purely on the facts of their research. Nevertheless, Late Antiquitys impact shouldnt be confined within strict scientific limits. Continuity along with transformation, apart from being objects of historiographical debate, is also too powerful of terms to be overlooked by contemporary politicians. From 1993 to 1998 a large research project, funded by the European Science Foundation (ESF), brought together scholars from across Europe. Its title was Transformation of the Roman World and its aim was to provide a widely accepted interpretation of the fall of Rome, along the lines of a smooth passage to what was to become todays Europe.  [34]  Two thousand years after Augustus history is being repeated: the European Union is commissioning its poets to create its own foundation myth. Late Antiquity is a new period that has had to carve its way bravely into powerful, deep-rooted views of modern historiography, much like the barbarians who had to carve their kingdoms fighting against the mighty Roman Empire. But unlike the former, somewhere along the way it had to make sacrifices which rendered it less effective as a means of interpretation and more limited in its scope. Also, it came to associate itself with allies with political agendas, who might have promoted it, but in the long term damaged somewhat its credibility in terms of objectivity. After all that, it is not surprising that Avril Cameron, a great advocate of the Brown school, herself admits Late Antiquity is in danger of having become an exotic territory, just before suggesting that it should be tested also in the fields of economic and administrative history.  [35]   Pekepersonal thekerkerethoughts-synthesis/LA+med west Thus far, weve witnessed in brief a powerful debate: Ward-Perkins book came as a vivid reaction to a whole school of thought formed around Browns work, which itself was another dramatic response to an older tradition. But extremism is inherent in violent reactions, because only through opposition one side can define itself and stand out in relation to its adversaries. Naturally, the existence of opposition itself should not lead us to believe that one side is absolutely right, while the other is absolutely wrong (and in most cases they are not). Rather, it should direct us towards an evaluation of the new conclusions that emerged from the conflict and setting the problem on a new base. However, it should be noted that both books have something in common: they are heavily focused on different geographical areas, where their conclusions seem to be more frequently affirmed. This way, Brown was able to find plenty of continuity in the eastern part of the Empire, while Ward-Perkins discovered a great deal of catastrophe in its former western provinces. As Jones had underlined long before those two, historians often tend to forget that only a part of the Roman Empire actually fell to the barbarians.  [36]  So, nothing would be amiss if things were so well defined, but they are not. And although it seems that Late Antiquity is better suited for early Byzantine history, there are also those medieval scholars who deem it rewarding to try their hand at the concepts that this new approach brought with it. Late Antiquity and early medieval history One of these was jean claude van dam (the muscles from brussels) mouahahhahahaha Late Antiquity and the barbarians The exclusion of notions of violence and catastrophe from the debates concerning the fourth and fifth centuries, which Late Antiquity scholars promoted, created a historiographical vacuum and a way had to be found for depicting the relations between the Roman Empire and the new arrivals. If violence could not be used to describe them, then the sources had to be searched for a different sort of evidence. The subsequent reexamination of the sources gave birth to the notion of accommodation. The first scholar to do that was Walter Goffart. In a well-known book,  [37]  published in 1980, he described in detail the way that the barbarians were settled on Roman lands. According to Goffart a fairly straightforward arrangement between the late Roman administration and the barbarian tribes can be derived from the sources. The critical feature of this arrangement was that the Empire relinquished its rights on the taxation of the region in which a group of barbarians were settled and instead those taxes would be collected by the barbarians. However, according to this theory, there was no expropriation of land, no partition of it to smaller units to be apportioned and no need for extra money from the tax payers.  [38]  The only one who had something to lose in the process would be the central administration and this definitely helps explain the fact that there is no sign of any noteworthy resistance from the local population in the regions where the barbarians were settle d in this way.  [39]   The aforementioned theory was further elaborated by Durliat. After analyzing the sources rigorously, he managed to take Goffarts theory one step further. He argued that land tax in the Late Roman Empire amounted to no more than 20% of the harvest and it was collected and administered by the curiales. They split it in three and kept one third for their citys expenses. The other two thirds were then sent to Rome to be used for the needs of the army and the central administration. With the advent of the barbarians, this system was very conveniently transformed to accommodate them: the curiales no longer sent anything to Rome but instead conferred the appropriate amount to the barbarian group that happened settle in their citys administrative region. Furthermore, he argued that this modus operandi continued unaffected after the fall of the western Roman Empire, in the different successor-states, until the collapse of the Carolingian Empire.  [40]   This theoretical synthesis was attractive to scholars, not only due to its clarifying simplicity and astonishing applicability, but also because it served to explain the lack of any negative sentiment in the sources. The importance of it becomes clearer, if we take under consideration that actually there were complaints on the part of the sources, wherever the barbarians had not settled peacefully but by force.  [41]  As we saw earlier, the curiales were unconcerned if two thirds of the land tax changed recipients, as long as they were still obtaining their part undiminished. One can easily imagine the effect that this argument had on the debate on continuity, especially since it was centered on Western Europe. Of course, this theory didnt fail to raise some eyebrows. Liebeschà ¼tz criticized Durliats arguments on a twofold basis. First, he doubts that late Roman cities actually collected for themselves any part of the imperial taxes and second, he argues quite convincingly that such an agreement would eventually provide little actual security to the settling barbarians, as security is usually better ensured through direct property of the land, than through any fiscal rights. Whats more, it seems perfectly reasonable to assume that it was exactly this security that the barbarians were looking for and of course, their position of power during the last centuries of the Roman Empire made sure that they were not likely to settle for anything less.  [42]   Moreover, Durliats theory was commented on further in an article in 1998.  [43]  There, Wickham analysis Durliats arguments and dismisses them one by one. Initially, he disagrees that the strict fiscal meaning which the latter ascribes to terms such as possessors and fundus is actually the one intended by the legislators of the fourth and the fifth century and in so doing he undermines the theory from the beginning. But he goes on to challenge other aspects such as the idea that Church constituted a part of the state administration in the post-Roman kingdoms (and thus church property consisted only of fiscal lands) and the view that servus is the term used to suggest a free landowner. By providing hard evidence following the chronological order (Late Empire, Romano-Germanic Kingdoms, Carolingian Empire), Wickham manages to discredit convincingly the arguments about fiscal continuity throughout this period. But, it should be noted that in the end of his article, where he discusses briefly the issue of continuity, he states that while he is not averse to it himself, it should not be considered tantamount to complete absence of change.  [44]   However, the predominance of continuity does not sit well with terms like barbarian invasions and Germanic immigration. So, historians had to find ways to circumvent this problem; they started by looking at the ethnic identities of the Germanic peoples, because it could be argued for example that there was no clear-cut sense of common identity between barbarian groups, such as the Goths, or some common characteristics that defined Germanic then it would be possible to downplay the importance of the aforementioned terms. This way, Late Antiquity affected another heated debate (and in the meantime was affected by it); that of European national identities. The contribution of Walter Goffart has been essential at this point. Apart from fiscal continuity, in his Barbarians and Romans, he was also arguing about against the existence of definite ethnic identities among the barbarians. Another centuries-old historiographic tradition before him interpreted the movements of the Germanic tribes according to contemporary political ideas.  [45]  For example, before the Second World War, Kossina had argued that there was a separate, identifiable culture to be associated with every Germanic tribe we come across in the sources and in 1961 Wenskus had maintained that there was a core of tradition carried by the elite of each barbarian group, according to which the whole mass of the tribe was defined.  [46]  But, according to Goffart migrations have served as the factual underpinnings of early Germanic unity.  [47]  Thus, if he could prove that no such unity actually existed, the migration and invasion theories would lose all sense. Indeed, he argues for a short history of these peoples oblivion was a result of translocation. The common past of these peoples at any point stressed as back as the time before their last migration.  [48]  He refuses to use sources of the sixth century such as Jordanes because, in his opinion, they only reflect the ideas of their own times and cannot be trusted for their evidence of the distant past.  [49]  Finally, after taking under consideration also the deductions of archaeological research, he thinks that, if one wanted to look at the discontinuity provoked by the advent of the barbarians, he should definitely put the emphasis on Rome and its security. It was the appeal that the Empire had on the barbarians and not their own expansionist agendas that brought about the fall, in an imaginative experiment that got a little out of hand.  [50]   It is therefore clear that Late Antiquity has given historiography of ethnic identities new areas of research to explore. This process gets even more complicated with the interference of modern international politics and historians of the Early Middle Ages recently find themselves and their research at the center of contemporary political debates  [51]  . One can discern a pseudo-history in the making, which serves political and nationalistic purposes in the sense that it tries to define distinct nations that were created centuries ago once and for all. Another assumption is that by right these nations should form separate political entities, according to their defined ethnicity and territory.  [52]   To sum up, the search for continuity of the Late Antique scholars might not have been successful in the field of fiscal policies and accommodation but it ascertained the fact that we cannot presume long histories and ethnic identities of the Germanic peoples. This certainly confirmed transformation instead of catastrophe and crisis for some aspects of the fourth and fifth centuries but it surely proved that there was much discontinuity and heterogeneity concerning the notion of identity.  [53]  And since the Early Middle Ages are of such a great importance in the international political stage, scholars of the period should benefit from the results of research in this field in order to prevent their academic field from becoming a plaything in the hands of international politics. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Projecting their own experiences on another period of time (as historians often do)

The Set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Essay -- Whos Afraid Virgin

The Set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a play as drastically depressing and oppressive as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, the set needs to augment the mood as much as possible. Albee’s play calls for several props, and all of these have to be provided, but more than that, the set needs to look as real as possible, to show that these people are not vastly different from the rest of us. And because in that fact the true horror of the play resides the set is all-important. Luckily, the performance featured a realistic, intricate, close set.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is set in an ordinary 1950s New England suburban house. Nothing is overly expensive or glamorous. But in plays, designers typically want things to catch the eye, even though in this instance such would ruin the mood. The set designers captured this mood perfectly. Nothing is anachronistic. The set even lacks a coherent color scheme; but why would there be? In most houses, walls are painted and papered, carpet is put down, but, twenty years later, these same walls are decorated with paintings and the floors are covered with rugs and furniture that would not have even been considered in the inception. The set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? shows this hodgepodge perfectly. Above the set, the eaves of the house, and the roof of another house are clearly seen, providing, again, a voyeuristic view of the play’s events. Such realism creates a believable mood for the play, heightening the effect that these things are actually happening (heightened still more with Albee’s back-and-forth style of dialog), leaving the viewer acting as a voyeur, but also identifying closely with the characters. The realism in the set design is even more ... ...h a crowded area (set close to the edge of the stage for an even greater close appearance), and seeing them not bump into one another is uncomfortable to watch, simply because of the slight inherent feeling of wrongness, rather than a good-natured and cozy feeling, that is supported by the caustic dialogue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The set of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is perfectly designed for the play. The realism and intricacy of the scenery and props attempt to raise the fourth wall as much as possible, heightening the reality of the performance, while the claustrophobic closeness of everything tears the wall down in tiny shreds, giving a feel of unease to the play. In any modern play, unlike Shakespeare’s plays, there is a struggle to present the play in the accurate time, and the set designers of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? have done this flawlessly and accurately.

Adaptation Evaluation Essay

Tom Bombadil: Add sense of mysteriousness. Boromir’s confession: Proud, arrogant warrior The â€Å"Spirit† of LOTR: Was it kept? Improvements. A new power has arisen. All must unite or fall divided. This is the story of the Lord of the Rings. The ring of power, forged in secret by the dark Lord Sauron contained all of the might, malice and power of the Dark Lord. Its wearer would be invisible and almost invincible, but it would corrupt the heart of anyone who wore it. Lord of the Rings is a typical good vs. evil story. This time, however, good is losing badly. The Dark Lord’s forces will soon overcome all of Middle Earth, but there is one glint of hope for the forces of Good. Because the Dark Lord Sauron made the ring of power, his life is bound to it. If Good can prevent defeat for long enough so that the ring can be destroyed, Sauron shall be overcome. However, the ring of power can only be destroyed where it was made – deep in Sauron’s realm. This means that hope is in speed and secrecy, not force. A fellowship of the ring is formed and the quest is begun. The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the ring is the first part of the trilogy, which shows how the fellowship evades the servants of the Dark Lord and how the fellowship eventually breaks. A mighty warrior, Boromir is a member of the fellowship. He is lured by the temptation of power and tries to steal the ring. He does not fully understand that the ring corrupts any wearer. He is then asked by other members of the fellowship as to whether he has done anything, but he refuses doing anything wrong due to his arrogance. In the film, the plot is changed so that Boromir does try to take the ring, but he confesses everything. This was a major change as Boromir is meant to be a proud and arrogant human – the author J. R. R. Tolkien always shows most humans as easily corrupted. A large omission was Tom Bombadil. He was a â€Å"father of the forest† type man who has powers of song and looks after the ring bearer. Tolkien added him to add a sense of mysteriousness to Lord of the Rings – nobody knew who he was or where he came from. This was missed out in the film. Characters like him really did help the spirit of Lord of the Rings. Form one point of view; the film did not keep the spirit of Lord of the Rings at all. Parts were missed out and some of the film seemed like a traditional Good vs. Bad film – the beauty of Tolkien was that he took well known types of book and added a slight change, but meant that the whole plot would be different. For example, in the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins goes on a quest to retrieve dwarven treasure. However, he does not want to go and as a result ends up doing a better job of getting the treasure than if he had wanted the treasure. This is the reason why keeping the spirit of Lord of the Rings is so important, Lord of the Rings is unique. However, the film of Lord of the Rings has kept a large part of the spirit. It swings my emotions better than the book did and each character looked almost exactly as I imagined them to be. Because films need a great plot to be good, the director (Peter Jackson) has taken the good parts and made them great – he has really concentrated on the right parts. The film however was a bit too different from the book at times and too close at others. For example, there is an â€Å"I’m dead, oh no I’m not† scene part which was fine in the book, but should have been changed in the film. Another change that should have taken place was the fact that elves are shown as a dying any fading race in the Lord of the Rings film. In the book, elves couldn’t die and the elves simply were leaving the land, not dying out. This was probably shown to make humans seem better. In conclusion, the Lord of the Rings film made great use of an excellent plot and unusual story. I think that the film was very good, but there was a small amount of room for improvement.

Callaway golf case

Also, could Galloway Canada really create a source of competitive advantage in service? Ely Scalawag's history I believe that Ely had quite a bit of a struggle in golf because he was willing to pay premium for improved performance. This is what he felt would give a competitive advantage over his competitors. Furthermore, with this strategy, he felt that It would be more enjoyable for the average golfer. War-,l S. W. O. T for Galloway S- they are already established, brand loyalty W-one of their products performed poorly, only target ‘rich' people O-Service,Tailoring to golfers needs T-Competitors and substitutes Porters 5 forces In relation to Galloway: I only depicted 2 of the 5 forces that would have a major affect on Scalawags. The first force that would come into play would be the Threat of substitutes', this is because if prices are lower at a competing golf manufacturing company, a person who really does not care about performance, but more so for just doing it as a hobby , would Therefore, I believe that Scalawags should target a wider costumer base instead of JUST the upper class performers.On the other hand, another force that would come into play would be Rivalry because Scalawags has a lot of intense competition. This means that they have to focus on the pressure they have on prices, meaning because they charge premium prices, they are leaving out the common person, who Just wants to play golf as a hobby or for fun. However, this could also be to their advantage because they specialize in tailoring to specific performers, which means that people will be more willing to pay the premium prices, over what Scalawags competitors would offer.Alternative 1 In my opinion I believe that the first thing Galloway could do in order to improve their service and minimize competition would be to completely re-create their marketed products. They could do this by having more advertisements with the ‘new and improved' products, which would provoke higher p erformance golfers to be more willing to buy. However, in a market, which is so intensely competitive, I believe that golfers in particular have a mentality of Just constantly needing to improve their ‘game'.Therefore I figured with more advertisements using the ‘above the line rumination' strategy, would target golfers who could potentially ‘afford' more. This is because Scalawags would be promoted in specialized magazines and on the television, which is more likely to attract higher-class performers. Alternative 2 I came to the decision that the second alternative was to help sponsor a highly recognizable and qualified golf player, which would aid in promoting their sales because people would automatically associate the product with the performer.Along with this, Galloway would be Just easily getting its name out there, because Tiger Woods for example, is an icon for professional golfers. Therefore, if Galloway chooses to sponsor Tiger, fans etc would want to Jus t buy the products because Tiger has them. Alternative 3 Finally, my third alternative for Scalawags would be to target a wider costumer base because right now they are Just promoting to higher performers, whereas if they they would be more likely to buy from Scalawags.However, Scalawags is perceived as being for ‘higher class' people, which means that not too many of ‘lower class' performers would want to purchase their products. Recommendations Overall, in my opinion I believe that Scalawags Golf should proceed with the third alternative first because catering to other people would be the easiest and less expensive way to improve service and also to gain a competitive advantage over their rivalry.Along with this, their sales should increase because more people will be willing to buy their product. However, people still may not even want to buy the product because they prefer substitutes. On the other hand, I perceived the second best thing to do would be the sponsor be cause it's a good marketing strategy. Therefore, by sponsoring a highly qualified ND recognized performer like Tiger Woods, people would be more open to your brand.Finally, the third and last thing I decided for Galloway is in order to improve its service and gain a competitive advantage they should re-create their image. This, however, would be the most expensive and time consuming because they would have to develop market research on what the other ‘lower class' performers would want. Along with this, the competition of much larger golf stores like Nikkei, who tailor to EVERYONE in golf, have already built that relationship with their customers that Galloway may be trying to target.

Danie Theron as a Hero of the Anglo-Boer War

Danie Theron as a Hero of the Anglo-Boer War On the 25th of April 1899 Danie Theron, a Krugersdorp attorney, was found guilty of assaulting Mr W. F. Monneypenny, the editor of The Star newspaper, and fined  £20. Monneypenny, who had only been in the South Africa for two months, had written a highly derogatory editorial against the ignorant Dutch. Theron pleaded extreme provocation and his fine was paid by his supporters in the courtroom. So starts the story of one of the Anglo-Boer Wars most illustrious heroes. Danie Theron and the Cycling Corps Danie Theron, who had served in the 1895 Mmalebà ´gà ´ (Malaboch) War, was a true patriot - believing in the just and divine right of the Boer to stand against British interference: Our strength lies in the justice of our cause and in our trust in help from above.1 Before the outbreak of war, Theron and a friend, J. P. Koos Jooste (a cycling champion), asked the Transvaal government if they could raise a cycling corps. (Bicycles had first been used by the US army in the Spanish War, 1898, when a hundred black cyclists under the command of Lt James Moss were rushed in to help with riot control in Havana, Cuba.) It was Therons opinion that using bicycles for dispatch riding and reconnaissance would save horses for use in combat. In order to gain the necessary permission Theron and Jooste had to convince the highly skeptical burghers that bicycles were as good, if not better, than horses. In the end, it took a 75 kilometre race from Pretoria to the Crocodile River Bridge2 in which Jooste, on a bicycle, beat an experienced horse rider, to convince Commandant-General Piet Joubert and President J. P. S. Kruger that the idea was sound. Each of the 108 recruits to the Wielrijeders Rapportgangers Corps (Cycle Dispatch Rider Corps) was supplied with a bicycle, shorts, a revolver and, on special occasion, a light carbine. Later they received binoculars, tents, tarpaulins and wire cutters. Therons corps distinguished themselves in Natal and on the western front, and even before the war had started had provided information about British troop movements beyond the Transvaals western border.1 By Christmas 1899, Capt Danie Therons dispatch rider corps were experiencing poor deliveries of supplies at their outposts on the Tugela. On the 24th December Theron complained to the Supplies Commission that they were severely neglected. He explained that his corps, who were always in the vanguard, were far from any railway line where supplies were unloaded and his wagons regularly returned with the message that there were no vegetables since everything had been carted off to the laagers surrounding Ladysmith. His complaint was that his corps did both dispatch riding and reconnaissance work, and that they were also called upon to fight the enemy. He wanted to offer them better sustenance than dried bread, meat and rice. The result of this plea earned Theron the nickname of Kaptein Dik-eet (Captain Gorge-yourself) because he catered so well for his corps stomachs!1 The Scouts Are Moved to the Western Front As the Anglo-Boer War progressed, Capt Danie Theron and his scouts were moved to the western front and the disastrous confrontation between the British forces under Field Marshal Roberts and the Boer forces under General Piet Cronje. After a long and hard struggle up the Modder River by the British forces, the siege of Kimberly had finally been broken and Cronje was falling back with a vast train of wagons and many women and children - the families of the Commandos. General Cronje almost slipped through the British cordon, but eventually was forced to form a laager by the Modder near Paardeberg, where they dug in ready for a siege. Roberts, temporarily indisposed with the flu, passed command to Kitchener, who faced with a drawn-out siege or an all-out infantry attack, chose the latter. Kitchener also had to deal with rearguard attacks by Boer reinforcements and the approach of further Boer forces under General C. R. de Wet. On the 25th of February, 1900, during the  Battle of Paardeberg,  Capt. Danie Theron bravely crossed the British lines and entered Cronjes laager in an effort to co-ordinate a breakout. Theron, initially traveling by bicycle2, had to crawl for much of the way, and is reported to have had a conversation with British guards before crossing the river. Cronje was willing to consider a breakout but felt it necessary to put the plan before a council of war. The following day, Theron sneaked back to De Wet at Poplar Grove and informed him that the council had rejected the breakout. Most of the horses and draught animals had been killed and the burgers were worried about the safety of the women and children in the laager. Additionally, officers had threatened to stay in their trenches and surrender if Cronje gave the order to breakout. On the 27th, despite a passionate plea to his officers by Cronje to wait just one more day, Cronje was forced to surrender. The humiliation of surrender w as made much worse because this was Majuba Day. This was one of the main turning points of the war for the British. On the 2nd of March a council of war at Poplar Grove gave Theron permission to form a Scout Corps, consisting of about 100 men, to be called the Theron se Verkenningskorps (Theron Scouting Corps) and subsequently known by the initials TVK. Curiously, Theron now advocated the use of horses rather than bicycles, and each member of his new corps was provided with two horses. Koos Jooste was given command of the Cycling Corps. Theron achieved a certain notoriety in his remaining few months. The TVK were responsible for destroying railway bridges and captured several British officers. As a result of his endeavors a newspaper article, 7th April 1900, reported that Lord Roberts labeled him the chief thorn in the side of the British and had put a bounty on his head of  £1,000, dead or alive. By July Theron was considered such an important target that the Theron and his scouts were attacked by General Broadwood and 4 000 troops. A running battle ensued during which the TVK lost eight scouts killed and the British lost five killed and fifteen wounded. Therons catalogue of deeds is vast considering how little time he had left. Trains were captured, railway tracks dynamited, prisoners freed from a British jail, he had earned the respect of his men and his superiors. Therons Last Battle On the 4th September 1900 in the Gatsrand, near Fochville, Commandant Danie Theron was planning an attack with General Liebenbergs commando on General Harts column. Whilst out scouting to discover why Leibenberg was not at the agreed position, Theron ran into seven members of Marshalls Horse. During the resultant fire fight Theron killed three and wounded the other four. The columns escort was alerted by the firing and immediately charged up the hill, but Theron managed to avoid capture. Finally the columns artillery, six field guns and 4.7 inch navel gun, were unhitched and the hill bombarded. The legendary Republican hero was killed in an inferno of lyddite and shrapnel3. Eleven days later, the body of Commandant Danie Theron was exhumed by his men and later reburied next to his late fiancà ©e, Hannie Neethling, at her fathers farm of Eikenhof, Klip River. Commandant Danie Therons death earned him immortal fame in Afrikaner history. On learning of Therons death, De Wet said: Men as lovable or as valiant there might be, but where shall I find a man who combined so many virtues and good qualities in one person? Not only had he the heart of a lion but he also possessed consummate tact and the greatest energy... Danie Theron answered the highest demands that could be made on a warrior1. South Africa remembered its hero by naming their School of Military Intelligence after him. References 1. Fransjohan Pretorius, Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer war 1899 - 1902, Human and Rousseau, Cape Town, 479 pages, ISBN 0 7981 3808 4. 2. D. R. Maree,  Bicycles in the Anglo Boer war of 1899-1902. Military History Journal, Vol. 4 No. 1 of the South African Military History Society. 3. Pieter G. Cloete, The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, J.P van de Walt, Pretoria,351 pages, ISBN 0 7993 2632 1.

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck essays

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck essays The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is both a historical and literary depiction of the lives of California migrant workers who became victims to the dry spells that plagued the Dust Bowl regions (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado) during the 1930s. The novel, through the lead characters, Tom Joad and his family, Steinbeck illustrated life of Oklahomans who migrated to California in search for work and living. However, the Joad family's life served as the symbol' representing all California migrant workers during the period. This is because the novel actually discusses the conflict between the California migrant workers (protagonist) and the white American society (antagonist). Moreover, the novel is also a display of conflict between poverty and wealth, as American society shifts from being an agricultural to urban. Conflict between the migrant workers and white Americans in California stemmed from the threat that the migrants posed for the state's inhabitants: the migration of people from the Dust Bowl regions led to lesser opportunities for work and economic resources for them Tom Joad, the main character of the novel, best represent the migrant worker of the 30s, who was forced to leave his home for want of a better life in California. However, hopes for his family's good fortune in their new life led to disillusionment when he witnessed the sorry' state of migrants in and the ugliness' of California. This realization surfaced as they neared and arrived at the state: "Tom looked about the grimy tents, the junk equipment, at the old cars, the lumpy mattresses out in the sun, at the blackened cans on fire-blackened holes where the people cooked" (286). The inevitable conflict that discrimination among migrant workers finally led to Tom's downfall, when he was (wrongfully) accused of killing Casy. His disillusionment and becoming a fugitive bui...

Authors Here are 10 Must-Read Marketing Books

Authors Here are 10 Must-Read Marketing Books The 10 Best Marketing Books for Authors Most authors have enough saved blog posts on how to market a book to fill an anthology. But the benefit of a marketing book is that it covers one person's philosophy or approach from start to finish, so you can get a better look at the whole picture. Blog surfing can result in a lot of conflicting half-thoughts. So if you’re looking to brush up on your marketing savvy but still want the pleasure of flicking through chapters of seamless narrative, we suggest taking a look at the following ten best marketing books for authors - all hand-picked by the industry experts on our marketplace! Check out the 10 best marketing books for authors as suggested by industry professionals! 1. Online Marketing for Busy Authors: A Step-By-Step Guide - Fauzia BurkeYou may be a great author. But are you a great copywriter? The two skills require separate muscles, but both are important to get right if you want your work to end up on people’s reading lists’. This book goes over how to structure compelling copy for the various types of media you might be advertising on, covers common copywriting mistakes, and provides templates you can apply to your own product. You’ll be ready to join the ranks of Don Draper in no time.TLDR: Born-writer but not born-marketer? Learn how to write all over again - this time copy that will allow you to increase your sales on Amazon and to get more out of an adverts you run. "It doesn’t make you any less of an artist to know the ins and outs of marketing." #Marketingadvice this way! 10.  Make Art Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career - Elizabeth Hyde StevensThis one is not technically about marketing, but after a steady diet of books on â€Å"targeting† and â€Å"strategizing,† we wanted to end this list on an inspirational note. As the title suggests, this book follows the life of Jim Henson (the man who brought us The Muppets) and is about being an artist while also making money. Its two most important lessons focus on:the importance of creators remaining at least partly in control of their enterprises (a shout-out to self-publishing authors if we’ve ever heard one!), andbalance: don’t let money make you lose sight of your passion, but don’t neglect your business savvy. It doesn’t make you any less of an artist to know the ins and outs of marketing, it ensures you can continue to create by allowing you to reach audiences/customers.TLDR: Don’t read this book for actionable marketin g tips - read it to remind yourself that your work’s success is worth fighting for.Have you read one of these books?  Do you have any favorites we didn't mention? Drop them in the comments below and we'll add them to the list!

Analysis of Consumption Choices Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of Consumption Choices - Lab Report Example The paper primarily analyzes purchase and consumption pattern of consumer (myself) as per the purchases made in two weeks’ period from 8th August to 21st August 2011. 2. Situational influences Purchase of goods made during the period could broadly be divided into four categories: convenience good; shopping goods; specialty goods; and unsought goods. While basic needs were responsible for purchasing convenience goods (annexure attached), the shopping items were deemed necessary primarily because of the need to be comfortable within and outside the academic area. The decision to buy shoes and clothes was influenced by the situation. The old pair of shoes was torn and I lacked appropriate clothes for formal occasions. The books and stationery were essential items and constituted important part of my study curricula. The specialty item like Apple iPad was instantaneous buy as all my friends had it and since I had recently received a little extra money from my parents, I thought I could splurge a little in luxury and save in essential. Maybe, reducing the consumption of cigarettes and keeping away from the temptation of going to sales and goods exhibitions would compensate the luxury buy! The purchase decision of unsought items during an exhibition was mainly influenced by its unique carving which attracted me. They were actually abstract buying and probably satisfied deep craving for the items. 3. Consumption perspectives The consumption behavior is subtle but complex process that takes into considerations various factors like perception of need for the product that could be influenced by personal choice or external elements. Perceiving the need for good can be triggered by the basic human need or through other media like advertisement. I had bought the Apple iPad because I had gathered the information from my friends and acquaintances who had bought the product and knew its super utility and functions. After sales service was also important issue while buyi ng shoes and iPad. Lee et al. (2002) assert that when the consumer experiences satisfaction in relation to the consumption, possession, maintenance, life cycle and the after sales service of the product purchased, he tends to repeat the purchase decisions. Pair of Nike shoes was bought because of satisfaction with the good. The other convenience goods had long term satisfaction history so needed no reference or external influences for buying the goods. In the current environment, the hedonistic and experiential goods have become major competitor of utilitarian products and services. Hedonistic goods are distinct in their pleasure that buyer receives when he/she consumes that good or uses it. The various goods that promote lifestyle statements are important examples of such goods. Experiential consumption, on the other hand is not need based but describes the consumption pattern of new breed of buyers who are motivated by mass culture of representative values of goods and services. I t differs from the hedonistic goods mainly in its feedback and conceptualization aspect. While hedonistic goods give pleasure to the buyer, with or without consumption, the experiential goods are just bought because they represent something important to the society at large. The goods could be bought as a status symbol, even though they do not have any

Indian Camp and Barn Burning Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Indian Camp and Barn Burning - Research Paper Example s with the reality of cruelty in the world--with war, violence, death, racism, and hatred--while others deal with family, friends, or community issues† (2010). Both Hemingways Indian Camp and Faulkners Barn Burning transparently fit these criteria, but the stories have very different trajectories and symbolisms. While both Indian Camp and Barn Burning are coming of age stories, Indian Camps trajectory of responsibility has to do with the institutions and culture surrounding the phenomenon of death as well as the phenomenon itself, while Barn Burning has to do with realizing the limitations of ones parents and transcending them. In Indian Camp, Nick enters the story at an unknown age, but presumably as a younger teenager. He is young enough that his father feels that it must be explained that â€Å"This lady is going to have a baby†, but old enough that he knows what this means. But by the end of the story, Nick has been exposed to a trifecta: Death, birth and the connected sexuality, and pain and violence of a sort (Tetlow, 1992, pg. 53-55). He is exposed to the horrible blood and death of the Indian fathers suicide: â€Å"He pulled back the blanket from the Indians head. His hand came away wet. He mounted on the edge of the lower bunk with the lamp in one hand and looked in. The Indian lay with his face toward the wall. His throat had been cut from ear to ear. The blood had flowed down into a pool where his body sagged the bunk. His head rested on his left arm. The open razor lay, edge up, in the blankets†. He is exposed to sexuality and its costs by the birth of the child and by the relatio nship between the Indian woman and her husband. He is exposed to birth and its potential costs and dangers, and his father has to explain that not all births are that perilous. He is exposed to violence, to the way knives and razors both help and hurt. This is far too much for a kid to take in. Nicks father could be accused of callousness when he says, â€Å"But her screams are

Health Promotion at Tackling Coronary Health Disease Essay - 1

Health Promotion at Tackling Coronary Health Disease - Essay Example The study findings thus reveal that to reduce the risk of CHD, it is essential for the women to lead a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and involve in various physical activities. It is usually found that the South Asian women in the UK are less exposed to physical activities due to various socio-cultural barriers, and most of them are unaware of CHD and its consequences along with the preventive measures. The governments of UK are implementing effective policies and strategies to reduce CHD among the South Asian women. However, more cooperation is required from the government and the healthcare authorities in creating awareness among these sections of the country. Â  Conclusion: The literature review helped to conclude that the UK Government has been, to a great extent, successful in implementing effective health promotion techniques to prevent CHD among South Asian women in the UK. Through the health promotion techniques, the government has been creating awareness, educating the South Asian women regarding the health hazards of CHD and trying to reduce the risk factors associated with the identified issue. The government is also promoting various physical activities and a healthy diet among South Asian women that would reduce the risk of CHD among this population in the UK. The data further revealed that there has been a successful response to the health preventive techniques and measures in tackling CHD in the UK. Moreover, the cultural-based initiatives employed by the government and other organizations have to a larger extent been more effective than the educational programmes. Â  

Early 20th century Shanghai Divergence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Early 20th century Shanghai Divergence - Essay Example The article starts off by attempting to place Shanghai in the context of other cities of the world like Amsterdam, Budapest and Houston that Baverstock et al have placed in the category of â€Å"gamma-global-cities†. What this means is that these cities have been given a separate place from the other cities of the world in terms of their tendency to what Wasserstrom calls â€Å"re-globalizing† nature i.e. the ability of the cities to re-integrate them with the global landscape. The author attempts’ to place Shanghai in context leave him bewildered considering the range of transformations that the city underwent in its existence and the fact that it is still a â€Å"work in progress†. The author reaches the view point that Shanghai is a city that is â€Å"good to think† which means that attempts to compare Shanghai with other cities have proved fruitless. And the article quotes Rudolf Wagner who suggests a moratorium in comparing Shanghai with other cities. Wasserstrom is not deterred by the academic community’s decision on de-linking comparisons of Shanghai with other cities. On the other hand, â€Å"While there is a strong case to be made for Wagner’s argument and the modification of it just described, this article argues that this is a good time for Shanghai specialists to enter the admittedly treacherous waters of far-flung comparison. And it will suggest a specific strategy for doing just this by proposing that we think of Shanghai as a reglobalizing When we use the term â€Å"re-globalize†, we effectively mean that there was a time when these cities were part of the global mainstream in terms of their relations with the rest of the world be it for trade or exchange of ideas. Shanghai has a particular significance in this respect as it was one of the cities in the East that had interacted with the West before the opium wars and the hundred years of treaty enforced port-period when it was a bustling port that served as a center for commerce and

Domestic violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Domestic violence - Essay Example 464; Black et al., 2008). Specifically the term ‘domestic violence’ can either refer to men and women as victims of abuse (Ahmed, 2009, p. 1). However, the rate of abuse inflicted on women and children is much higher as compared to men (Humphreys and Stanley, 2006, p. 13). In the UK, 62% and 38% of domestic abuse victims are female and male respectively (Office for National Statistics, 2014). Specifically the Women’s Aid (2014) reported that at least one (1) incident of domestic violence occurs in this country each minute and that at least two (2) women are killed by their former or current male partner each week. Published on the official website of gov.uk, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that roughly 1.2 million women were victims of domestic abuse and that more than 330,000 women throughout the United Kingdom were sexually assaulted from 2012 to 2013 (gov.uk, 2014). For so many reasons, domestic violence, up to the present time, can still be a ‘hidden crime’ mainly because the victims are ashamed of being abused by their current or former partner (Rose, 2013, pp. 12–13; Womens Aid, 2008). To gain better understanding of the gender differences in domestic violence, this study will purposely analyse and discuss the existence of unequal power distribution between men and women, the main causes of sexual inequality, oppression and gender or racial discrimination. Eventually, strategies that can help The traumatic experiences the victims get from domestic violence can lead to long-term stress, physical injuries, adverse mental and psychological changes and emotional burden such as anxiety and depression (Pearson et al., 2007, p. 38). In line with this, the UK government allocated a total of  £40 million to financially support the funding of ‘local support services’ and ‘national help lines’ for abuse victims up to the end of 2015. However, the Living Without Abuse (2014) has recently reported that the actual costs of

Latin American Cinema (cuban, Strawberry and Chocolate) Essay

Latin American Cinema (cuban, Strawberry and Chocolate) - Essay Example Describing those days, the film under discussion qualifies as a Cuban cinema with certain typical traits. Mr. Gutierrez Alea, the maker of this film, has always been sensitive towards â€Å"Cubanness†. This Cubanness finds expression through a social commitment, which must also culminate at a social resonance. People must be able to identify themselves with the characters of the film, and further reflect on the subject and predicate of the presentation. Memories of Underdevelopment effectively portrayed the identity factor of the Cuban society and thus it accomplishes as a typical Cuban film. Mr. Gutierrez Alea was critical to the revolution but not destructive towards it. Hence, Memories of Underdevelopment can be defined as a portrait of the Cuban society created by a critical insider of the Cuban Revolution itself. The film covers the humanistic aspects of the revolutionary outlook through the heart and mind of a sensitive filmmaker. Hence, it becomes a descriptive monologue of the Cuban Revolution as a whole. The film has a radical expressionist approach towards the Cuban Revolution and the society. It particularly seeks to point out the stringency and confusion in the post revolutionary Cuba during the 1960s. The film is about an intellectual who strives to find out his place in the post-revolutionary social framework of Cuba. Thus, the director enters a world of inter-contradiction, where we find both revolutionary commitment and humanly hesitations in one go. In the process, the critique becomes pretty innovative. The film does not attack one’s humanly weaknesses. Rather, it portrays this factor of weakness sympathetically. The assertive masterpiece is meshed into the picturing of this sensitive feature of the human mind. The weakness or hesitation actually develops from the internal mind, where subconscious reasoning often takes control of a man’s

Domestic violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Domestic violence - Essay Example 464; Black et al., 2008). Specifically the term ‘domestic violence’ can either refer to men and women as victims of abuse (Ahmed, 2009, p. 1). However, the rate of abuse inflicted on women and children is much higher as compared to men (Humphreys and Stanley, 2006, p. 13). In the UK, 62% and 38% of domestic abuse victims are female and male respectively (Office for National Statistics, 2014). Specifically the Women’s Aid (2014) reported that at least one (1) incident of domestic violence occurs in this country each minute and that at least two (2) women are killed by their former or current male partner each week. Published on the official website of gov.uk, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that roughly 1.2 million women were victims of domestic abuse and that more than 330,000 women throughout the United Kingdom were sexually assaulted from 2012 to 2013 (gov.uk, 2014). For so many reasons, domestic violence, up to the present time, can still be a ‘hidden crime’ mainly because the victims are ashamed of being abused by their current or former partner (Rose, 2013, pp. 12–13; Womens Aid, 2008). To gain better understanding of the gender differences in domestic violence, this study will purposely analyse and discuss the existence of unequal power distribution between men and women, the main causes of sexual inequality, oppression and gender or racial discrimination. Eventually, strategies that can help The traumatic experiences the victims get from domestic violence can lead to long-term stress, physical injuries, adverse mental and psychological changes and emotional burden such as anxiety and depression (Pearson et al., 2007, p. 38). In line with this, the UK government allocated a total of  £40 million to financially support the funding of ‘local support services’ and ‘national help lines’ for abuse victims up to the end of 2015. However, the Living Without Abuse (2014) has recently reported that the actual costs of

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

Reflection - Assignment Example The feeling was great because participating in a worthy cause of raising funds to cater for children’s health concerns is good. My thought is that more funds need to be raised by conducting regular walks to cater for research activities by the children’s hospital. My reaction was positive since the event was a platform to get to touch a child’s heart especially those from poor backgrounds who cannot afford expensive medical bills (Voelker 12). The walk was quite a success; however, the experience from it is what is vital. I noticed that few families participated. Instead, it was only school children. Parents should be encouraged to participate more. The event is also supposed to be expanded to other areas in order to raise more funds. Most important is for accountability of these funds to ensure it benefits the children from poor backgrounds. The funds should go into projects that aim to ensure all children access affordable quality healthcare. Questions that need to be considered include: was the event a success? What improvements need to be done? What impact has the awareness created and how are the funds going to be used? A number of nurses participated in the event. The experience from a professional nurse’s perspective was a constructive one. Nurses need to envision becoming caring so as to improve the health of the children. They have to carry out their duties with high standards of dedication through nursing research, evidence objective practice and high quality of nursing care to the kids. The nurses must place the needs of the kids and their families fast by ensuring they are responsible, excellent, and innovative enough and practice with respect and dignity (Voelker

Electrostatic Ion Thrusters

Electrostatic Ion Thrusters Abstract The ion thrusters belong to the electric propulsion category and are used by modern spacecraft either to maintain their position relative to the Earth or to complete deep space missions. Their main characteristic is the high specific impulse which involves an efficient use of the propellant, a mandatory requirement for space activities where weight is the main restriction. The thrust is generated by the acceleration of ionised gas at very high velocities. The mechanism used to achieve the acceleration distinguishes these propulsive devices in two main categories: electrostatic and electromagnetic. In the first type, a potential difference accelerates the ions through the Coulombs force. In the second type the interaction of the ionised gas with a magnetic field generates the thrust through the Lorentzs force. This paper focuses on the analysis of the main features and architectures of the electrostatic ion thrusters. In the first part, the reasons why they are used for space applicat ions are explained. Afterwards, the propulsors physic and the working principles are illustrated with considerations on their advantages and limitations. Eventually, an overview of the field of applications and future design innovations is presented. Keywords: Ion thrusters, Hall thrusters, Feep Nomenclature EPElectric Propulsion ESAEuropean Space AgencyNASANational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationJAXAJapan Aerospace Exploration AgencyGEOGeostationary Orbit LEOlow Earth Orbit STPStationary Plasma Thruster Electrostatic ion thrusters are a major area of interest within the field of space applications. Thanks to the constant heightened of electrical power available in modern spacecraft the last two decades have seen a growing proliferation of this technology. The concept of electric propulsion has been theorized for the first time by Robert H. Goddard in 1906[1] and Herman Oberth in 1929[2] but it was not until 1948 that the research efforts on ion thrusters implementation on a spacecraft began. A considerable contribution was given by the work of Ernst Stuhlinger[1]. Early experimental tests started during the 50s and leaded to the first successful space test in 1964 with the SERT-1[3]. With the end of the Cold War and the Space Race the interest in these devices diminished but just for a short period. Today in fact ion thrusters are essential for a wide range of space missions. In this paper, after a brief explanation of the importance of high impulse thrusters for space applications, the three main architectures of electrostatic ion thrusters are presented. For each category the paper will look into the working principles, evolution over the years, applications in space mission and future development of the technology. The essential reason of the development of the ion thruster for space applications is the extremely high efficiency in the utilisation of propellant mass and the corresponding reduction of the launch costs, a critical parameter for the mission feasibility. Moreover this technology permits to performs deep-space missions otherwise inaccessible to conventional chemical rockets[4]. The reason lies in the Tsiolkovskys equation which can be derived from the Newtons law of momentum conservation: Where and are the final and the initial spacecraft mass respectively, is the velocity change and is the exhaust velocity. The equations shows that must be comparable to to have a significant fraction of final mass. Thrusters that provide a large propellant exhaust velocity compared to the mission will have a propellant mass that is only a small fraction of the initial spacecraft wet mass. Space mission are classified by the amount of velocity change needed for the orbital maneuvers, planetary mission for example requires velocity above 10 km/s[4]. Table 1:Characteristic velocity increments Mission [km/s] 1 year station keeping 10 LEO GEO 3.5 Earth Mars (return) 14 Earth Venus (return) 16 Earth Jupiter (return) 64 Earth Alpha Centaury (return) 30000 The exhaust velocity is directly proportional to the specific impulse, which can be seen as a measure of the propellant acceleration efficiency. The formulation is: where in the mass flow and the sea-level gravitational acceleration. Typical values of different propulsive systems are listed in table 2. It can be seen that the necessary velocity augmentation is much larger than the typical chemical rocket exhaust velocity, for this reason they are not suitable for this kind of missions. The latter is restricted by the intrinsic energy of the propellant, thermal limitations of the materials and frozen flow losses[4]. For electric thrusters the propellant and the energy source are independent and the specific impulse depends only on the energy deposed into the plasma[5]. Another key strength of ion thrusters is the high thrust efficiency: where is the available electric power and is the thrust. The equation shows that defined a large specific impulse leads to a very low thrust level which is a typical characteristic of ion engines. As a consequence this kind of thrusters requires a large amount of propulsion time, actually the opposite of what happens with chemical propulsion, characterised by high thrust levels over a short time. Table 2: Representative specific impulse and thrust levels of different propulsive systems [2] Propulsive system [s] Thrust [N] Liquid monopropellant 200 250 0.01 100 Liquid bipropellant 300 450 0.01 10^7 Solid propellant 200 300 1 10^6 Hybrid propellant 250 350 1 10^6 Ion Thrusters 2000 5000 Hall Thrusters 1500 2500 Feep Thrusters 5000 0.001 Electrostatic ion engines overcomes the limitations on the attainable exhaust speeds of conventional chemical rockets by the acceleration of the propellant through an electrostatic field. They can be divided into three main categories: Gridded Ion Thrusters, Hall Effect Thrusters and Field-Emission Electric Propulsion. In each of those the same main functions are performed: generation of the plasma, ions acceleration and ions neutralization. This configuration is the most fully developed and studied concept of electric propulsion [4]. The standard design comprises a metal ionisation chamber surrounded by magnets and three grids at the exit position. Acc elettroni 4.1 Ionisation and extraction Plasma is a ionised gas where approximately an equal number of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons coexists[6]. The generation of positive particles requires an energy equivalent to the first ionization energy of the propellant. This amount of energy has an impact on the maximum attainable efficiency of the thruster that according to[5] can be written as: where is the ionisation energy and is the ion mass. The equation displays that the higher the ion mass and exit velocity (hence specific impulse) the higher the efficiency while decreases it. For this reason propellants with a low specific ionisation energy (alkali metals and noble gases) are preferred. The lower limit for the utilisation on these type of thrusters is 2000 s. Modern ion thrusters uses Xenon as a propellant since it has a large atomic weight and it easy to store because it is an inert gas, although Mercury and Caesium would be more performant propellants since their mass is much larger and the ionisation energy slightly greater, the higher toxicity prevents their use in experimental tests. Propellant Ionisation potential [eV] Atomic mass [AMU] Caesium 3.9 132.9 Mercury 10.4 200.6 Xenon 12.8 131.3 Krypton 14.0 83.8 Hydrogen 15.4 2.0 There are two mechanisms to create the plasma: the electron-bombardment and the relatively recent frequency excitation. In the first type electrons emitted from a thermionic or a hollow cathode collide with the propellant gas and generates positive ions. The electrons tend to reach the anode but the presence of an axial magnetic field generated by the magnets outside of the chamber causes a spiral path that improves their confinement and the ionisation efficiency. When an electron ionises an atom its energy decreases and when it drop below a certain level the magnetic field is not able to confine it anymore and it is extracted by the anode. In the second type the ionisation chamber is surrounded by a coil that induces an axial electro-magnetic field that ionises the gas. This method has some advantages such as the elimination of the cathode which improve the thruster life and a larger range of mass flow variation [7]. The number of ions created is equal to the number of electrons captured by the anode and an equilibrium condition is established. The plasma potential is slightly higher than the one of first grid, as a consequence the generated ions are attracted towards the exit of the chamber. In this region a sheet of the debaey length causes a natural curvature of the electric field and permits the extraction of the ions. Sheets debay 4.2 Acceleration The extraction of the ions from the ionisation chamber and the acceleration are performed by an electric field applied by three perforated grids. The first one acts as a screen while the second and the third accelerate and decelerate the gas respectively. The design of the grids is crucial and is based on a trade-off among performance, life and size. The grid holes diameter is defined by conflicting targets, it must be enough small to retain the unionised gas but maximised to provide an high grid transparency to extract the maximum possible number of positive ions[5]. An high potential difference is applied between the first and the second grid which accelerates the ions: where and are the ion charge and mass respectively and is the potential difference. The potential of the intermediate grid is negative in order to avoid the back-streaming of the electrons from the neutralizer cathode. The presence of positive particles only, during the acceleration, leads to an essential upper limit in the ion current density that can by provided and hence to the thrust density (N/m^2) of this devices with adverse consequences on their size[7]. The limit is dictate by the Child-Langmuir law[8]: that involves a thrust per unit of area of: where A is the cross area of the jet, d is the distance between the grids and is the electric constant. The formula demonstrates that to have compact device heavy ions and an high voltage are needed while the gap between the grids must be very small and this constitutes a thermal, electrical and structural challenge. Adopting Xenon and the maximum electric potential difference with nowadays technology level (typical value is 1000 Volt) the value which is very low. The exhaust speed achieved in this case, and hence the specific impulse, is excessively high considering the actual space mission requirements. Since just lowering the potential difference would reduce the already small value of thrust density a third deceleration grid is added[1]. Placing the acceleration grid at a negative potential the problem of the excessive velocity is solved without compromising the thrust density. The value of the required specific impulse determines the value of the third grid potential[5]. The single charge nature of the beam causes the repulsion between the accelerated ions which tend to diverge from the axial direction. Since the repulsion force is proportional to the beam diameter the latter is subdivided into small portions with order of magnitude equals to the grids distance. Since the electric field generated by the first grid is convergent the grid can be designed in such a way that particles trajectory became axial due to the repulsive force inside the beam. The grid geometry and the ions trajectory have a crucial roles in determining the thruster life, for this reason they are made of heavy metals such as Molybdenum, Graphite composites have been recently introduced[7]. Even though the grid are accurately designed, a secondary current of low energy ions hits the accelerator grid causing erosion. This current is caused by the Charge-Exchange Ionisation: some neutral atoms of propellant escaping from the ionisation chamber are struck by beam ions and a charge exchange happens[5]. The resultant low energy ions are accelerated towards the intermediate grid with enough energy to consume it over a long period. This process leads to a distortion of the grid holes that increases the damage until a structural failure of the grid occurs or the back streaming of electrons is not prevented anymore. 4.3 Neutralisation If the positive charged ions beam exiting from the thruster is not neutralised the thruster acquires a negative potential and causes the ions back-streaming. The neutralisation is achieved by the emission of a negative current by an hollow cathode positioned outside of the ions streams. Since the potential difference in this case is very low (electrons dont need to be accelerated) and the distance is an order of magnitude larger than the grid gap, the Childs law prevents the emission of a pure electrons current. The solution is the utilisation of a plasma bridge, a global neutral plasma with an electrons current inside. The hollow cathode is constituted by a tube of refractory materials and an orifice plate at the downstream end[9]. Inside the tube an insert made of tungsten is impregnated with a low work-function metal. The cathode is wrapped by an heater that allows electrons emission through thermionic effect when temperature reaches 1000ÂÂ °C[9]. Xenon is fed into the tube and electrons emitted from the insert are extracted by a keeper electrode downstream of the orifice. 4.4 Evolution of the technology and future development The first ion engine flight was the demonstrative mission Space Electric Rocket Test (SERT 1) in 1964[3], followed in 1970 by the SERT 2 whose two mercury thrusters achieved 2000 and 3700 hours of operations respectively providing 300 restarts[10]. The first use of gridded ion thrusters adopted for station keeping for commercial applications has been the XIPS-13 in 1997 for the PAS-5 (PanAmSat-5) communications satellite[5]. The subsequent generation of gridded ion engine, NSTAR, was developed by NASA JPL and Boeing. This thruster equipped the Deep Space 1 in 1998[11], a demonstration spacecraft that reached an asteroid and a comet. It provided 16000 hours of operation during the mission and over 40,000 hours of life testing[5]. Hundreds of papers have been published on its design and performance. In 1999 an evolution of the XIPS-13, the XIPS-25, was first lunched on a Boeing 702 Satellite[12]. This second generation is capable of providing orbit raising other than station keeping and momentum control. To date these thruster have been used for station keeping on Boeing 702 class satellites for more than 10 years, and 68 are currently operating in orbit on 17 spacecraft[5]. The next model used for station keeping was lunched on the telecom satellite Artemis in 2001 by the ESA. It used two T5 and two RIT thruster developed by Astrium[13]. The satellite reached a GEO orbit thanks to the ion thrusters used as a primary propulsion for recovery the chemical stage failure. In 2003 JAXA lunched the Hayabusa mission which equipped with four ion thrusters collected samples from an asteroid and returned to Earth in 2010[14]. Later in 2007 the Dawn[ mission of NASA was lunched to study two protoplanets in the asteroids belts, Vesta and Ceres, it has been the first time that a spacecraft orbited around two different solar system bodies, it would have been impossible without ion engines[15]. In 2009 the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission was lunched to study the variations of Earth gravitational field[16]. The key component of the mission were two ion thrusters for drag compensation. A new challenging mission named Bepi-Colombo is planned for October 2018 by a collaboration between ESA And JAXA[17]. The aim is the exploration of Mercury and will use four QinetiQ T6 ion thrusters. Another gridded ion thruster available in near future will be the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT)[17], Glenn Research Center manufacture d the test engines core ionization chamber, and Aerojet Rocketdyne designed and built the ion acceleration assembly[18]. A long duration test(LDT) was initiated in 2005 and was voluntarily terminated in 2014 after more than 50000 hours of operation and almost 1 ton of Xenon consumed. Post-test inspection highlighted the readiness of the thruster for space use[19][20]. It has been proposed for several future missions[21]. The first two flight units will be available in early 2019. Name Power [Kw] [s] T [mN] SERT 1 1.4 4900 28 XIPS 13 0.33 2570 18 NSTAR 0.5-2.3 3100 20-95 XIPS 25 4.5 3800 165 RIT 4.3 3-5000 150 T5 0.27-0.65 3-3500 10-25 T6 5.2 3500 40-200 NEXT 0.5-7 4200 237 The Hall thrusters are direct competitors of the gridded ion thrusters, even if they have a lower efficiency and specific impulse the thrust density is many times greater since both ions end electrons are accelerated and the Childs law is not a limit. The system is based on a fundamental effect discovered in 1879 by Edwin H. Hall[22], he showed that in presence of a perpendicular electric and magnetic field an electric current flows perpendicular to both. This phenomenon is exploited for the ionisation and the acceleration of the propellant. 5.1 Working Principles The ionisation chamber is axisymmetric, enclosed in two concentric cylinders. A radial magnetic field is applied through permanent magnets or solenoids, at the entrance of the chamber is situated a metallic anode from which the propellant is injected. At the cylinder end an hollow cathode emits an electrons beam that is divided into two parts. About 60-80% of the electrons are used to neutralise the positive ions ejected from the chamber, the remaining are trapped by the magnetic and the electric fields at the chamber exit and constitute a virtual plasma cathode[7]. The direct flows of the electrons towards the anode is prevented by the Hall effect which causes a spiral trajectory of the electrons. The propellant unleashed at the chamber entrance moves towards the electrons region and is ionised. Then the resultant electric field accelerates the ions. The long residence time of the electrons in the annular chamber, due to the magnetic confinement, makes the ionisation very efficient. Even if the magnetic field is determinant for the thruster operation the acceleration is achieved by a stationary electric force. The magnetic field that confines the electrons, which peaks at the exit, affects the ions trajectory causing a disturbance tangential torque that must be compensated and an high beam divergence angle of about 40ÂÂ ° that reduces the thrust efficiency and may cause electrostatic charging and interference to the satellite communications. The ionisation is much more efficient than in the gridded ion thrusters thanks to the lower ionisation energy requested and permits to achieve satisfactory efficiency 50-60% even with a relative low specific impulse. The considerable complexity of the plasma dynamic due to the presence if the magnetic and the electric field within the thruster causes fluctuations in the electron density that could cause severe damages, for this reason the electric potential is limited to 350 Volts. 5.2 SPT and TAL variants On the basis of the different materials that constitutes the cylinder wall in contact with the plasma Hall thrusters are divided into Stationary Plasma Thrusters (SPT), that are characterised by insulating walls made of boron nitride and silica compound (BN-SiO2), and Thruster Anode Layer (TAL) which have a conductive one[23]. Since the walls are continuously hit by some electrons and consecutively emits other electrons because of the secondary electron emission (SEE) effect, if the wall are metallic the resultant quantity of electrons is larger, the electric field is more intense and the potential drop occurs in a shorter distance. The result is more compact architecture with higher thrust density. The power loss are also related to life are strongly influenced by wall interactions. For SPT thrusters a significant amount of their power is lost on the dielectric channel walls due to electron bombardment. The metallic walls in TAL thrusters gather a smaller electron current since they have the same potential of the cathode which rejects the electrons and they have a small exposed area to the plasma, which limits the amount of ion and power lost to these surfaces. On the other hand the shorter chamber raises the intensity of the discharge current on the anode because the magnetic confinement is less effective [7]. 5.3 Evolution of the technology and future development The first Hall-Effect thruster to operate in space was the SPT-50 aboard the Soviet Meteor spacecraft in 1971 and was mainly used for satellite stabilization. Starting from that year more then 140 Hall thruster have been used in space[24]. Subsequently Hall engine of different power and size were developed with the introduction of the SPT-70 and SPT-100 in 1982. With their introduction in the west after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 lot of research have been carried out by United States, France, Italy and Japan. The first US mission that adopted this technology was the demonstrator STEX spacecraft using D-55 TAL Hall Thrusters manufactured in Russia[25]. In 2004 the ESAs satellite SMART-1 adopted the Snecma PPS-1350-G, with a design similar to the SPT-100, to reach the lunar orbit from GTO[26]. The mission finished in 2006 with a controlled collision on the Moons surface. The probe covered more than 100 million kilometres, consuming just 82 kg of propellant. The joint venture between the Busek Company and Aerojet Rocketdyne leads to the development of the BTP-4000 designed for US military spacecraft as well as commercial satellites. In 2000 an agreement between Aerojet and Lockheed Martin Space System Company (LMSSC) developed the Hall Thruster Propulsion System (HTPS) for the next generation LMSSC geosynchronous spacecraft, this program adopted the BPT-4000 because of the ability to operate in a large range of powers and thrust modes allowing both station keeping and orbit raise[18]. Flight test qualifications and improvements lead to the discovery of the magnetic shielding phenomenon[27]. The achievement of a particular magnetic topology that essentially blocked the chamber wall erosion after 6000 hours, the developed erosion model enabled the possibility to predict andextent the engine lifetime. This thruster, used on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) communications satellites constitutes the currently most powerful Hall en gine in operation. In 2009 AR and Lockheed Martin developed the XR-12, the first Hall thruster in the 10kW class, it was intended for the US Air Forces TSAT constellation but after the cancellation of the program its use for future missions have been studied by NASA. In the recent years high power and thrust Hall engine have been investigated thanks to the increasing of the available spacecraft power. The consequent increase of thrust reduces the amount of time for the mission and permits a larger payload. In Europe Snecma developed the PPS-20k for the HiPER Project, an European project to study innovative electric propulsion technologies for future space transportation and exploration. In 2010 NASA promoted the Human Exploration Framework Team (HEFT) to investigate new technologies for a future human space exploration and high power Hall thrusters, thanks to the high power processing capabilities and extensive range of thrust levels, were chosen as a possible technology. The NASA-457Mv2 50-kW class, whose development started in 2004, has been tested during 2011 with satisfactory results. This model can be a potential point of start for future NASA exploration missions. Another step forward has been made with the development of the X3, a 100-kW class three-channel nested Hall thruster, designed by the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory (PEPL) at the University of Michigan, in collaboration with NASA and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Its performances up to 30 kW have been recently successfully tested and further measurements in order to analyse the complete operating envelopment up to 200 kW will be effectuated in the near future. Name Power [Kw]

Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers

Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life. Time to Wake Up :: essays research papers Time to Wake Up As society becomes more Mcdonaldized or methodical in order people lose meaning to live and people’s quality of life is diminished. There is no wonder why suicide levels are the third leading cause of death for youths (ages 15-24) because when you take away creativity you taking away meaning. Although this order has brought efficiency it has caused humanity to lose focus of what separates us from all other animals. Humans are not met to be robotic, there is a reason why we have feelings, emotions, and passions and don’t act on everything by instinct. Since these special traits have been suppressed humanity now runs around like chickens with their heads cut off and does whatever society tells them to do. It is my belief that this trend to Mcdonaldize everything will eventually lead to mankinds destruction and the only way to prevent this is for us all to wake up. People need to realize that we are not in a race to win or to see who finishes the strongest, so there is no point to join societies rat race because all it is an illusion. People need to stop for one second and ask themselves what are they doing and why. When people can finally answer those questions then humanity will finally wake up. The question I have for everyone is, where are you going and what is the hurry? Can’t you see that we are all in this together! My suggestion to anyone who reads this would be not to join the band wagon but instead be unique or different. Sit outside the box and look in it and then you will see what I am talking about, people are like lost sheep that have gone astray and don’t know who they are, so instead of searching who they real are they submit to society and do whatever is in. So they key is to search within yourself to find out who you really are and to live this out you all the days of your life.

Death of a Salesman Essays -- essays papers

Death of a Salesman In the play Death of a Salesman, appearance vs. reality is one of the major themes throughout the story. Biff says it himself, â€Å"I’m tired of living in a dream.† Willy represents appearance. His perspective on life was clouded by his need for the â€Å"American Dream†. Biff represents reality. Biff saw things for what they truly were and didn’t lie to himself or others. This shows that Willy and Biff are opposite characters who each represent the theme of appearance vs. reality in the play. Willy was an old man with a wife and two sons. He worked as a salesman and his job was very important to him. Willy never got to live his dream. His life passed him by and he was left without anything to show for. Now in his last days he is dwelling on the fact that he has lived his life without achieving the goal he wanted to achieve. He was ignorant to think that a person could be successful in life based on being well liked. Willy was a bad father because he raised his children without any morals or values. Willy didn’t realize the reality of his situation. ...

Consider the theme of loneliness in the novel. How does it affect friendships and relationships? Essay

John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. When becoming a fictional writer this area played an influential part in the settings of many of his novels. This includes the great novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. As a teenager the depressing scenes of the rural Californian ranches he worked on in the summer impressed on him deeply. Steinbeck’s best-known works go into this scene very intimately with the plight of desperately poor wanderers in search of work and money, who, despite the cruelty of their circumstances, often triumph spiritually. Of Mice and Men is set in the years just after the great depression and stock market crash of the 1930’s with the dust bowl raging in the southern states. Like a lot of Americans ‘George’ and ‘Lennie’ were searching for work on ‘the ranches’, in their quest to own their own land and ‘live of the fat of the land’. However, cruel and powerful forces beyond their control thwarted their quest for land and their tragedy was marked, ultimately, by steadfast compassion and love. The novel is set in the farmland of the Salinas valley. The ranch George and Lennie work on is just outside Soledad, and the countryside surrounding the ranch is described in the beginning of the book as ‘On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees – willows fresh and green with every spring,’ the passage emphasises the beauty and peacefulness of the area. George and Lennie were people known as Migrant Farm Workers. These travelled the countryside between the 1880’s and 1930’s harvesting wheat. They earned very little each day, plus food and very basic accommodation in the outbuildings of the farms. Unemployment was very high in the 1930’s so the government set up agencies to organize and send farm workers to where they were needed. George and Lennie were members of the agency ‘Murray and Ready’s’ from which they got their work cards. They, like most of the migrant farm workers, were in search of ‘The American Dream’ which was to own their very own ‘little house and a couple of acres’. One of the biggest themes in the book is loneliness. Many of the characters admit to suffering profound loneliness. George sets the tone for these confessions early in the novel when he reminds Lennie that life on the ranches is among the loneliest of lives, â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They don’t belong no place†. Candy has one companion and that is his dog, so when the dog is killed he has no one and therefore attaches himself to George’s and Lennie’s dream. He does this so that he doesn’t become an outcast and alone. Candy still wants to carry out the dream even after Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, even though he knows only too well that Lennie cannot return to the life he led before. Crooks feels that he would work for free, as long as he wouldn’t be alone and could communicate with someone â€Å"†¦ A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Curley’s wife is so overwhelmed by her loneliness that she seeks friendship from other men. She intimidates all the other men except Slim because she is beautiful and because she is Curley’s wife. She eventually makes friends with Lennie and confesses her loneliness to him â€Å"Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while?† Each of these characters searches for a friend, someone to help them cope with life. In the end, however, companionship of this type seems unattainable. For George, the hope of such companionship dies with Lennie, and true to his original estimation, he will go through life alone. The relationship between George and Lennie appears to be very unusual to the rest of the workers. It is clear that most of them are lonely. They all have different ways of coping with it; some remember wished-for friends with affection. Others become self sufficient and only look out for themselves making them very selfish. Crooks insists on the right to be alone even though he dislikes it. Carlson is incapable of caring for others and their feelings. This side of him is shown clearly when he bullies Candy into allowing him to shoot his ageing, smelly, rheumatic dog, â€Å"He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?† The core of the novel is formed by the relationship between George and Lennie. â€Å"With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys get in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.† In Lennie’s view, George is the most valuable person in his life; he is not just his only friend but also a role model and his guardian. Every time Lennie does something wrong he immediately thinks how angry and disappointed George will be. He also has a child-like faith that George will always be there for him. George, even though he cares about Lennie, sees him as a constant source of frustration and aggravation and frequently speaks of how much better life would be without his care taking responsibilities; â€Å"God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an’ work, an’ no trouble†¦An’ whatta I got,† George went on furiously â€Å"I got you! You can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get†. However George is obviously devoted to Lennie. George’s behaviour is motivated by the desire to protect Lennie and, eventually, obtain the farm of their dreams so they can â€Å"live of the fatta the lan†. Lennie’s other childlike faith is that he believes they are both going to eventually settle down on the farm told to him often by George. This faith enables George to actually believe this account of their future aswell! George’s belief in it depends on Lennie, for as soon as Lennie dies, George’s hope for a brighter future disappears. Their companionship contrasts the loneliness that surrounds them: the loneliness of the homeless ranch worker; the loneliness of the outcast black man; the loneliness of the subjected woman; the loneliness of the old, helpless cripple; and this arouses the curiosity in the characters that they encounter, even Slim commented, â€Å"It seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart little guy like you travellin’ together.† Their friendship goes back to when they were children growing up in the same town and when Lennie’s Aunt Clara died George took responsibility for him. They have been together for many years and as George says, have â€Å"got kinda used to each other†. Both of them bring different advantages to the relationship; Lennie’s strength make them seem very attractive to potential employers who are seeking labourers. Slim says of Lennie, â€Å"I never seen such a worker†¦There ain’t nobody can keep up with him.† Lennie is also a very handy person to have around if there is a fight. George is very intelligent and organizes both of their lives. He knows how to protect Lennie from other people and dangers, although this rarely happens from the time they meet Curley and his wife. From then on Lennie just seems to go from one confrontation to another. Another reason why they stick together is that they enjoy travelling around the country with someone who cares for them. Lennie puts it well when he says; â€Å"I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you†. After losing his dog, Candy becomes very withdrawn. Steinbeck paints him as the sad, stereotyped symbol of old age, a man whose life is void of friends and hope. When the dog is dead, he feels that he has nothing and no reason for existence. However in chapter three he overhears George describing their dream farm to Lennie and he interrupts them and asks â€Å"You know where’s a place like that?† At this point Candy reveals that he has quite a bit of money saved up which he could invest into the farm if he was allowed to. He asks George if he can come with them. After some careful thinking George agrees. Candy explains to George why he needs a place like theirs: â€Å"You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs†. In chapter 4 Candy is searching for Lennie one night while all the others have gone into town. He finds him in Crooks’s room and he is invited in to join them. He and Lennie start a conversation about the farm. Candy is so excited that he can’t stop himself telling others. When Curley’s wife tries to strike up a conversation with them, Candy reveals to her the dream of owning a farm. This only annoys George. When he returns, he tells them to leave immediately. In Chapter 5 the dream goes sour when Candy reveals the dead body of Curley’s wife. He goes and gets George and returns to the body with him. George knows it was Lennie, as he had always feared this would happen. Candy cautiously asks George if they can still get their farm. George is silent, then says: â€Å"I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would.† All their dreams disappeared the moment Lennie killed Curley’s wife. George’s only hope now is that maybe the other workers won’t want to hurt Lennie. When George leaves, Candy speaks angrily to the corpse and ‘his eyes are blinded with tears’. He is left only with the reality of his lonely and isolated existence on the ranch. Crooks is another character who gets easily sucked into George’s and Lennie’s dream of owning their own farm. When Lennie appears in the doorway of his room, Crooks turns him away, hoping to prove a point that if he, as a black man, is not allowed in white men’s houses, then whites are not allowed in his, â€Å"I aint wanted in the bunk-house and you aint wanted in my room†, but his desire for company ultimately wins out and he invites Lennie to sit with him. Once inside, Lennie and Crooks have a conversation in which both men seem to be talking to themselves rather than to each other. Lennie begins to talk about the rabbits but Crooks just thinks he is crazy and as Lennie’s dream unfolds Crooks is doubtful about it because he has seen this so many times; â€Å"I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads†¦ every damn one of ’em†™s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land†. When Candy enters the room and he and Lennie have a conversation about the rabbits and the farm, it is revealed to Crooks that they already have much of the money needed to buy it. He tells them that he will work for them without pay if they let him live there. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything is a sense of belonging, to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with other men. This desire would explain why, even though he has a reason to doubt George and Lennie’s talk about the farm that they want to own, Crooks cannot help but ask if there might be room for him to come along and hoe in the garden. Companionship and plentiful food are both parts of Crooks’s dream. However his dream comes to nothing and when Curley’s wife puts him in his place as a Negro, he knows nothing will change. Another character who turns out to be very lonely is Curley’s wife. In the beginning of the book her purpose is to be the â€Å"tramp†¦tart†¦bitch† that threatens to destroy male happiness and longevity. But later in the novel her complex and interesting character is revealed. When she confronts Lennie, Crooks and Candy in the stable, she admits to feeling a kind of shameless dissatisfaction with her life. Her vulnerability at this moment and later when she admits to Lennie about her dream of becoming a movie star † I met a guy an’ he was in pitchers. Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies.† makes her much more interesting than the stereotypical tart that flirted with all the other men. However it also reinforces the novel’s grim view of the world. In her moment of greatest vulnerability, Curley’s wife seeks out even greater weaknesses in others and directs her anger towards Lennie’s mental disability, Candy’s old age and the colour of Crook’s skin; â€Å"standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an’ a dum dum and a lousy old sheep†. As a result of this constant onslaught of insults it causes Crooks to reconsider his dream of going with the others and instead live out the rest of his miserable life at this ranch where he will be tormented by many, right up until he dies. In the next chapter when Lennie is in the barn on his own and Curley’s wife enters he tries to ignore her. All Curley’s wife wants to do is strike up a conversation. She confesses how lonely she is because she intimidates all the other men, â€Å"Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awfully lonely.† Eventually a conversation begins and she really opens up to Lennie telling him things she hasn’t even told Curley: â€Å"Well I ain’t told nobody before. Maybe I oughtn’ to. I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella†¦ Coulda’ been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes – all of them nice clothes like they wear.. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pictures took of me. When they had them previews I coulda went to them, an’ spoke in the radio, an’ iut wouldn’t cost me a cent because I was in the picture. An’ all them nice clothes like they wear. Because this guy says I was a natural.† In the end her dream is shattered at the same point George and Lennie’s dream is shattered; when Lennie accidentally kills her. Most of the characters in ‘Of mice and Men’ admit, at one point to dreaming of a different and much better life. Candy confessing that he would like to grow old not alone and owning his own farm, Curley’s wife wanting to become a movie star and Crooks to be accepted in the social ladder that is life. What makes all of these dreams typically American is that they wish for flawless happiness. George’s and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm is the perfect example of a typical American ideal; the dream offers them protection from the cruel and ruthless world and enables them to sustain themselves. But the journey they take awakens George and introduces to him the harsh reality he actually has. The story proves that the paradise, which the characters dream of, cannot be found on this earth. George and Lennie desperately cling to the notion that they are different from other workers who drift from ranch to ranch because, unlike others, they have a future and each other. But characters like Crooks and Curley’s wife serve as cruel reminders that George and Lennie are no different from anyone who wants something of his or her own. Their perfect world is one of independence. Workers like George and Lennie have no family, no home, and very little control over their lives. This is exactly the opposite of what they want. They have to do what the boss tells them and they have little to show for it. They only own what they can carry. Therefore, this idea of having such power over their lives is a strong motivation. The connection between the characters dreams and loneliness is very strong. All Curley’s wife wanted to be was an actress, she missed her chance and married, as a result she became very lonely. Crooks being Negro was always condemned to a life of loneliness but he still had a dream of what his life used to be like compared to the reality of what it was today. And Candy loosing his only true friend and companion; his dog meant that if he didn’t link himself to a dream he would lead a life of loneliness. As it happened his dream like everyone else’s was shattered by one fatal accident. When George tells Lennie to look across the river and imagine their farm, he lets Lennie die with the hope that they will attain their dream, and attain it soon. George, who must kill Lennie, is not allowed such comfort. He must go on living knowing the failure of their dream, as well as the sadness and guiltiness of knowing that he killed his best and only true friend. George lets Lennie die with the image of their farm in his mind and in a state of complete mental happiness and calmness. But George himself must continue through life knowing that they will never reach it; â€Å"I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would.† The other men who come on the scene only see the half-wit who killed a woman and deserved to die. Only Slim understands George’s tragic loss. Carlson and Curley watch Slim lead George away from the riverbank; their complete state of puzzlement is rooted more in ignorance than in heartlessness. Carlson and Curley represent the harsh conditions of a distinctly real world, a world in which the weak will always be vanquished by the strong and in which the rare, delicate bond between friends is not appropriately mourned because it is not understood.