Monday, September 30, 2019

How and Why does Macbeth Turn from War Hero to Murderer? Essay

The tragedy â€Å"Macbeth† was written by William Shakespeare at the beginning of the seventeenth century. In that period, people were highly preoccupied by witchcraft. It was a controversial topic, as King James himself was interested in the issue. This Zeitgeist given, it seemed like a good way for Shakespeare to start his play in the spirit of three witches making predictions, as it would guarantee the tragedy’s appeal to the general public and the king. We are therefore presented, in Act 1, scene 1, with three witches in a deserted place. They plot to meet Macbeth and make predictions about the future. Some of the representative lines which potentially lie behind the further action are â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air,† (Act 1, scene 1). One interpretation of this is the imminent change set to happen in the universe, the transition of the good into bad and the bad into good. The play is set during the battle between the Scottish army and Norway, around the beginning of the eleventh century. Some of the main characters of the play are real. Duncan I was King of Scotland in that period, one of his generals being Macbeth. What actually hapenned in the real world back then is very similar to the storyline. Macbeth killed the king, but eventually got murdered himself by Malcom, who was one of the king’s sons. The elementary difference between the play and history is the personality of the characters. The actual Duncan wasn’t very popular, while Macbeth ruled Scotland well. Initially, the character of Macbeth is introduced as a war hero, well respected by his fellows and as a man of honour, appreciated by the king himself who was at the same time his first cousin, â€Å"O valiant cousin! / Worthy gentleman!† (Act 1, scene 2). As the three witches make predictions about Macbeth’s future, that he will become thane of Cawdor and then king, he is reluctant and can’t believe his ears, challenging the witches’ reason, â€Å"But how of Cawdor? the thane of Cawdor lives / A prosperous gentleman; and to be king / Stands not within the prospect of belief,† (Act 1, scene 3). Despite this, he is interested to find out more, â€Å"Speak, I charge you,† showing that he is prepared to believe in the supernatural and deceive his own knowledge and conscience. After the earliest prophecy becomes true, the thought of murder crosses Macbeth’s mind for the first time, â€Å"If good, why do I yield to that suggestion / Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair, / And make my seated heart knock at my ribs, / Against the use of nature? Present fears / Are less than horrible imaginings: / My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, / Shakes so my single state of man that function / Is smothered in surmise, and nothing is / But what is not,† (Act 1, scene 3). Macbeth is scared of his own thoughts and what his conscience might make him do. Trying to escape the horrible situation of making a decision, he thinks that, if it is meant for him to be king, he doesn’t have to do anything himself, â€Å"If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, / Without my stir,† (Act 1, scene 3). Struggling with his conscience, Macbeth asks the natural elements to hide his ambitions, â€Å"Stars, hide your fires! / Let not light see my black and deep desires: / The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be / Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see,† (Act 1, scene 4). When lady Macbeth receives a letter from her husband, announcing his new title and the witches’ predictions, her reaction is cold and unexpected, portraying her as a villain of particular dimensions. In the subsequent soliloquy, she somewhat accuses Macbeth of being too good, by the notorious line, â€Å"†¦ yet do I fear thy nature; / It is too full o’th’ milk of human kindness,† (Act 1, scene 5). She then promptly decides to influence Macbeth to commit murder, â€Å"Hie thee thither, / That I may pour my spirits in thine ear,† (Act 1, scene 5) as she believes that what the witches have said is going to become true and is destined for the main character, â€Å"Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem / To have thee crowned withal,† (Act 1, scene 5). As soon as Macbeth and lady Macbeth meet, she presents him with her ambitious plans. Initially, he’s firm about not willing to go on with the deed of murdering Duncan, â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business,† (Act 1, scene 7) realising that the king has honoured him very recently and it would be a good idea to take advantage of the respect he has earned from many people, rather than ending it so brusquely, â€Å"He hath honoured me of late, and I have bought / Golden opinions from all sorts of people, / Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, / Not cast aside so soon,† (Act 1, scene 7). It is impressive how little it takes for Macbeth to change his opinion. His wife plays the love, promise and manhood cards which prove to be winning, â€Å"Was the hope drunk / Wherein you dressed yourself? [†¦] From this time / Such I account thy love. [†¦] And live a coward in thine own esteem, / Letting â€Å"I dare not† wait upon â€Å"I wo uld†,† (Act 1, scene 7). Eventually, lady Macbeth persuades Macbeth to murder Duncan, â€Å"I am settled,† (Act 1, scene 7). Both the witches and lady Macbeth are extraneous elements from Macbeth’s point of view. He can’t control their existence and influences and, finally, he’s left with himself to decide what to do next. Only a weak mind could be manipulated by the witches and lady Macbeth, and having a weak mind is hardly an acceptable excuse for a respected character like Macbeth. Therefore, I believe it is ultimately his own fault for committing the deed and it was his corrupted mind that lead him from a prosperous gentleman to a horrid criminal.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Plato theory of forms Essay

Plato was a duellist and thus believed that there are two worlds; the material world and the world of ideas/Forms. The world of ideas or Forms is the true reality and the world of appearances is just reflections of world of Forms. Plato believed that our knowledge of the Forms was a priori which means that our souls knew the Forms before it was inside us, therefore we have knowledge prior to experiencing the objects with our senses. Plato believes everyone is born with an intuitive but imperfect understanding of the Forms. He also believes the philosopher is able, through using his intellect, to achieve true knowledge of the abstract Forms without using his senses. Plato’s theory of Forms can be seen as unconvincing to some who believe that abstract ideas e. g table, horse, beauty are actually names that have been invented to help people describe their experiences of the physical world. This is a materialistic view as it suggests that objects in this world are the real reality and our ideas can develop based on experience of things. Aristotle agrees with this and believes knowledge is gained through experience and that there is not an eternal World of Forms that is a priori to us. However, in Plato’s defence some believe that each variety of a Form shares a likeness for example each horse is slightly different yet they all share something that makes it resemble a horse. According to Bertrand Russell, Plato`s theory made a `very important advance in philosophy, since it is the first to emphasise the problem of universals’. Plato’s theory is often regarded as unconvincing due to the fact that Plato believes that every object and idea in the world of appearances is an imperfect copy of an image or Form in the World of Forms. This suggests that there is a perfect Form of things such as a cinema ticket, mud or an insect and so on. According to Bertrand Russell, his ideas of the Forms when taken to its extreme.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

You Low Essay

American literature is the written or literary work produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. For more specific discussions of poetry and theater, see Poetry of the United States and Theater in the United States. During its early history, America was a series of British colonies on the eastern coast of the present-day United States. Therefore, its literary tradition begins as linked to the broader tradition of English literature. However, unique American characteristics and the breadth of its production usually now cause it to be considered a separate path and tradition. * | Colonial literature Owing to the large immigration to Boston in the 1630s, the high articulation of Puritan cultural ideals, and the early establishment of a college and a printing press in Cambridge, the New England colonies have often been regarded as the center of early American literature. However, the first European settlements in North America had been founded elsewhere many years earlier. Towns older than Boston include the Spanish settlements at Saint Augustine and Santa Fe, the Dutch settlements at Albany and New Amsterdam, as well as the English colony of Jamestown in present-day Virginia. During the colonial period, the printing press was active in many areas, from Cambridge and Boston to New York, Philadelphia, and Annapolis. The dominance of the English language was hardly inevitable. [1] The first item printed in Pennsylvania was in German and was the largest book printed in any of the colonies before the American Revolution. [1] Spanish and French had two of the strongest colonial literary traditions in the areas that now comprise the United States, and discussions of early American literature commonly include texts by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca and Samuel de Champlain alongside English language texts by Thomas Harriot and John Smith. Moreover, we are now aware of the wealth of oral literary traditions already existing on the continent among the numerous different Native American groups. Political events, however, would eventually make English the lingua franca for the colonies at large as well as the literary language of choice. For instance, when the English conquered New Amsterdam in 1664, they renamed it New York and changed the administrative language from Dutch to English. From 1696 to 1700, only about 250 separate items were issued from the major printing presses in the American colonies. This is a small number compared to the output of the printers in London at the time. However, printing was established in the American colonies before it was allowed in most of England. In England restrictive laws had long confined printing to four locations: London, York, Oxford, and Cambridge. Because of this, the colonies ventured into the modern world earlier than their provincial English counterparts. [1] Back then, some of the American literature were pamphlets and writings extolling the benefits of the colonies to both a European and colonist audience. Captain John Smith could be considered the first American author with his works: A True Relation of Such Occurrences and Accidents of Noate as Hath Happened in Virginia†¦ (1608) and The Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (1624). Other writers of this manner included Daniel Denton, Thomas Ashe, William Penn, George Percy, William Strachey, Daniel Coxe, Gabriel Thomas, and John Lawson. The religious disputes that prompted settlement in America were also topics of early writing. A journal written by John Winthrop, The History of New England, discussed the religious foundations of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Edward Winslow also recorded a diary of the first years after the Mayflower’s arrival. Other religiously influenced writers included Increase Mather and William Bradford, author of the journal published as a History of Plymouth Plantation, 1620–47. Others like Roger Williams and Nathaniel Ward more fiercely argued state and church separation. And still others, like Thomas Morton, cared little for the church; Morton’s The New English Canaan mocked the religious settlers and declared that the Native Americans were actually better people than the British. [2] Puritan poetry was highly religious in nature, and one of the earliest books of poetry published was the Bay Psalm Book, a set of translations of the biblical Psalms; however, the translators’ intention was not to create great literature but to create hymns that could be used in worship. [2] Among lyric poets, the most important figures are Anne Bradstreet, who wrote personal poems about her family and homelife; pastor Edward Taylor, whose best poems, the Preparatory Meditations, were written to help him prepare for leading worship; and Michael Wigglesworth, whose best-selling poem, The Day of Doom, describes the time of judgment. Nicholas Noyes was also known for his doggerel verse. Other late writings described conflicts and interaction with the Indians, as seen in writings by Daniel Gookin, Alexander Whitaker, John Mason, Benjamin Church, and Mary Rowlandson. John Eliot translated the Bible into the Algonquin language. Of the second generation of New England settlers, Cotton Mather stands out as a theologian and historian, who wrote the history of the colonies with a view to God’s activity in their midst and to connecting the Puritan leaders with the great heroes of the Christian faith. His best-known works include the Magnalia Christi Americana, the Wonders of the Invisible World and The Biblia Americana. Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield represented the Great Awakening, a religious revival in the early 18th century that asserted strict Calvinism. Other Puritan and religious writers include Thomas Hooker, Thomas Shepard, John Wise, and Samuel Willard. Less strict and serious writers included Samuel Sewall (who wrote a diary revealing the daily life of the late 17th century),[2] and Sarah Kemble Knight. New England was not the only area in the colonies; southern literature is represented by the diary of William Byrd of Virginia, as well as by The History of the Dividing Line, which detailed the expedition to survey the swamp between Virginia and North Carolina but which also comments on the different lifestyles of the Native Americans and the white settlers in the area. [2] In a similar book, Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West, William Bartram described in great detail the Southern landscape and the Native American peoples whom he encountered; Bartram’s book was very popular in Europe, being translated into German, French and Dutch. [2] As the colonies moved towards their break with England, perhaps one of the most important discussions of American culture and identity came from the French immigrant J. Hector St. John de Crevec? ur, whose Letters from an American Farmer addresses the question what is an American by moving between praise for the opportunities and peace offered in the new society and recognition that the solid life of the farmer must rest uneasily between the oppressive aspects of the urban life (with its luxuries built on slavery) and the lawless aspects of the frontier, where the lack of social structures leads to the loss of civilized living. [2] This same period saw the birth of African American literature, through the poetry of Phillis Wheatley and, shortly after the Revolution, the slave narrative of Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano. This era also saw the birth of Native American literature, through the two published works of Samson Occom: A Sermon Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul and a popular hymnbook, Collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, â€Å"the first Indian best-seller†. [3] The revolutionary period also contained political writings, including those by colonists Samuel Adams, Josiah Quincy, John Dickinson, and Joseph Galloway, a loyalist to the crown. Two key figures were Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine. Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac and The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin are esteemed works with their wit and influence toward the formation of a budding American identity. Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense and The American Crisis writings are seen as playing a key role in influencing the political tone of the period. During the revolution itself, poems and songs such as â€Å"Yankee Doodle† and â€Å"Nathan Hale† were popular. Major satirists included John Trumbull and Francis Hopkinson. Philip Morin Freneau also wrote poems about the war’s course. During the 18th century, writing shifted focus from the Puritanical ideals of Winthrop and Bradford to the power of the human mind and rational thought. The belief that human and natural occurrences were messages from God no longer fit with the new human centered world. Many intellectuals believed that the human mind could comprehend the universe through the laws of physics as described by Isaac Newton. The enormous scientific, economic, social, and philosophical, changes of the 18th century, called the Enlightenment, impacted the authority of clergyman and scripture, making way for democratic principles. The increase in population helped account for the greater diversity of opinion in religious and political life as seen in the literature of this time. In 1670, the population of the colonies numbered approximately 111,000. Thirty years later it was more than 250,000. By 1760, it reached 1,600,000. [1] The growth of communities and therefore social life led people to become more interested in the progress of individuals and their shared experience on the colonies. These new ideals are accounted for in the widespread popularity of Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography. Post-independence In the post-war period, Thomas Jefferson’s United States Declaration of Independence, his influence on the United States Constitution, his autobiography, the Notes on the State of Virginia, and his many letters solidify his spot as one of the most talented early American writers. The Federalist essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay presented a significant historical discussion of American government organization and republican values. Fisher Ames, James Otis, and Patrick Henry are also valued for their political writings and orations. Much of the early literature of the new nation struggled to find a uniquely American voice in existing literary genre, and this tendency was also reflected in novels. European forms and styles were often transferred to new locales and critics often saw them as inferior. First American novels It was in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that the nation’s first novels were published. These fictions were too lengthy to be printed as manuscript or public reading. Publishers took a chance on these works in hopes they would become steady sellers and need to be reprinted. This was a good bet as literacy rates soared in this period among both men and women. Among the first American novels are Thomas Attwood Digges’ â€Å"Adventures of Alonso†, published in London in 1775 and William Hill Brown’s The Power of Sympathy published in 1791. [1] Brown’s novel depicts a tragic love story between siblings who fell in love without knowing they were related. This epistolary novel belongs to the Sentimental novel tradition, as do the two following. In the next decade important women writers also published novels. Susanna Rowson is best known for her novel, Charlotte: A Tale of Truth, published in London in 1791. [4] In 1794 the novel was reissued in Philadelphia under the title, Charlotte Temple. Charlotte Temple is a seduction tale, written in the third person, which warns against listening to the voice of love and counsels resistance. In addition to this best selling novel, she wrote nine novels, six theatrical works, two collections of poetry, six textbooks, and countless songs. [4] Reaching more than a million and a half readers over a century and a half, Charlotte Temple was the biggest seller of the 19th century before Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Although Rowson was extremely popular in her time and is often acknowledged in accounts of the development of the early American novel, Charlotte Temple is often criticized as a sentimental novel of seduction. Hannah Webster Foster’s The Coquette: Or, the History of Eliza Wharton was published in 1797 and was also extremely popular. [5] Told from Foster’s point of view and based on the real life of Eliza Whitman, this epistolary novel is about a woman who is seduced and abandoned. Eliza is a â€Å"coquette† who is courted by two very different men: a clergyman who offers her the comfort and regularity of domestic life, and a noted libertine. She fails to choose between them and finds herself single when both men get married. She eventually yields to the artful libertine and gives birth to an illegitimate stillborn child at an inn. The Coquette is praised for its demonstration of this era’s contradictory ideals of womanhood. [6] Both The Coquette and Charlotte Temple are novels that treat the right of women to live as equals as the new democratic experiment. These novels are of the Sentimental genre, characterized by overindulgence in emotion, an invitation to listen to the voice of reason against misleading passions, as well as an optimistic overemphasis on the essential goodness of humanity. Sentimentalism is often thought to be a reaction against the Calvinistic belief in the depravity of human nature. [7] While many of these novels were popular, the economic infrastructure of the time did not allow these writers to make a living through their writing alone. [8] The first author to be able to support himself through the income generated by his publications alone was Washington Irving. He completed his first major book in 1809 entitled A History of New-York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. [9] Charles Brockden Brown is another early American novelist, publishing Wieland in 1798, Ormond in 1799, and Edgar Huntly in 1799. These novels are of the Gothic genre. Of the picaresque genre, Hugh Henry Brackenridge published Modern Chivalry in 1792-1815; Tabitha Gilman Tenney wrote Female Quixotism: Exhibited in the Romantic Opinions and Extravagant Adventure of Dorcasina Sheldon in 1801; Charlotte Lennox wrote The Female Quixote in 1752, and Royall Tyler wrote The Algerine Captive in 1797. [7] Other notable authors include William Gilmore Simms, who wrote Martin Faber in 1833, Guy Rivers in 1834, and The Yemassee in 1835. Lydia Maria Child wrote Hobomok in 1824 and The Rebels in 1825. John Neal wrote Logan, A Family History in 1822, Rachel Dyer in 1828, and The Down-Eaters in 1833. Catherine Maria Sedgwick wrote A New England Tale in 1822, Redwood in 1824, Hope Leslie in 1827, and The Linwoods in 1835. James Kirke Paulding wrote The Lion of the West in 1830, The Dutchman’s Fireside in 1831, and Westward Ho! in 1832. Robert Montgomery Bird wrote Calavar in 1834 Niguel Miller and Tacoya Hughes and Nick of the Woods in 1837. James Fenimore Cooper was also a notable author best known for his novel, The Last of the Mohicans written in 1826. [7] Unique American style Edgar Allan Poe portrait. With the War of 1812 and an increasing desire to produce uniquely American literature and culture, a number of key new literary figures emerged, perhaps most prominently Washington Irving, William Cullen Bryant, James Fenimore Cooper, and Edgar Allan Poe. Irving, often considered the first writer to develop a unique American style[citation needed] (although this has been debated) wrote humorous works in Salmagundi and the satire A History of New York, by Diedrich Knickerbocker (1809). Bryant wrote early romantic and nature-inspired poetry, which evolved away from their European origins. In 1832, Poe began writing short stories – including â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†, â€Å"The Pit and the Pendulum†, â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher†, and â€Å"The Murders in the Rue Morgue† – that explore previously hidden levels of human psychology and push the boundaries of fiction toward mystery and fantasy. Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales about Natty Bumppo (which includes The Last of the Mohicans) were popular both in the new country and abroad. Humorous writers were also popular and included Seba Smith and Benjamin P. Shillaber in New England and Davy Crockett, Augustus Baldwin Longstreet, Johnson J. Hooper, Thomas Bangs Thorpe, and George Washington Harris writing about the American frontier. The New England Brahmins were a group of writers connected to Harvard University and its seat in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The core included James Russell Lowell, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1836, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882), an ex-minister, published a startling nonfiction work called Nature, in which he claimed it was possible to dispense with organized religion and reach a lofty spiritual state by studying and responding to the natural world. His work influenced not only the writers who gathered around him, forming a movement known as Transcendentalism, but also the public, who heard him lecture. Emerson’s most gifted fellow-thinker was perhaps Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), a resolute nonconformist. After living mostly by himself for two years in a cabin by a wooded pond, Thoreau wrote Walden, a book-length memoir that urges resistance to the meddlesome dictates of organized society. His radical writings express a deep-rooted tendency toward individualism in the American character. Other writers influenced by Transcendentalism were Bronson Alcott, Margaret Fuller, George Ripley, Orestes Brownson, and Jones Very. [10] Just as one of the great works of the Revolutionary period was written by a Frenchman, so too was one of the great works about America from this generation, viz. , Alexis de Tocqueville’s two-volume Democracy in America, which (like the colonial explorers) described his travels through the young country, making observations about the relations between democracy, liberty, equality, individualism and community. The political conflict surrounding Abolitionism inspired the writings of William Lloyd Garrison and his paper The Liberator, along with poet John Greenleaf Whittier and Harriet Beecher Stowe in her world-famous Uncle Tom’s Cabin. These efforts were supported by the continuation of the slave narrative autobiography, of which the best known examples from this period include Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. At the same time, Native American autobiography develops, most notably in William Apess’s A Son of the Forest and George Copway’s The Life, History and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh. Moreover, minority authors were beginning to publish fiction, as in William Wells Brown’s Clotel; or, The President’s Daughter, Martin Delany’s Blake; or, The Huts of America and Harriet E. Wilson’s Our Nig as early African American novels, and John Rollin Ridge’s The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta: The Celebrated California Bandit, which is considered the first Native American novel but which also is an early story about Mexican American issues. Nathaniel Hawthorne. In 1837, the young Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) collected some of his stories as Twice-Told Tales, a volume rich in symbolism and occult incidents. Hawthorne went on to write full-length â€Å"romances†, quasi-allegorical novels that explore such themes as guilt, pride, and emotional repression in his native New England. His masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, is the stark drama of a woman cast out of her community for committing adultery. Hawthorne’s fiction had a profound impact on his friend Herman Melville (1819–1891), who first made a name for himself by turning material from his seafaring days into exotic and sensational sea narrative novels. Inspired by Hawthorne’s focus on allegories and dark psychology, Melville went on to write romances replete with philosophical speculation. In Moby-Dick, an adventurous whaling voyage becomes the vehicle for examining such themes as obsession, the nature of evil, and human struggle against the elements. In another fine work, the short novel Billy Budd, Melville dramatizes the conflicting claims of duty and compassion on board a ship in time of war. His more profound books sold poorly, and he had been long forgotten by the time of his death. He was rediscovered in the early decades of the 20th century. Anti-transcendental works from Melville, Hawthorne, and Poe all comprise the Dark Romanticism subgenre of literature popular during this time. American dramatic literature, by contrast, remained dependent on European models, although many playwrights did attempt to apply these forms to American topics and themes, such as immigrants, westward expansion, temperance, etc. At the same time, American playwrights created several long-lasting American character types, especially the â€Å"Yankee†, the â€Å"Negro† and the â€Å"Indian†, exemplified by the characters of Jonathan, Sambo and Metamora. In addition, new dramatic forms were created in the Tom Shows, the showboat theater and the minstrel show. Among the best plays of the period are James Nelson Barker’s Superstition; or, the Fanatic Father, Anna Cora Mowatt’s Fashion; or, Life in New York, Nathaniel Bannister’s Putnam, the Iron Son of ’76, Dion Boucicault’s The Octoroon; or, Life in Louisiana, and Cornelius Mathews’s Witchcraft; or, the Martyrs of Salem. Early American poetry Walt Whitman, 1856. See also: American poetry. America’s two greatest 19th-century poets could hardly have been more different in temperament and style. Walt Whitman (1819–1892) was a working man, a traveler, a self-appointed nurse during the American Civil War (1861–1865), and a poetic innovator. His magnum opus was Leaves of Grass, in which he uses a free-flowing verse and lines of irregular length to depict the all-inclusiveness of American democracy. Taking that motif one step further, the poet equates the vast range of American experience with himself without being egotistical. For example, in Song of Myself, the long, central poem in Leaves of Grass, Whitman writes: â€Å"These are really the thoughts of all men in all ages and lands, they are not original with me †¦ † Whitman was also a poet of the body – â€Å"the body electric,† as he called it. In Studies in Classic American Literature, the English novelist D. H. Lawrence wrote that Whitman â€Å"was the first to smash the old moral conception that the soul of man is something ‘superior’ and ‘above’ the flesh. † Emily Dickinson (1830–1886), on the other hand, lived the sheltered life of a genteel unmarried woman in small-town Amherst, Massachusetts. Within its formal structure, her poetry is ingenious, witty, exquisitely wrought, and psychologically penetrating. Her work was unconventional for its day, and little of it was published during her lifetime. Many of her poems dwell on death, often with a mischievous twist. One, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death†, begins, â€Å"He kindly stopped for me. † The opening of another Dickinson poem toys with her position as a woman in a male-dominated society and an unrecognized poet: â€Å"I’m nobody! Who are you? / Are you nobody too? † American poetry arguably reached its peak in the early-to-mid-20th century, with such noted writers as Wallace Stevens and his Harmonium (1923) and The Auroras of Autumn (1950), T. S. Eliot and his The Waste Land (1922), Robert Frost and his North of Boston (1914) and New Hampshire (1923), Hart Crane and his White Buildings (1926) and the epic cycle, The Bridge (1930), Ezra Pound, William Carlos Williams and his epic poem about his New Jersey hometown, Paterson, Marianne Moore, E. E. Cummings, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Langston Hughes, in addition to many others. Realism, Twain and James Mark Twain, 1907. Mark Twain (the pen name used by Samuel Langhorne Clemens, 1835–1910) was the first major American writer to be born away from the East Coast – in the border state of Missouri. His regional masterpieces were the memoir Life on the Mississippi and the novels Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain’s style – influenced by journalism, wedded to the vernacular, direct and unadorned but also highly evocative and irreverently humorous – changed the way Americans write their language. His characters speak like real people and sound distinctively American, using local dialects, newly invented words, and regional accents. Other writers interested in regional differences and dialect were George W. Cable, Thomas Nelson Page, Joel Chandler Harris, Mary Noailles Murfree (Charles Egbert Craddock), Sarah Orne Jewett, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Henry Cuyler Bunner, and William Sydney Porter (O. Henry). A version of local color regionalism that focused on minority experiences can be seen in the works of Charles W. Chesnutt (African American), of Maria Ruiz de Burton, one of the earliest Mexican American novelists to write in English, and in the Yiddish-inflected works of Abraham Cahan. William Dean Howells also represented the realist tradition through his novels, including The Rise of Silas Lapham and his work as editor of the Atlantic Monthly. Henry James (1843–1916) confronted the Old World-New World dilemma by writing directly about it. Although born in New York City, he spent most of his adult years in England. Many of his novels center on Americans who live in or travel to Europe. With its intricate, highly qualified sentences and dissection of emotional and psychological nuance, James’s fiction can be daunting. Among his more accessible works are the novellas Daisy Miller, about an enchanting American girl in Europe, and The Turn of the Screw, an enigmatic ghost story. Realism also influenced American drama of the period, in part through the works of Howells but also through the works of such Europeans as Ibsen and Zola. Although realism was most influential in terms of set design and staging—audiences loved the special effects offered up by the popular melodramas—and in the growth of local color plays, it also showed up in the more subdued, less romantic tone that reflected the effects of the Civil War and continued social turmoil on the American psyche. The most ambitious attempt at bringing modern realism into the drama was James Herne’s Margaret Fleming, which addressed issues of social determinism through realistic dialogue, psychological insight and symbolism; the play was not a success, as critics and audiences alike felt it dwelt too much on unseemly topics and included improper scenes, such as the main character nursing her husband’s illegitimate child onstage. Beginning of the 20th century Ernest Hemingway in World War I uniform. At the beginning of the 20th century, American novelists were expanding fiction’s social spectrum to encompass both high and low life and sometimes connected to the naturalist school of realism. In her stories and novels, Edith Wharton (1862–1937) scrutinized the upper-class, Eastern-seaboard society in which she had grown up. One of her finest books, The Age of Innocence, centers on a man who chooses to marry a conventional, socially acceptable woman rather than a fascinating outsider. At about the same time, Stephen Crane (1871–1900), best known for his Civil War novel The Red Badge of Courage, depicted the life of New York City prostitutes in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. And in Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser (1871–1945) portrayed a country girl who moves to Chicago and becomes a kept woman. Hamlin Garland and Frank Norris wrote about the problems of American farmers and other social issues from a naturalist perspective. More directly political writings discussed social issues and power of corporations. Some like Edward Bellamy in Looking Backward outlined other possible political and social frameworks. Upton Sinclair, most famous for his muck-raking novel The Jungle, advocated socialism. Other political writers of the period included Edwin Markham, William Vaughn Moody. Journalistic critics, including Ida M. Tarbell and Lincoln Steffens were labeled The Muckrakers. Henry Brooks Adams’ literate autobiography, The Education of Henry Adams also depicted a stinging description of the education system and modern life. Experimentation in style and form soon joined the new freedom in subject matter. In 1909, Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), by then an expatriate in Paris, published Three Lives, an innovative work of fiction influenced by her familiarity with cubism, jazz, and other movements in contemporary art and music. Stein labeled a group of American literary notables who lived in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s as the â€Å"Lost Generation†. The poet Ezra Pound (1885–1972) was born in Idaho but spent much of his adult life in Europe. His work is complex, sometimes obscure, with multiple references to other art forms and to a vast range of literature, both Western and Eastern. He influenced many other poets, notably T. S. Eliot (1888–1965), another expatriate. Eliot wrote spare, cerebral poetry, carried by a dense structure of symbols. In The Waste Land, he embodied a jaundiced vision of post–World War I society in fragmented, haunted images. Like Pound’s, Eliot’s poetry could be highly allusive, and some editions of The Waste Land come with footnotes supplied by the poet. In 1948, Eliot won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Stein, Pound and Eliot, along with Henry James before them, demonstrate the growth of an international perspective in American literature, and not simply because they spend long periods of time overseas. American writers had long looked to European models for inspiration, but whereas the literary breakthroughs of the mid-19th century came from finding distinctly American styles and themes, writers from this period were finding ways of contributing to a flourishing international literary scene, not as imitators but as equals. Something similar was happening back in the States, as Jewish writers (such as Abraham Cahan) used the English language to reach an international Jewish audience. And a small group of Arab American writers known as the Al-Rabitah al-Qalamiyah (a. k. a. the â€Å"New York Pen League†) and under the leadership of Khalil Gibran, were absorbing modernist European influences and thereby introduced innovative forms and themes into Arabic-language literature. American writers also expressed the disillusionment following upon the war. The stories and novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) capture the restless, pleasure-hungry, defiant mood of the 1920s. Fitzgerald’s characteristic theme, expressed poignantly in The Great Gatsby, is the tendency of youth’s golden dreams to dissolve in failure and disappointment. Fitzgerald also elucidates the collapse of some key American Ideals, set out in the Declaration of Independence, such as liberty, social unity, good governance and peace, features which were severely threatened by the pressures of modern early 20th century society. Sinclair Lewis and Sherwood Anderson also wrote novels with critical depictions of American life. John Dos Passos wrote about the war and also the U. S. A. trilogy which extended into the Depression. F. Scott Fitzgerald, photographed by Carl van Vechten, 1937. Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) saw violence and death first-hand as an ambulance driver in World War I, and the carnage persuaded him that abstract language was mostly empty and misleading. He cut out unnecessary words from his writing, simplified the sentence structure, and concentrated on concrete objects and actions. He adhered to a moral code that emphasized grace under pressure, and his protagonists were strong, silent men who often dealt awkwardly with women. The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms are generally considered his best novels; in 1954, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Five years before Hemingway, another American novelist had won the Nobel Prize: William Faulkner (1897–1962). Faulkner managed to encompass an enormous range of humanity in Yoknapatawpha County, a Mississippian region of his own invention. He recorded his characters’ seemingly unedited ramblings in order to represent their inner states, a technique called â€Å"stream of consciousness†. (In fact, these passages are carefully crafted, and their seemingly chaotic structure conceals multiple layers of meaning. ) He also jumbled time sequences to show how the past – especially the slave-holding era of the Deep South – endures in the present. Among his great works are Absalom, Absalom! , As I Lay Dying, The Sound and th .

Friday, September 27, 2019

Not a license to murder Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Not a license to murder - Assignment Example serious injury in an individual’s house; in such a case, the victim is justified to use lethal force in defense without any attempt of running to safety. This volume intends to discuss whether such laws have any moral justification. The formal defense of a person uses deadly force against another and goes unpunished is a great crack in the walls of morality in the nation. Although needs deems it necessary for people to have a ground to defend their interests, misinterpretation of the defense law is very dangerous as it consequently interferes with other people’s rights to life. It is a violation of the human right to life to allow use of lethal force even in situations with means of retreat and require minimum force. For instance, if an aggressor comes to and individual home, the law justifies the victim to use deadly force in defense even when they have a chance of escape. The failure of the Florida’s state police was a sign of moral absence and served to show a great weakness in the implementation of the stand your ground legislations. The stand your ground laws are certainly permits of murder as the police failed to arrest the violator despite the aggressor failing to seek the defense of the Stand your ground law. The arrest was not initially make because of the misinformed interpretation of the self-defense law and through that made the laws a defendant of criminal

Thursday, September 26, 2019

John Wayne Gacy Murder Trial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

John Wayne Gacy Murder Trial - Essay Example John Wayne Gacy was an American who was convicted of murder and sexual assaults. Evidence indicated that between 1972 and 1978, he murdered and sexually assaulted at least 33 young men and teenage boys. Due to his serial killing, he earned the tag â€Å"Killer Clown†. Also, evidence indicates that the defendant was living a double life; that of committing murders and that of engaging in political and charitable activities. Murder trials show that he was convicted of more murders than any other person in the American history. Based upon this historic murder trial, therefore, this paper will analyze the case and document and respond to a number of issues relating to the case (Mendenhall, 1996).   Since the offenses that the defendant committed were â€Å"unusual†, it is important to understand the specific psychological characteristics and patterns that might be inferred from him. The testimony that was made during the trial indicated that Gacy had psychological characteristics and patterns that to a greater extent depicted his atrocious actions. Those who worked for him testified that he was violent and in most cases showed an intention to commit sexual assaults; actually, they testified that they had survived sexual and violent encounters with him (Amirante and Broderick, 2011). Friends, family and his former employees also testified that Gacy had mood swings and was â€Å"awfully tricky†, a trait he used to succeed in handcuffing them. Most of the sixty witnesses who testified during trial took notice of these characteristics and patterns. Since such characteristics are often associated with the insane, this was not the case with Gacy as psychologists had confirmed that he was sane, and he committed the offenses while in sound mind. Psychologists and medical experts who testified for the defense agreed that he was very intelligent and generous.

Chemistry in Daily Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chemistry in Daily Life - Essay Example This world is made up of matter. We human beings are part of matter as we live in this world. Our body is made up of matter of different kinds. Matter is embedded in everything that contributes to protect our life - right from the food we have to the environment we live in. And, from what we eat to where we live, it is all related to chemistry. The human body thrives on organic compounds like proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, etc., and defends itself with enzymes such as catalase, reducing agents such as glutathione and cysteine, and we eat antioxidants such as vitamin C, E and polyphenol, etc.,) as our food to survive. Men in pre-historic age lived by using natural things / materials to a large extent. By the passage of time, man has now learnt to use natural resources to develop things for us as per his needs. Today, there is hardly any area in which Chemistry does not play a critical role in a man's daily life. Toiletries, cosmetic and beautifying products are some other items which are of use in our daily life. There are products like carbolic acids, toothpaste, mouth-fresheners, moisturizers, skin creams, face powders, deodorants, shampoos and soaps which sets off a day in our life. In all these products, lots of chemical ingredients are used. Carbolic acids are used as disinfectants to protect the bathroom and toilets from causing infections and keeping them clean. We start our day early morning by brushing our teeth. We use tooth paste to keep our teeth fresh, shiny and to protect them from decaying. We also use mouth fresheners (liquid) to keep bad breath - Halitosis in scientific term - at bay. Toothpaste includes water (H2O), Glycerol (CH2OH), Dibasic calcium phosphate (CaHPO4), Sodium N-lauroyl sarcosinate, Carrageenan, Fluorides, etc., and some toothpastes even contain salt in their ingredients. Isn't it amazing that there are so many chemical ingredients involved in a small tube of toothpaste! Cosmetic items like moisturizers, skin creams, face powders, deodorants, lipsticks, shampoos and soaps include numerous ingredients like water, emulsifiers, preservatives, thickener, color and fragrance components. A bathing soap may contain chemical additives like caustic soda, citric acid, sodium chloride, mineral oil, scent, etc. Similarly, a detergent soap and powder and dishwasher soap or powder may contain many chemical compositions. Chemistry and food As we enter the kitchen, the main object that stands out is the stove. Most of the kitchen in this modern world is furnished with gas stoves. A gas stove mainly runs on cooking gas containing butane, ethane and propane and may also include methyl or ethyl mercaptans. Though not substantially used of late, stoves running on fuel like kerosene and gasoline had been of much use in the yesteryears and are still in use in remote places where there is scarcity of cooking gas. What is essential to lead a healthy life is food. Every food that is cooked includes chemicals which further multiply into more chemicals due to the reaction while cooking. For instance, rice contains carbohydrates and when it is cooked, it undergoes many chemical reactions, multiplying the available chemical elements into numerous other chemical

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Management and Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Management and Leadership - Essay Example In addition, they are expected to communicate ideas clearly to their staffs, use time efficiently and reach informed and sound decisions (Smith, 2014). In order to carry out all there, they are required to employ aspects of human side of management and leadership. Such aspects help them to be able to recognize their duty and responsibility for the wellbeing of all of their employees as well as other stakeholders. They need to put more focus on character rather than technical proficiency in order to be great managers (Mayer & Center for Creative Leadership, 2000). The paper explores aspects of human side management and leadership and why they should be valued. The readings present several aspects of human side of management and leadership that I value. Such aspects help in ensuring that managers and leaders put more focus on character and not technical proficiency. They need to behave like great managers by acquiring capacities like integrity and courage. They need to understand the importance of human element in their course of managing and leading stakeholders because they are responsible for their happiness (Odiorne, 2010). Managers and leadership should understand that managing and leading are a set of human interactions and not a series of mechanical tasks. These aspects of human side management and leadership include: Leaders and managers are often responsible for leading and motivating the employees and other stakeholders. I value this aspect because the success of the organization depends on the ability of the managers and leaders to motivate and influence employees (Teal, 2006). Companies need to train and develop the skills of their employees because they cannot survive if the employees are not doing their jobs well. This type of support should be done on a continuous basis for the employees may feel wanted and cared for by the organizations (Smith, 2014). It is the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Financial Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial - Assignment Example A financial manager can buy a large lot of stocks if the prices of stocks are lower. Valuation Principle The valuation principle can help financial managers make financial decisions regarding whether or not to buy a common stock. The use of valuation models can help a manager determine the intrinsic value of a corporation. The application of stock valuation models can be used to determine if the market price of a stock is over or under valued. Common stocks that have a value lower than the market price should not be purchased, while stock whose valuation exceeds in the market price should be purchased. Net Present Value The net present value is an analytical tool that can be used to make capital decisions. The NPV takes into consideration all the inflows and outflows of money associated with a project to determine whether a project should be accepted or rejected (Besley & Brigham, 2000). Another important element of the NPV calculation is the fact the NPV incorporates the time value of money. The time value of money adjusts the values in order to consider inflation. Most corporate finance books have time value of money tables. According to the NPV a project should be rejected when the value of the NPV is negative. A project is accepted when the value is positive. The use of NPV calculation can be used to compare different projects.

Monday, September 23, 2019

An Experience That Taught a Lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An Experience That Taught a Lesson - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that there are many occurrences and happenings in an individual’s life. Some of these experiences are very important and tend to leave a mark on a person’s life. These experiences tend to teach a person a lifelong lesson and have a strong impact on a person’s future decisions. The author also encountered one such experience in his school life that he will never forget. This event taught him an important lesson and molded his character and laid a strong influence on his future choices and ways. This important event took place when the narrator was in sixth grade in high school and opted for cheating to complete his work. His act was caught and the researcher learned an important lesson for his entire life. When he was in sixth grade, things were not very easy and it was difficult for him to cope up with his studies. The author was not scoring very well on his class assignments. He had decided that he would work harder fo r his next assignment to improve the overall grade. But to make things worst the researcher fell sick for one week and could not attend school. This made him lag behind in his class homework and he could not complete his homework assignment. This homework assignment was very important for the author owing to the fact that it would have laid an impact on his final result. The narrator attended school on the day when the assignment was to be submitted and he asked his best friend for help.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Office Visit Essay Example for Free

Office Visit Essay DHL is known for its reputation and service throughout the world. Major online vendors like Amazon. com and Barnes Nobles as well as several other industries employ DHL speed post service to deliver their items and couriers to their clients. It has been an immense pleasure to visit one of their branch offices and the layout of their work as well as their office has certainly been impressive. As time becomes more and more precious in the world of today, people are willing to invest into time-saving services. DHL has undoubtedly been one of them. Several industries involved in marketing and sales on a global basis employ their services due to the reputation it holds in the industry. From receiving express packages and couriers to sending express packages and couriers, DHL has been well-known for its reputation in the express mail and courier facility and its reliability for quality service. Though its major task has most commonly been linked with the express mail task, the DHL industry spreads itself into various other industrial sectors as well such as audio visual and telecommunications, electronics telecom, enterprise computer systems, fashion and fashion solutions, global automotive solutions, pharma/healthcare and semiconductors. DHL presents an amazing work history. Founded by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillbolm and Robert Lynn from their last names (DHL), DHL was established in the year 1969 via first express route that started from San Francisco to Honolulu, the success of DHL didn’t just stop there. Serving as a foundation for innovative ideas, DHL was the first in its industry to provide documentation prior to the arrival of the cargoes that rushed the route of importing of goods. Due to its reliable express service, it began to gain its recognition in the industry and this also initiated to expand its routes from Hawaii and Far East to as far as the Middle East. By 1988, DHL could be found in more than 170 countries and employing more than 16,000 employees in its firm. DHL offers a lucrative career for those involved in the sales and marketing field. The career options are many, including part-time as well as freelance. While the current estimate of the number of people hired is difficult; as of 2005 statistics, DHL had employed more than 110,000 employees in more than 200 countries (DHL, 2007). In the current office visit, there were around 50 employees assisting in the tasks involved in delivery and customer service, the head of whom. It mainly dealt with dealing calls from customers and answering several queries with respect to the orders placed by their company. The office layout is impressive. Designed into several cubicles, this structure ensured proper space for each employee to work in giving them their privacy (Martin, 2001). However, there are a few disadvantages linked with such kind of architecture. I’d prefer the DHL team to work without walls. The recent article on office cubicles and the joy of employees related to the demise of the cubicles is a proof enough to show that though cubicles grants privacy, it is not the best structure for offices to work effectively (Lotozo, 2006) In cubicles, we have walls separating one employee from another thereby giving privacy but in today’s management, the best way to work is to work in teams. This requires the employees to work together and of course, without the presence of walls. As Marilyn S. Burroughs in her article entitled, â€Å"Work spaces that work: designing high performance offices† states, â€Å"The future will see more teams that function as amoebae expanding and contracting, blurring both the center and the boundaries. Teams will be disposable, sometimes lasting only several hours; theyll be wholly elastic, coming in all sizes, and people will slip in and out of them instantly. And office designs will accommodate these ever changing teams: Flexibility, spontaneity, and the need to be fluid applies to the physical environment as well as to work processes†¦ The growth of teams is helping to eliminate functional silos and to flatten organizations because teams require faster, clearer, more direct, and more spontaneous communication. Teaming requires a less-structured atmosphere, one that is much more informal, participatory, and flexible† (Burroughs, 1996). The other section of the DHL department contained the packages that were delivered by trucks to the office (the office visited was one of the DHL branch present in my city) and the packages were neatly arranged according to their localities in the storage room. Each package was handled carefully by each employee as they are responsible for the proper delivery of the package and any harm to the courier package would mean refunds from the customer from the firm responsible for the courier. The type of workload that DHL handles varies from customer service (attending calls, queries and even e-mailing that involves the use of computers) to handling courier packages. An attendant is always ready at hand to answer any queries for visitors and the work space ensures that the customer is comfortable. Though the office is divided into cubicles, a comfortable space for the customers has been designed. The space has sofas and is moderately lit. The marketing strategies of DHL have been extremely successful in yielding business on a global basis and its success has been evident since its inception. As of recent, DHL won the contract from RE/Max network. It was a multimillion dollar agreement with the company that has a network from over 60 countries with 119,000 franchises. The company will now employ DHL services for express and international shipping (Business Wire, 2007). The winning of the multimillion contracts itself is a proof of its successful marketing and contract strategies. The business has been successful since the year of its inception. DHL, of recent, employs more than 300,000 employees throughout the world. The online tool that helps in the shipping tracking on an every-day basis has been extremely useful for many customers who wish to monitor their packages. Furthermore, the DHL merged with the Deutsche Post Euro Express (that is the leading postal provider in Germany and Europe) thereby giving DHL the access to an extensive reliable road network through Europe for business and private clients (Business Wire, 2006). Therefore, the kind of offices that DHL requires is the one that assists with the needs of the employees and the customers. Since there are many vendors and merchants who have partnered with DHL, an office specifically addressing the company inquiries plays a vital role. The future plans of the DHL are many, one of which has been stated by the Deutsche Post Euro Express is the employment of robots. Hermann Franck, the DHL master mind calls this as the â€Å"Cinderella feature† where he states, â€Å"Developers also plan to integrate RFID technology into the parcel robot. The idea is simple. With transponders placed on parcels and the robot being equipped with a reading device, the machine could identify the contents of the parcel during the gripping process. The robot would be able to pick through the parcels, just like Cinderella picking through the ashes to find the lentils, explains DHLs mastermind Hermann Franck. The idea is not to put the bad into the crop, as the fairytale goes, but to sort the parcels according to specific destination criteria, for instance† (Deutsche Post World Net, 2007). As DHL continues to expand itself in various areas, it comes with new ideas as well. The DHL Company has an innovation center that addresses the needs of customers and becoming their first choice as well. DHL has been continuously involved in evolving itself technologically and keeps itself in pace with the current events and machines that would facilitate in the development of the company in every way. The modern architecture of today plays a vital role in the successes of such companies. While the DHL office visit truly gave an insight into a company’s goals, aspirations and statuses, the business architecture is worth appraising. A business architecture, as stated by the BPM institute is, â€Å"comprehensive framework used to manage and align an organizations business processes, Information Technology (IT) software and hardware, local and wide area networks, people, operations and projects with the organizations overall strategy† (BPMinstitute. org, 2007). The DHL office is equipped with the latest tracking software with internet availability. The company has also been rigorous in performing regular checks on technology where it employs the latest to aid in the innovative express service that it offers to its customers. The business has been steadily growing and every year, it has marked a progress by improving its technology on a yearly basis. Today, the trend of information architecture plays a vital role in the businesses and thus, the successes of the businesses mainly rely on what kind of information architecture has been or is being used by the business. As Judith Lamont in her article, â€Å"Setting the stage for success- information architecture earns performance kudos from customers† states, â€Å"Information architecture is the process of organizing and structuring information so that it is logical in design and presentation. It establishes categories and relationships among different pieces of information. It defines metadata schemes, navigation and search interfaces. Good architecture not only helps users find information, but also facilitates updating content by having clear rules for adding new information. And its effects show tip on the bottom line with surprising speed when users can get what they need in just a few clicks† (Lamont, 2003). The basic structure that DHL uses is the information architecture. However, it also implements the enterprise architectural strategy in order to expand its business further. Every business’s architecture plays a vital role in its success as it acts like a blue print for transformation and technology modernization. In the current office visit, I found that due to the high success rates, the employees are happy to serve their satisfied clients in every way they can. Therefore, they create a premise that works efficiently in creating a comfortable and good office environment for workers as well as customers. The DHL Company has been found to work with good working ethics and therefore, if there were any further improvements that could be suggested to this company, it could be on the basis of the enterprise architecture where it can satisfy the workers and the clients to a greater extent than it does today. The DHL incorporates seven cultures in its company where it believes that employing highly talented people in its office actually boosts the status of being a responsible global corporate. Furthermore, it strives to deliver excellent quality and fosters openness. The company also acknowledges its social responsibility as well as strives to act in an entrepreneurial manner. This makes the company look professional and therefore, is the key success to all its ventures. Since it abides by the seven corporate cultures identified, the employees abide by it acknowledging its essence in the industry. Regular training and rewards are given to employees who perform well in their work. The DHL Company also believes that it is through its seven corporate cultures that it poses a stiff competition for its competitors. The benefits of enterprise architecture have been proved efficient in the world of today. If DHL wants to pursue its interests and expansions further, it should acknowledge the essence of enterprise architecture and therefore, as R. Suter in his article entitled, â€Å"Securing strategic benefit from enterprise architecture† states, â€Å"Enterprise architecture enables the transformation of organizations into efficient users of capital, be it human/intellectual, organizational, or technical. It does so by identifying capability and resource requirements of the agency mission before resources are committed to development, thereby minimizing the risk of costly rework and schedule overruns; identifying reuse; and streamlining opportunities for technologies, processes, procedures, and information assets. During subsequent development, architecture also enables the management of out-of-scope changes which, however meritorious, would derail subsequent modernization efforts† (Suter, 2007). The proper framework of any organization helps in the building of a successful business and therefore, only a proper architecture that updates and aligns itself with the business policies of today can assure that the business can be successful. Management itself is considered a part of architecture that ensures that there is a continuous development. DHL’s business plans have been consistent and successes have been evident. The fact that it provides excellent client and customer service is the reason why many companies prefer to deal with DHL though some of its prices may seem high compared to its competitors. DHL maintains itself by sustaining its ties through its sustaining program where it helps sustain environment (which is a social responsibility), economic performance (by promoting sustainable economic development), people and communities (by providing employment opportunities) and many more. It helps in the continuous development of talents for its employees by offering employment training and development programs. Thus, an employee working with DHL is continuously updated and its corporate values help in maintaining a fair attitude towards its employees. The ethical understanding of the DHL Company is evident through its sustaining programs that highlight on equal opportunities and also promotes general health promotion campaigns followed by providing an ideal management program that rewards the efficient and hardworking employees (DHL International, 2007). Maintaining such a network has helped DHL to advance further and I believe the management style of DHL is absolutely efficient in delivering success to its members and thus, is well managed. As DHL further undergoes expansion, it is evident that there is a scope for further additions to its offices throughout the world and if any recommendation is to be offered, I believe it would be asking the DHL to comprehend the significance of software architecture in the world of today. Basically, it is just a blue print for constructing new products and therefore, as DHL aims to be innovative in its methods (thereby providing satisfactory service to its clients and customers); an expansion into the software architectural strategy would be a wonderful addition. The easy part about the software architecture would be that it wouldn’t require any installations but would products based on software architecture are installed. The role of software architectural strategy is to account for the entire development of the product that is normally done by various sectors such as building and configuring. Since several sectors of DHL deal with several aspects of technology, the software architectural strategy would provide a fundamental base for the development of new products with innovative ideas (Sanders, 1992). This is the IBM’s Distributed Data Management Architecture and is meant for distributed application a service which is similar to the one we encounter in DHL Company. This would only serve as an innovative step for the DHL to proceed further in order to satisfy the clients and customers it sustains in its database.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

African American Film Stereotypes

African American Film Stereotypes The black American actors have come along away within the movie industry in a myriad of perspectives. This is exemplified by the present huge number of black actors in Hollywood, the contemporary influential roles they play and even more essential; the modern view they present in relation to the stereotypical roles of the past century. A far cry from what it used to be in the early and mid 20th century with all film roles assigned to this group having attached racial prejudice. During the periods between the 1900 and 1970, many blacks were given subordinate and subservient roles. The theatrical image, Black face continued to be the conventional depiction of black actors within the film industry, with many of them such as Dewey Markham adopting the image as integral to their act (Padgett, 2011). Actors of this era were given roles of servants, often of the lowest levels, such as janitors, house helps, porters, cooks, gardeners and cleaners among others. Such roles could not be compar ed to the more privileged roles assigned to their white counterparts, mainly depicted as their employers and bosses; a sort of carried forward perception of the slave and master in a newer dimension. Roles of servitude clearly brought out the perception of the black community and further aided its projection within the American society through the movie industry and TV programs (Bogle, 2001). The scenario gradually took a turn towards a rather positive outlook towards the late 1970s into the 21st century. Much of the strength in these early racial stereotypes has dissipated, but their still exist vestiges of these within the movie industry, perpetuating incorrect attributes about the African Americans. Treatment of the African American actors between 1900 and 1970 Early era: 1900 to 1950s Actors and actresses from the black American community within this period faced many challenges within the movie industry. In the early part of the century, role depicting black people were played, not by black actors but rather by nameless white actors after painting their faces dark black (Bogle, 2001). This tradition, commonly referred to as black face, was carried over to the silent films from the stage shows and theatrical plays of the preceding century. Together with this theatrical image came the racial stereotypical of the African Americans as perceived within the American society; a white dominated society whose views were the ones making all the influence in the films. Racial discrimination and how it was deeply engrossed within the fabrics of the American society at the time, is seen as the major cause of their plights. Black actors were treated with low regard and given roles that had little impact on the main plots at many times. Many of the talented black actors were ig nored, vilified or even utterly dismissed from movie production houses at the start of the 20th century (Higginbotham, 2001). The few who joined the industry had little chance of making any great impact as their white colleagues. Such roles were assigned only to serve the purpose of depicting the black race within the society. Comedians and jesters especially in the 1920s to the 1940s were roles allocated to black funny men such as Bert Williams, Willie Best and Billie Robinson Bonjangles , albeit with a touch of docility or meekness. Taking a critical look at all roles, gives a portrayal of their community with a racial perspective. Turner classic movies produced mainly between the 1920s and the 1950s illustrate the stereotypical black roles of domestic workers and servants working for their white employers. Some of the roles portrayed images of ridicule and shameful aspects viewed as part of the black culture and general personalities. a negative attitude towards work is one perception about black people projected by some roles, notably by the roles played by Stepin Fetchit. Although the actor grew wealthy with his roles describing him as the laziest being on earth, they further advanced these indolent and lethargic attributes to the African Americans (Padgett, 2011). Combining the negative attitudes towards work and the white community, in addition to their problematic environment and personalities, are clear racial stereotypes borrowed from the blackface image (Padgett, 2011). Being given supporting roles of lesser impact on the films was also reflected by the lack of awards won by these actors. Consideration for awarding nominations to excellent black actors was subject to racial prejudice and attitudes. Some really deserving cases were not chosen for the same reasons. The reality of their situation was compounded by the fact that all movie productions were dominated and managed by the white, forcing any talented black performer to conform to the directions of the movies and the script. Without the presence of the changes that took place in the 1960s, after the rise of black civil rights movements, independent black owned production houses and companies were not feasible and as result, it meant a a take it or leave it situation for these actors. Having to make a leaving forced them to accept these roles, in spite the wrong generalizations they portrayed. The late Bill Bojangles is one actor, who was called the quintessential Tom, with his many roles mirroring the servile and submissive black janitor or porter in many of his roles (Padgett, 2011). In real life, the actor the sort of man who could demand to be served (at times exposing his pearl handled revolver) when refused any service at all white luncheons. Many of the actors accepted roles that did not portray their real personalities as individuals or the black people as a whole. The 1960s to late 1970s The scenario gradually took another turn for the better towards the late 1950s and 1960s. Changes were brought about by with the introduction of gifted and influential actresses and actors particularly Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Poitier. Production of films like a member of the weeding , where Ethel Waters played a crucial role of alleviating the black image, and Raisin in the sun, greatly enhanced a growing positive view of the black performers in Hollywood in general and their community in particular. The legendary Sidney Poitier is much credited for his roles in Patch of blue, Guess whos coming to dinner, Lilies of the filed, and Slender thread that advanced a more dynamic and handsome picture of the black actor. His strong and huge presence within the films embodied the ideal perfect actor unequaled by none across the racial divides in his time; a feat that can be understated. Transformations were positively impacted on by new breed of actors including Harley Berry and Denzel Washington with increased opportunities being extended to black movie artists especially towards the 21st century. Roles and their actors and actresses A majority of the roles extended to black performers were by nature subservient and subordinate to their white counterparts (Zeisler, 2008). These actors had to play roles portraying submission to their bosses and employers. Main roles as pointed out by Bogle included the mammies, mulattoes, toms, coons and bucks (Bogle, 2001). All these negative roles grew out of the background of racial prejudice with the intention of stressing negro inferiority (Bogle, 2001). As a matter of fact, these roles were not directed at creating any harm to the black people. They only reproduced and reflected black stereotypes that had existed since the days of slavery, and which had been subsequently made popular by other forms of art including literature, music and theater (Bogle, 2001). The Toms Black roles referred to as Tom, derived from the 1903 motion picture uncle Toms cabin, depicted the black actor as the submissive servant obedient to his master. They painted a stereotype of the black character as subjective to his white employer from an avuncular disposition. These roles extended perceptions of the relationship between the slave and his master, from an era preceding the movie industry. Labeling of the black community from the tom roles reflects the contemporary racial view prevalent particularly in the years between the 1900 to the 1920s. The toms were socially accepted good negro characters, as pointed out by Donald Bogle, who are always harassed, hounded, flogged, insulted, enslaved or chased. In spite of the ill treatment, the toms keep their faith and do not turn against their white massas (Bogle, 2001). They instead remain hearty, stoic, selfless and submissive to their white boss. Bert Williams is among the first black actors who played these roles, as the use of blackface diminished, with actor James Lowe typifying the role in the 1927s Uncle Toms Cabin (Bogle, 2001). Movie plot depicted the toms as generous, kindhearted and loving towards their masters, even in times and situations that presented them with freedom from servitude. For example, in the 1911 film, For massas sake, a former slave is so attached to his erstwhile master even to the point of selling himself back into the atrocious state of slavery, in order to help his master through a difficult period of financial problems. Obedience to the domineering authority presented through the white employers, as was seen in the slavery era, was the type casted solution to the black problems. Rather than rebel or demand a greater range of rights, they were admonished to accept their lower position in the society with love and a sense of responsibility to their masters and mistresses as long as they lived. The Coons The coons were presented as simpletons and foolish by nature with an exaggerated sense of self but innately coward. Presenting the Negro as some form of amusement objects, with a buffoonish attitude, these roles according to Bogle came in two variations or types; the uncle Remus and the pickaninny (Bogle, 2001). The pickaninny portrayed the black child as harmless, with funny antics of eyes almost popping and the hair standing on end with a little bit of excitement. Diverting attention and creating some pleasant comical effects was the main purpose of this particular role, albeit with a lot of exaggerations and amplification of their naivety. Children actors such as Allen Clayton Hoskins popularly known as Farina playing a character from Uncle Toms Cabin, and Billie Thomas as Buckwheat in the Our Gang; little rascals, typified this coon roles in the 1920s and 1930s. From these little coons, developed the most outright and blatantly demeaning of all the black stereotypes; the unreliab le and extremely lazy and good for nothing people who took no responsibility with their actions. These black roles gave the impression that the African Americans were an indolent race who would rather steal form their white masters, especially food items from the farm, rather than work for anything in their lives. sitting down and idling time away, chatting in a distorted form of English as they wait for opportunities to steal from others, especially the hapless toms, was a typical portrayal of these characters in the movies of the early 20th century. The Rastus series are an exemplary in representing the black Negro males as a basic thief when given the chance without any regard to moral reflection. Black actor, Stepin Fetchit (1902- 1985), carried out this role to greater heights, in movie characters that showcased the African American as very lazy with intense averseness towards any form of work. These were really degrading racial stereotypes. Uncle Remus, related to the tom as a first cousin, is revealed as congenial and harmless, with the tendency to comically philosophize about everything around him, with particular reference to the general position and plight of the Negro community. With his immense mirth, this coon character role, show cases a predisposition of the African American towards accepting the situation of servitude he finds himself in. The Tragic Mulatto The female black roles were no different in illustrating the underlying racial stereotypes adopted as the main view points towards the African American at the time. The mulatto roles depicted tragic lives of the bi-racial women, ruined and disadvantaged by their possession of the black blood. They were not given strong sexual or feminine attributes (Zeisler, 2008). In their futile attempts to be regarded as white rather than colored, this group faces prejudice from both sides of the racial line. Black males also existed but their tendency to stick more to their black community diminishes their significance, leaving the female characters in illustrating the plight of the mixed individuals. The lives of these females are shown to the audience in sympathetic light, hampered and derailed as a result of their divided racial inheritance (Bogle, 2001). The Mammy The mammy is another of the female black stereotypes related to the coon characters and degraded to their level by association. Distinguished by her gender, the mammy is described to the viewer usually as big and fat, with an argumentative and difficult nature. She displays the black family matriarch as bad tempered and fiercely independent. Some of the Tom and Jerry cartoon episodes depict the cats owner as a black mammy who does not tolerate the cats antics throwing him out after provocation. Hattie McDaniel played the mammy role in the movie Gone with the wind, eventually landing her an academy award; the first for an African American. Despite their tough stand, mammies are also depicted as soft hearted, sweet, jolly and kind to others (Zeisler, 2008). The Brutal Black Buck The last of the male roles is described by the irrational and rather shortsighted buck, who in many instances showcases hypersexual tendencies. The brutal black buck is clearly depicted by D. W. Griffiths the birth of a nation released in 1915 (Bogle, 2001). It brought out a depiction of the Negroes as being lustful and arrogant in an idiotic way. Exposed as savages and brutes without much regard to rational approach to issues, with all actions revealing more uncivilized attributes, this role mostly came up against a white hero who emerges triumphant in the conflicts. Painting the black Negroes as psychopaths, with strong tendencies of revealing beastly characteristics, through these characters, exemplifies the wrong racial stereotypical views attached to the black individuals and community as a whole. Impact of the black stereotypes All these racially projected stereotypes were not representative of the Negroes; separately as individuals or collectively as a community. Black actors basically took these roles within the movies but did not ascribe to them as part of the black behavior, attitudes or nature. Many of these black actors openly rebelled against these stereotypes painted by their roles in popular movie and TV programs (Bogle, 2001). Black attributes alluded to only served to degrade the Negro image to a point of humiliation, pointing out to their presumed lower capability and intelligence which in turn justified their lower position within the American society. Impact of these stereotypes painted a social divide along racial lines with implications of huge differences between the white and black races. Admired black performers of the 1980s, including comedians Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, found it hard to shake away these lingering stereotypes in their roles. Having majorly created such images within its audience and the industry at large, meant some vestiges of these characters continued on, especially the glamorized coon roles (Bogle, 2001). Most comic roles were assigned to black actors in this era, albeit with sharp street wise skills and intelligent demeanors, far from the nitwit coons depicted in the 1940s movies. Female roles slowly adopted significant positions in movie plotlines with a modern depiction of sexual appeal glaringly missing from early movies. Glamorized Characters Criticism from own culture During the late 18th century, white had immersed themselves into blackness depicting violence and men conceptualized African men as having a vigorous sexuality. By then, blackness was the way to go which brought rise to blackface. Even whites started wearing black masks to depict their blackness. Unfortunately, this was not the true representation of the black culture. It is therefore justified that the black community of the African Americans taking issues with their fellows who made their way into the movie industry and took roles which showed negatively the black culture. Apparently, it was quite difficult for black actors and actresses to refuse a role offered to them since they were still struggling for recognition in the movie industry. This means that they were always at loggerheads with people from their African American communities for lowering their standards. As early as 1906, George Walker of the Williams and Walker Minstrel duo had criticized black actors in an essay where he commented that they wrongly portrayed the black community in their roles by using makeup that exaggerated their darkness, usually by painting their lips luminous red. He comments in the essay, Negroes on the American stage that nothing is more absurd than to see a colored man making himself look ridiculous in order to portray himself (Crum, 2010). The argument is that the caricatures in which the black actors played on the screens asserted the superiority of whiteness and were therefore responsible for escalating the discrimination of the black Americans. Some actors like Williams and walker, enlightened at how the caricature presented their race, moved out of blackface to begin their own minstrel where they distanced themselves from the caricatures. Unfortunately, most of the black actors, due to the financial gains they got from the roles they played, failed to notice this and thus maintained the status of the white seniority (Crum, 2010). Sydney Portier The movie industry by them was selective of the roles to be given to black actors as much as it was hard for any black actor to gain acceptance to the theatres. One black actor who had to struggle this much was none other than Sydney Portier, who went ahead to become the first African American to win the Grammys in 1963. It goes without saying that this did not come easily to Portier. The roles allocated to him were usually demeaning as compared to white actors. Although he received the most advanced roles for a black actor at the time, he was criticized by his fellow African Americans that his roles did not display the causes of the real problems affecting the black community. Note that in his films, he had roles that were of upper class and professional status which were only held by white. It therefore was viewed by the black community as unacceptable as the roles were so far removed from the majority of the blacks. They argued that, Portier is equal, if not superior to any of his white antagonists, who are forced to recognize his abilities and to purge themselves of their own racism. It was viewed as a misrepresentation of the people and their plight (Ricrob, 2009). Dorothy Dandridge Another rising star in the black community was Dorothy Dandridge who was also a musician and therefore played more in musicals. The roles she had on the screen were viewed to be stereotypic by the black community who thought that she had aligned herself too much to the white community and was therefore not a good representation of the black community. This fact rose because she doubled up as a musician who constantly entertained at exclusively whites clubs (Mills, 1999). Mulatto actresses Tragic mulattos were the leading roles for black female actresses. These were the roles in which many African Americans were afforded which afforded them the status of sex objects. This was not a true representation of the African Americans and therefore they usually took to tasks the females like Dorothy Dandridge who played these roles that were demeaning to the culture. It is also important to know that African Americans also prided in having women like Dandridge because they addressed the plight of the blacks. Contradicting? Well, the movies production rights belonged to the whites and the blacks only played the roles offered to them (Pilgrim, 2000). The mulattos were women born of white fathers and black slaves and therefore were beautiful. Although all black women slaves were vulnerable to rape, the black mulattos were more susceptible because of their radiant beauty and white skin which was appealing. Apparently, the white men viewed the black skin as insult. Such roles played by black actresses depicted mulattos as seductive and were therefore viewed by whites as party to concubinage and other sexual abuse, putting women in the black community at harms way. However, it was in some way responsible for bridging the gap which existed that denied legitimate sexual relationship between men and women of different races (Pilgrim, 2000). Dorothy was the most successful tragic mulatto in the theatres being the first ever black woman to be held romantically in a movie by a white man in the film Carmen Jones (Pilgrim, 2000). Dorothy Dandridge suffered nervous breakdown since just like in her movies on the tragic mulatto, she was like one in real life with a life of broken marriages. In this context, according to Spike Lee, was a failure of understanding exactly the grounds they stood on. When Spike, who introduced romantic ebony movies, released a romantic movie, he gave a leading role to a black girl which was criticized greatly by other black Americans who argued that the sexual expressions that were displayed by Nola in the movie Shes gotta have it was unbecoming and unrepresentative of the African American culture as it presented black women as being natural sexually promiscuous (Abrams, 2008). Blaxploitation and womanism Blaxploitation began as a result of the black power movement of the 1960s which was expected to depict a community that had illuminated with civil rights and wanted to free African Americans from political and social exploitation. It accredited to the movie song sweetback by Melvin Van Peebles. What the movie writer and director did not know is that his movie, instead of showing African Americans as free and liberated had opened a new way in which they would be exploited. There was great success in the movie and therefore other movie directors and producers, seeing that the black community would support anything that had a black cast, rushed to cash in on this. Soon many movie productions like shaft were released. This movie mostly focused on sex and violence (Lawrence, 2008). Note that this films showed black heroes working in white dominated localities and was therefore popular to black audience since it helped them escape from reality. Additionally, there was a need for desegregation in the United States after the cold war and therefore filmmakers were focusing on hiring black actors to feature in anti racism movies which were to be good for both white and black audience. Note that most of the blaxploitation movies depicted blacks as sexually promiscuous and generally irresponsible, showing the daily life in the ghettos where most blacks lived. And although they were produced with black cast, advertised as black, with both script and concept, they were white dominated with the writers, directors and producers all being white and there were not producing the movies for the message they wished to deliver but to cash in on the audience. This and the fact that they only portrayed the blacks with violence, drugs and sex, were some of the contributors of the decline of the blaxploitation movies (Bigley, 2003). Womanism also started at the same time that blaxploitation started and was to show the womanhood of the African American movies. With roles in movies like Cleopatra Jones, women were now playing heroine movies. The most important aspects of womanism was to portray a bond of love, whether physically or sexually, between black women. Apparently, the black women had been oppressed by sexism and racism and this is what womanism was yearning to address. Development of womanism further escalated blaxploitation where the theme was used in the movies to use the sexuality of a liberated black woman. It is important, however, to note that there is a great difference between feminism and womanism. Although they are related, womanism is rooted to the time of slavery and tragic mulattos while feminism is based on sexism and feminism. These were used as themes in the womanist movies like in the character of mammy (Pattilo, 2009). Although the way women were viewed in historically has not changed much, even after the emergence of womanism, they were still viewed as sex objects and things to lust after. In the end, however, they started getting empowered roles, acting heroines and gaining lead roles (Gates Higginbotham, 2004). In as much as this has been the development in the movie industry and the rise of chicks with guns like Angelina Jolly in Lara Croft, they are still viewed as sex objects even though they are currently independent. Initially, they were given the roles of damsels in distress (Starlet, 2007). From Uncle Tom to co-starring Initially, when the blacks came into the movie industry, their roles were actually not played by blacks. Rather they were being played by white in blackfaces. Uncle Toms cabin was the first movie in which a black role played in a movie. Tom was always harassed, flogged, exploited and generally made fun of in the movies. This role was almost always what African Americans received in early cinemas so that they greatly exaggerated the inferiority of the blacks and the superiority of the whites. As can be see, no leading roles were given to African Americans until the beginning of the blaxploitation (Bogle, 2001). Due to the great criticism that the black community had for uncle tom, buffoon and mammy roles and subsequent of some split in blackface by other enlightened actors like William and walker, movie producers started giving roles for assistant starring and sometimes leading roles to black Americans but this was realized completely during blaxploitation (Bogle, 2001). Effects of racism and stereotype to the movie industry Stereotyping in the movie industry was experienced in the allocation of roles to actors. African Americans had roles that showed the naivety of African Americans. Furthermore, those roles depicted them as being unintelligent, lazy and violence prone. In addition to this, it portrayed all beautiful women as unintelligent and highly sexually promiscuous. In this respect, it promoted further exploitation of the black community and strengthened the negative perception of the African Americans by the whites. Although it brought a lot of resources to the movie industry, stereotyping led to the collapse of the once popular subgenres like the blaxploitation movies (Bogle, 2001). Racism and stereotypes in the movie industry always have a direct influence on the society and these values are inscribed in the minds of many. Most of the movies in the earlier times during the time of blaxploitation portrayed blacks as the most violent people, usually had whites being the victims of some black actor. As a result, society tended to carry this image with them and usually people would be scared when there was a black man in the bus or in the vicinity because they were thought to be either robbers, murderers and even rapists (Gates Higginbotham, 2004). On the other hand, all movies showed uncle toms personality in these movies. This made it look like all blacks are lazy and unintelligent. The reflection therefore of film is directly reverted in the community and governs how people of a certain race are to live. How can it be explained that the first person to die in a movie will most probably be a black? The villain is the criminal? When it is a leading role the case will be different. But this villain will be very intelligent as compared to the black villain (Bogle, 2001). Conclusion The life of the film industry in America has been as turbulent for African Americans like everything else. The industry which has initially been run by white Americans always wanted to show the superiority of the whites against the African Americans. Looking at the roles that were traditionally given to black actors and actresses including Uncle Tom, buffoon, mammy and Uncle Harvey, the depiction is that African Americans were highly ignorant and unintelligent. As for mammy, it depicts negatively the role of African American matriarchs. Stereotypes and racism was high in the movie industry. The African American woman has not been spared in the stereotype and prejudice that existed in the movie industry. Roles offered to black actresses depicted the black woman as irresponsible and sexually promiscuous. In fact, this was not limited to the African American woman. Most movies during the blaxploitation were filled with sex, violence, vulgarism and most ultimately unintelligence. Apparently, the movies, those made by black directors such as Melvin Peebles were meant to expose the plight of the African Americans although they ended having negative effects on the culture of the African Americans. This led to criticism from African Americans who argued that the actors were not representing the culture of African Americans who included Dorothy Dandridge and Sidney Portier. Ultimately, after the blaxploitation, the film industry started changing although it still was stereotypic and racist in nature. However, now black actors started getting lead and supporting roles in the films and even some professional roles that were played by Sidney which include a doctor in Guess Who Is Coming to Dinner and some detective roles. Note that these were held only by whites. It was a great move for showing the blacks as intelligent on screenplay for the first time. However, the roles of women were still stereotypes with roles such as the tragic mulatto. Sex is still a stereotype that women are still viewed with although they now have independent roles with the development of chicks with guns. The movie industry is one that continues to bring different feeling but although today there is not much stereotypes and racial prejudice, there is still some element.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Market and strategy analysis of whirlpool

Market and strategy analysis of whirlpool Refrigerator is truly an integral part of every home. The choice of refrigerator brand and model you want to buy will depend on the number of people in the house as well as your income and their space available in the income. Mainly refrigerators are two types direct cool, frost control and frost free refrigerators. Whirlpool develops the strategy of market segmentation ,target market ,distribution and manufacturing. Whirlpool is the first manufactured product of home home appliances The market share of whirlpool is above 25% Segmentation Whirlpool understood Indian market very closely,and launching products through customer needs. Its mainly basis on the technology,price,services. When the customer needs and wants of the products are launched they are feasible to every customer. It is the basic segment. It covers all the features except for modular shelves, all of them are single metallic bodys.in this segment ranges from 180 to 230 litres.These type of refrigerators are small refrigerators and small shops.In this canot be stored in large capacity.The price varies from 8850 to 12700.In this master price is the base product with unique health guard,thick door design and jumbo bottle neck.In this genius xl premier is the higest product with unique health guard,thick door design,jumbo bottle rack,chill max and modular shelves features. Frost control This segment is the premier segment. It has more feature values compared to the direct cool. This type of refrigerators are technically advanced and are aimed to reduce frost information in the refrigerator.Its ranging capacity is 180 to 310 litres. In this price varies from 11550 to 17745.Its has mainly the 6th sense frost control technology and which is the additional point of this segment. Frost free This segment is the elite segment. It is the most profitable segment in the whirlpool. In segment there are 21 models.Compared to other the price and capacity are more. Its ranges from 220 to 450 litres.In this segment it has not introduced in the low capacity refrigerators.For elite models it has created the higher segment.Mainly the elite models are used for super markets and malls.The price varies from 13775 to 36200It has mainly introduced the 6th sense tower cooling technology for forst free refrigerators.for end products its also introduced 30 litre crisper. Target customers The market that is valued for refrigerator is 4000 crores.In the consumer durable market then th market share is 16%.In market is growing annually at 7-8 %. For the direct cool segments the consumer requirements are low capacity. i.e house holds,small shop keepers, bachelors. For the frost control segment is the average amount of income and is mainly targeted in the middle class. For the frost free segment mainly targeted on the high income and also large storage capacity. In terms of income it can be classified for 3 differrent strategies.In the whirlpool mainly advertising on the target of housewives.hence the primarily target for whirlpool is housewives. Positioning Mainly its has trying to itself as a homemaker.Recently the whirlpool tag line for advertisements was your magic is home making.in earlier it was you whirlpool.For advertising and promotion it spends 70 crores.Ajay and kajol are brand ambassadors of whirlpool. A relationship basedon equality,love and romance. The following are the Successful mantra of Whirlpool: Know a customer Be a customer Serve a customer The major competitors with whirlpool in the refrigerator segment are Samsung LG Industrial structure The industrial structure mainly comes in the category of oligopoly market. But the 3 of them having the major share. Brand identity: The identity of brand is very crucial in this industry. The company with a strong brand can be definitely success in this industry. New entrants: Threat is very low. Advertising : Requires huge amount for advertising. In india it was established in the year 1997. LG has no segments, they are mainly concentrated only one segment. In this green ion door cooling refrigerators are the special features. It has been rated 5 star by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). They launched recently in the first TV-refrigerator. In this segment there are 9 models available in the market. It is mainly targeted in the middle and above middle class. The price vries range from Rs.14450 to Rs.39880 It is only one refrigerator with out works stabilizer. PROMOTION / MARKETING STRATEGY Its marketing mainly depends up on advertising.abhishek bachan was the brand ambassador for LG. Mainly concentrate on the rural areas. In this market share is increased to 15.8 to 18% For this value to the customer is more important and not price. They are top quality and leading edge technology. Samsung is mainly the technology leader and they mainly competiitn with others is technology. They are mainly twin cooling system. They provide optimum level of coling in the refrigeration compartment and the freezer. Mainly it is around cooling action. Mainly it uses the siver fresh technology. In this furtherly can be classified in to 3 segments. Direct Cool Frost Free Side By Side Direct Cool It is mainly target on the middle class. In this there are 6 different models. Its ranges the capacity of 180-200 litres. The price varies from Rs.8,700 to Rs.10,900 Frost Free Refrigerators No of models Price Rs Less than 350 litres 6 13000-2200 Greater than 350 litres 6 29000-56000 Bottom freezer 3 38000-56000 Side By Side Its mainly targeted on the premium product in the niche market. It has mainly 13 models. In this capacity ranges from 545 to 880 Litres Price varies from Rs. 56,000 Rs. 1,41,000 After Sales Service They started the own service centres and helpline numbers. In this mainly success mantra is 10 second to loose a customer, 10 years to gain them back . For this year expecting to expand refrigerator channel by 25%